What an incredible day! An 8.30 start and a drive down the M3 in driving rain. Parked in the West Quay shopping centre and made our way to St Mary's. Took our seats and the ground began to fill up until it was jam packed with a record crowd.

Saints started a little nervously and Coventry had the better of the opening exchanges, forcing Kelvin Davis to make a good save. Suddenly Jose Fonte ran half the length of the pitch, passed it to Guly on the right who crossed to Lallana who shot first time. Billy Sharp got the faintest of touches to make it 1-0. You could feel the relief around the stadium!

Less than five minutes later, Saints were awarded a corner which Fonte headed into the ground and bounced into the top of the goal. The ground went wild.

After the break Jos Hooiveld made it three from a corner and Adam Lallana put the icing on the cake. Requests to keep off the pitch were roundly ignored as you can see from the video below taken seconds after the final whistle. We eventually got onto the pitch and saw the players take a bow on the balcony.

After seven long seasons in the wilderness we are finally back to the promised land. This is what has happened in those seven years:

• May 2005 - Saints lose at home to Man United and are relegated to the second tier of English Football for the first time since 1978
• 2005-2006 - Saints finish 12th in the Championship. Harry Redknapp leaves to manage rivals Portsmouth. George Burley is appointed as his replacement.
• 2006-2007 - Saints finish 6th in the Championship but lose to Derby on penalties in the play-offs.
• 2007-2008 - Saints finish 20th in the Championship and require a win on the last day at home to Sheffield United to stay up. During the season George Burley leaves to become Scotland manager. Nigel Pearson is appointed as his replacement.
• 2008-2009 - Despite keeping Saints in the Championship, Pearson is replaced by Jan Poortvliet who is replaced mid-season by Mark Wotte. Saints go into administration and are relegated in 23rd place to League One after four seasons in the Championship..
• 2009-2010 - Saints start the season on minus 10 points. Marcus Liebherr buys the club. Wotte is sacked and Alan Pardew is appointed manager. Saints finish the season in 7th place and win the Johnstones Paint Trophy at Wembley.
• 2010-2011 - Marcus Liebherr dies but the club's future had been assured. Alan Pardew is sacked and Nigel Atkins is appointed manager. Saints finish runners-up to Brighton and are promoted to the Championship after two seasons in League One.
• 2011-2012 - Saints remain in the top two places for the entire season and cement their promotion to the Premier League on the last day of the season with a 4-0 win at home to Coventry City.  

I believe we have the core of a team which can be competitive in the Premier League although we are going to have to strengthen certain areas.   

(download)

Click here to download:

IMG_0201.MOV (5.03 MB)

Two days to go until, arguably, Southampton's most important ever game. Millions of pounds - reportedly up to 90 - are riding on promotion back to the big time after seven seasons in the wilderness. And I'll be there in the record crowd.
The permutations are:

Saints win - we're up
West Ham don't win - we're up
West Ham win, we lose - we're not up

West Ham win, we draw - this is where it gets interesting. We would then be equal on points. If West Ham win by no more than two clear goals, we're up on goal difference. If they win by four clear goals or more, they're up on GD. If they win by exactly three goals, we must score no less than two fewer goals in our draw to be promoted on goals scored or even on head to head. In other words:
WH 3-0, we must draw at least 1-1. This would make points, GD & goals scored equal! We would go up courtesy of a better head to head record this season.
WH 4-1, we must draw at least 2-2 etc.

OMG!!!!!!!

Before Southampton kick off tomorrow at 1720 at Middlesbrough, the Teesiders' season could be over. This requires home wins for Blackpool (v Burnley) and Cardiff (v Leeds) earlier in the day. It also requires (effectively if not mathematically) Birmingham to draw at Brighton, who have achieved just 2 points from 15 at the Amex. I think all three of these results are achievable.

Obviously I desperately hope that Saints get the win that would promote them (but I would take a point now), but if the worst comes to the worst  I would like to ensure that Coventry are relegated tomorrow rather than needing something at St Mary’s. For this to happen, they must either fail to win at home to already relegated Doncaster (who put up a creditable fight at Boro on Tuesday) or Bristol City must get a win at home to Barnsley (who have the worst away form in division with 1 Pt from 15). This latter result would also relegate Pompey who, like Coventry, must also win at home to Derby to keep their survival hopes alive. I think/hope/pray that Bristol City will win!

 If we do lose, we will then hope that Leicester can get at least a point at home to West Ham on Monday which would also promote us. Leicester’s home form is second only to Reading’s with 11 points from 15 but they may be deflated with nothing now to play for. If the Hammers win, it’s squeaky bum time next Saturday as well look to get that win (or draw if we draw tomorrow) against (a hopefully already relegated) Coventry. The goal difference is too close now to rely on that as our extra point.

 However, if we’ve beaten Boro and are up, we could then look to try and regain top spot. I think Reading will beat Crystal Palace at home tomorrow but their final  match at Brum could be interesting. Depending on tomorrow’s results, The Blues could need a win in their final match to guarantee 4^th spot and that important home second-leg in the play-offs.