A FORMER Saints boss will be the subject of a new stage play.

Graeme Souness, who managed the Saints between 1996 and 1997, has become the focal point of a play written by Playwright and novelist Alan Bissett.

The show Souness is due to be performed on stage in 2016 to mark the 30th anniversary of the footballer's appointment as player manage of Glasgow Rangers.

Souness, who won more than 50 caps for Scotland in his international career, spent five years at Rangers leading them to three Scottish titles before going on to manage the English club Liverpool, where as a player he lifted three three European Cups.

The 61-year-old, who is now a pundit on Sky Sports, guided Saints to 16th place in the Premier League before resigning in May 1997.

Mr Bissett hopes his new work will appeal to both football fans as well as art lovers.

The writer said: ''In my memory he and Margaret Thatcher are these twin colossi striding across the landscape of my childhood, and so I wanted to explore his significance - for me and for Scotland.

''He (Souness) is absolutely crucial to the story of Scottish football over the last 30 years.

"Even apart from his huge significance as a player, he absolutely transformed the game, for better or worse.''

Bissett claimed as Rangers manager Souness had ''introduced what you could broadly called Thatcherite values into the game'', saying this ''made for some glamour and excitement in Scottish football, but ultimately and indirectly led to the financial instability we've seen in major clubs, including Rangers, in the last five years''.

As manager Souness controversially signed former Celtic star Mo Johnston for Rangers, and attracted a number of leading English players, including Terry Butcher, to the Glasgow club.

Bissett said: ''He turned an ailing club into a side that dominated Scottish football for another 25 years, overturning traditions as he went. He brought English internationals to Glasgow, bought Scotland's first black player and ended Rangers' sectarian signing policy.

''All that's apart from the fact that he was one of the greatest players Scotland ever produced.''

He continued: ''I want to do a serious piece of theatre about a serious man and football hasn't been treated in that way on-stage very often.

''I think the play will appeal to football fans who maybe don't consider themselves regular theatre-goers, but I also think theatre-goers will get a great experience as well.''