Saints Fans Show Remarkable Optimism by Selling Out Fulham Away End

In what can only be described as either touching loyalty or collective memory loss, Southampton supporters have managed to sell out their increased away allocation for the FA Cup fifth round tie at Fulham.

The Daily Echo reports that Saints fans have snapped up every available ticket for the trip to Craven Cottage, presumably after conveniently forgetting how most of our recent away days have concluded. Still, there’s something rather endearing about supporters who continue to believe that this might be the match where everything clicks into place.

Fulham, in what appears to be either tremendous confidence in their ability to progress or simply good business sense, decided to increase the away allocation for visiting Saints fans. Whether this was motivated by hospitality or the knowledge that more Southampton supporters means more disappointed faces to savour remains unclear.

The fact that an increased allocation sold out suggests either that our fanbase has grown remarkably optimistic about cup competitions, or that supporters are simply desperate for any excuse to travel somewhere that isn’t St. Mary’s on a wet Tuesday evening. Perhaps both.

Credit where it’s due though – there’s something admirably stubborn about Saints fans who continue to pack away ends regardless of what unfolds on the pitch. It takes a special kind of dedication to keep buying tickets when you’re genuinely unsure whether you’re funding a cup run or simply contributing to Fulham’s matchday catering budget.

The fifth round tie promises to be an intriguing affair, not least because it represents another opportunity for Southampton to either pleasantly surprise everyone or provide visiting supporters with yet another reason to question their life choices. Based on recent form, the smart money probably isn’t on the former.