Southport boss Liam lambasts ‘buffoons’
SOUTHPORT manager Liam Watson has hit out at a small minority of ‘socalled’ supporters who have been criticising chairman Ian Kyle and attempting to turn the Haig Avenue atmosphere toxic in recent months.
Watson said a small contingent of adults had been ‘winding up’ younger fans to misbehave at matches and as a result the club had incurred significant costs.
Watson said Mr Kyle had stumped up a ‘six-figure’ sum ‘without taking a penny out of the club’ and deserved better than the treatment he has been receiving from what has been a vocal minority.
Speaking after the weekend’s 1-0 win at Scarborough, Watson said: “The last two games have been absolutely disgusting. The criticism that Ian has taken is off the scale, off the graph.
“Let me say, I’ve read comments from so-called fans – socalled – saying he’s taken money out of the club. He has put into this football club this year over six figures, that’s an awful lot of money.
“He hasn’t taken a penny out, which I didn’t think for one second he would, and he has helped us through the most difficult season.
“To get the abuse he gets is unbelievable.
“I went out on Saturday and lot of it was nonsense what was getting shouted.
“A lot of these are kids but I also see individuals, adults, winding kids up to do this and do that and they stand there looking on the sidelines thinking it’s funny.
“It’s not funny, it’s pathetic – you are trying your best to drive good people away from the football club, and for what reason? To run it into the ground?
“I know ninety per cent of the fans and the following today was great, they supported the team and that’s what they are there to do, to support the team.
“The chairman, the owner, is part of that team. If you don’t support him, you don’t support the lads. Do you think the players want to play in an atmosphere where you’re getting abuse from kids?
“They can criticise because I’m the manager.
“On reflection it’s been a really tough season, on the pitch and off the pitch.
“We’ve had injuries but I think we’re a goalscorer away from being a half decent team and that’s going off all my experience. I have managed more games in the Conference North than any other manager, ever. So I have every right to tell them I know where we are.
“I said before Saturday’s game it was quite nice to move away and not play at Southport. It’s terrible.
“We love Haig Avenue, we love to turn up and perform there, it’s a great atmosphere. But it’s not (at the minute) these buffoons want to turn around and put banners up and throw pyros.
“Ian has not come out and said it but I will – that has cost the football club, from the first friendly against Blackpool, in excess of £25,000 in additional stewards, additional fines, bringing dogs in because kids just want to bring pyros.
“Ian has bent over backwards to speak and explain, he’s done Q and A’s, but those who have been me doing what they’re doing are cowardly and the ones who actually encourage them are worse.
“We know who they are, we’re not stupid. We see it on the CCTV and they crack on they are supporters. They’re not supporters, they are absolute buffoons with nothing better to do with their lives.
“An adult, encouraging a minor to commit offences is off the graph, I can’t get my head around it.”
Ahead of Monday’s trip to Marine for the Liverpool Senior Cup semi-final clash, Port put out a statement regarding pyrotechnics saying any fan caught with one could face a lifetime ban from Haig Avenue.
Southport were due to take on Ashton Athletic on Wednesday in the Lancashire County Trophy as the Visiter went to press, while Saturday sees a return to Haig Avenue as they face Gloucester City.