Supporters can make a difference - Benali (From Daily Echo)

Supporters can make a difference - Benali

8:00am Thursday 2nd April 2009 in

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FRANCIS Benali has joined the Daily Echo ‘C’mon You Saints’ campaign to pack out St Mary’s this weekend.

The tough-tackling Dell legend knows the Saints fans have a crucial role to play in the club’s survival bid.

“Just thinking back to when I was playing, the support we got made such a big difference,” he recalled ahead of the ultra-crucial game with rock bottom Charlton.

“The boost you get as a player running out to a big support gives you a huge lift and that’s what the side need.

“There have been some good gates and huge turnouts recently and I think that probably reflects on the way the guys have been performing lately.

“So hopefully we can continue to do that.

“And even if it comes down to the last away day at Forest, let’s hope we have a huge following up there to cheer them on to a victory.”

The recent crowds at St Mary’s have certainly been encouraging, compared with the attendances Saints had been attracting prior to Mark Wotte’s appointment.

The largest midweek crowd of the season attended the 1-1 draw with Derby on Tuesday, March 10 – 17,567.

And the 0-0 stalemate with QPR a few days later was watched by 18,691 – the fourth biggest home attendance of the season.

Only Birmingham (18,925) Nottingham Forest (26,580) and Reading (20,142) were watched by more fans.

To read Matt Le Tissier's views on Saints' survival fight, don't miss today's Daily Echo.