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It’s day two of lockdown 2 and a perfect night for watching football: cold and crisp with a slight mist descending. Ninety minutes before the kick-off, I’m outside St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton. Around me is the occasional patrolling steward and a few TV technicians carrying kit into the ground. The silence is interrupted only by the cracks of fireworks from across the city.
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Suddenly a loud bellow from just beyond the waist-high perimeter fencing shocks me. “Come on you Reds,” a cyclist shouts as he pedals by. He looks at me and shrugs: “Well someone has to say it, haven’t they?” On he goes, repeating his chant as he disappears into the darkness. By the end of the evening, Southampton will be top of the Premier League for the first time in their history.
Outside St Mary’s just before Southampton v Newcastle on 6 November.
Outside St Mary’s just before Southampton v Newcastle at St Mary’s on 6 November.
The corner flag is disinfected before kick-off at Crystal Palace v Newcastle on 27 November.
The corner flag is disinfected before kick-off at Crystal Palace v Newcastle on 27 November.
In June, when Project Restart was in its infancy, football behind closed doors seemed like a quirky interruption. We were all just so glad to have it back in any form. How we smiled to see crossbars being sprayed with disinfectant and away teams emerging from unusual corners of the stadium, perhaps having changed in a version of the groundsman’s hut.
Shares 34 It’s day two of lockdown 2 and a perfect night for watching football: cold and crisp with a slight mist descending. Ninety minutes before the kick-off, I’m outside St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton. Around me is the occasional patrolling steward and a few TV technicians carrying kit into the ground. The silence is interrupted only by the cracks of fireworks from across the city.
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Suddenly a loud bellow from just beyond the waist-high perimeter fencing shocks me. “Come on you Reds,” a cyclist shouts as he pedals by. He looks at me and shrugs: “Well someone has to say it, haven’t they?” On he goes, repeating his chant as he disappears into the darkness. By the end of the evening, Southampton will be top of the Premier League for the first time in their history.
Outside St Mary’s just before Southampton v Newcastle on 6 November. Outside St Mary’s just before Southampton v Newcastle at St Mary’s on 6 November. The corner flag is disinfected before kick-off at Crystal Palace v Newcastle on 27 November. The corner flag is disinfected before kick-off at Crystal Palace v Newcastle on 27 November. In June, when Project Restart was in its infancy, football behind closed doors seemed like a quirky interruption. We were all just so glad to have it back in any form. How we smiled to see crossbars being sprayed with disinfectant and away teams emerging from unusual corners of the stadium, perhaps having changed in a version of the groundsman’s hut.