Any COLSLAW member who wants to let us know why they live up in our part of the world AND support 'unfashionable' Saints, then why not send in your story. To start off, here is my version.....
I used to live in Chandlers Ford. My Dad took me from an early age and I followed him to all corners of the ground, till we went our separate ways. Me, I went with my denim jacket and DM’s to the Milton Road Chocolate Boxes, Dad went to the Seats.
In 1976, I made the trip to Wembley, I saw the cup back in Southampton Civic Centre….then a few days later I left the South Coast for good. Well, no point hanging around anymore!!!!
I moved all over the UK, which meant that Saints games became fewer and fewer ……until I eventually ended up as just a Teletext supporter.
However, eventually stopping the gypsies life, I settled for good in Hemel Hempstead.
Married life soon turned me back to Saints though!!!!! …….just at the time when we appointed our new manager Ian Bramfart. …..Wow, what a load of sh#te to come back to.
The Red ‘n White bug is back though….. I read every fanzine and joined every group who would take me……SISA, London Saints….until I eventually joined that friendly little group…..and officially became a TOSSA.
The sterling work of Chief TOSSA’s Rich and Keith, encouraged me to set up our own supporters group in the Watford / Hemel Hempstead area. COLSLAW is now up and running with 20+ members.
Oh, by the way…….I am still married!!! But the wife thinks it is to Southampton Football Club!!!!
Cheers
Mark Howie
Hemel Hempstead