SOUTHAMPTON people will have the chance to welcome home their FA Cup heroes on Sunday - but only if Saints beat Arsenal.

The city council has laid on an open top bus tour for the team, but Saints have insisted it will only go ahead if Gordon Strachan's men bring home the trophy.

If victorious, the tour will commence at around 3pm at the Town Quay end of the High Street.

The bus will travel up the High Street round the Bargate into Hanover Buildings, left into Vincent's Walk, left into Pound Tree Road and then into Above Bar Street to the junction of Civic Centre Road and then into the Civic Centre.

Mayor Brian Parnell will board the bus to greet the players. The bus will then return to the St Mary's Stadium via Civic Centre Road, New Road, Northam Road and Britannia Road.

A total of 160 Hampshire police officers are on stand-by if the proposed open-top bus parade takes place.

Police bosses have cancelled all rest-days for officers in Southampton, with additional staff also being drafted in from outside the city as part of a huge contingency plan.

Manager Gordon Strachan explained why the parade would only go ahead if the team beat Arsenal. He said: "I don't think it's right walking about the town if you get beat - waving away like Mike Bassett.

"No - that's not right. Let the fans enjoy it; let our families enjoy it. Fine. But you can't enjoy it if you get beat.

"People say 'go and enjoy the day'. I've never heard so much rubbish in my life. I've been beat in cup finals. It's not funny. There's no way we're going to celebrate a defeat, that's for sure.

"I tell you why. It will be a big disappointment - because we think we can win. We're not having a parade if we get beat. But we're definitely having a parade if we win."

Chairman Rupert Lowe added: "We do not subscribe to the view that it is right to celebrate finishing second.

"The manager and I both feel the same about this. It would not be appropriate to tour the city without the trophy.

"Even though it is an achievement to get to the final and into Europe, we do not feel that merits an open top bus ride. We are in the business of winning!

"But I sincerely hope we are all celebrating on the Sunday. I have heard stories about how many thousands of people swamped the streets in 1976 and it would be a wonderful sight.

"We are very grateful to the city council for all their help in organising it and they would have been happy to stage it even if we lose. But we only want it if we win."

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