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Engineering

Malaysia students experience behind-the-scenes tour of Southampton Football Club

Published: 1 March 2017
USMC students at St Marys
USMC students at Southampton's St Mary's Stadium

Students from the University of Southampton Malaysia Campus (USMC) had the opportunity to step inside the world of Premier League football players and fans during a tour of St Mary’s stadium, home of Southampton Football Club.

The 28 USMC students who joined the tour are currently in their third and fourth years, either studying MEng Mechanical Engineering or MEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering. USMC students spend two years of study in Malaysia and their final two years of study in the UK.

On the tour, the students viewed the pitch from the hospitality boxes, toured the home and away team dressing rooms, admired the Club’s trophy cabinet and enjoyed sitting in the press interview area. They also visited the board room to see where important decisions about the Club are made. A highlight was going pitch side and walking out of the ‘tunnel’, following the path of famous players such as David Beckham when playing for Manchester United and England at St Mary’s stadium.

Year 3 Mechanical Engineering student, Gavin Teoh, said he ‘really enjoyed’ the tour. “When I chose to study at Southampton, the fact that it had a premier league football team was very important to me as I love football. It was fun to look around the stadium and also good to see some of our final year classmates – we were all very close back at the Malaysia Campus because it’s a smaller campus, so it’s nice that we can still meet up and have that sense of community here in Southampton.”

Year 4 Mechanical Engineering student, Hemanth Guddanda, has followed English football since he was ten years old. He added: “I always used to watch matches on TV but nothing prepares you for seeing a live match – the atmosphere is overwhelming and the crowds are so passionate. I’ve always been a Manchester United fan but now I like to support Southampton too – I just feel torn when they play against each other!”

The University and the Club have enjoyed a strong relationship over the years and this continues with Gareth Rogers, Chief Executive of the Club, who is a Southampton alumnus.

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