1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):

I was looking forward to the short trip to St Mary’s for several reasons. Firstly, it was the first league meeting between the two sides for 50 years. It is largely unknown outside the area that is a fierce rivalry between the two clubs, so it was a mouth watering prospect. Also, St Mary’s is a very modern ground which I was yet to visit, making it an extremely excitable game to go and watch. The fact that Bournemouth were on a great run and Saints were off to an unpredictable start to the season, made this an interesting spectacle.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

The journey from Bournemouth was straightforward, just along the M27. We decided to use the away supporter’s park and ride, located by Junction 8 of the M27, as this was the safest way of getting to the ground. Usually I would expect no problems parking in the city centre, but we decided to be cautious due to the rivalry and experiences of others in the last meeting in the cup 2 months earlier. From that point onwards finding the ground was easy.  There were plenty of pubs to get food and drink.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

Before the game we decided to have a mooch around the stadium, before entering. The stewards seemed relatively friendly. However, due to the rivalry the home fans gave us a hostile reception outside the ground. I wouldn’t assume that you would experience this with any other team apart from Portsmouth! We got into the ground about an hour prior to kick off.

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?

The ground itself is very modern, all seated with the corners filled in to enhance the atmosphere. The view from the away end was outstanding with ample legroom, which is a luxury in this division. It was everything you would expect from a new ground. Away fans receive an allocation of 4000, which was sold out for this game. The stadium has four decent stands, the ground perhaps a little too large for the division with all due respect. The catering facilities were good and prices were on par for all league grounds.

5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..

The game itself was not good for me and my fellow supporters. Southampton got two dubious penalties, which Ricky Lambert scored both. Bournemouth played poorly after hitting the post in the first minute, we expected better! The atmosphere was electric and the roof came off when Southampton scored. There was a lot of derby day banter, which got unsavoury at the final whistle. The stewards weren’t over zealous and handled the minor trouble well. Catering facilities and toilets were good.

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Getting away from the ground was very easy in terms of transport. There were minor outbreaks of trouble in the surrounding area as anticipated. However we were back at the park and ride area 30 minutes after the final whistle. Obviously if you park in the city centre, the traffic would have been pretty grid locked. This is why I would recommend the park and ride.

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

I found everything about the trip to St Mary’s excellent bar the result! A good atmosphere was generated, while the combination of good facilities and a great view of the action would make me go back there.
It is an enjoyable day which I would recommend to any fan!