SAINTS may have to convince 13 other Premiership clubs to back a rule change if they are to save Steve Wigley's job.

As the row over Wigley's coaching qualifications rumbles on, it appears there are now only TWO alternatives open to Saints if he is to remain in charge of the first team.

The first is an appeal to the Premier League in the hope they are granted dispensation for the rest of the season to allow him to gain the UEFA pro licence qualification that all Premiership managers must have.

The second is to try and convince other clubs to vote for a rule change to the current law which states that a manager cannot be in charge for more than three months without a pro licence.

If both of these fail, then Saints will have no choice other than to appoint someone who does have the qualification as the new manager with responsibility for picking the team by December 15.

Dispensations have been granted in the past to Eddie Gray at Leeds and Chris Coleman at Fulham but both of those had extenuating circumstances and it was before the rule was finally ratified in the summer.

There is more bad news to Wigley as it appears the League Managers Association will NOT back his appeal. Chief executive John Barnwell, who is annoyed the LMA have been blamed in some quarters for what is a Premier League matter, said: "When the traffic lights are on red you can't go through them.

"They knew they were on red so they should have prepared properly." Wigley, who has accepted his future is out of his hands, holds the UEFA A coaching licence which allows him to manage in the leagues below the Premiership.

The course to obtain the pro licence takes 12 months, some 240 hours of work, and also includes a residential segement during the summer.

Explaining the options open to Saints, a Premier League said: "If Southampton want to put in an appeal they can do and it will be considered by the board of the Premier League.

"As the rules stand at the moment they have three monts to get his pro licence.

"Southampton do have the right to appeal and it would be dealt with immediately.

"The Premier League board can get together very quickly.

"The only other course of action would be a change in the rules and that would take a 14-club majority vote." Saints chairman Rupert Lowe has so far only said: "We are talking to the Premier League about the issue and those discussions are private, but we are very hopeful this matter can be resolved."