Super Marian got it off to a tee as he headed Saints to safety for the second season in succession.

Marian Pahars nodded the second goal in the 2-0 win over Watford which effectively ensures a 23rd consecutive year of top flight football.

But it was not the most opportunistic strike of the day. That came from Saints Shop manager James McLaughlin.

When the little Latvian asked to borrow a t-shirt to keep warm following a bout of flu, McLaughlin lent him one of the club's new Super Marian range - but only on condition that he raised his Saints shirt to show it off if he scored.

Pahars came off the bench to nod in on 75 minutes and duly obliged by taking his shirt off altogether racing round the pitch to give the product massive free publicity.

McLaughlin said: "I jokingly asked him to do a Ravenelli and lift his shirt over his head to show the T-shirt; I did not expect him to take it off altogether. It was a bit of fun but it could not have worked out better."

Manager Glenn Hoddle revealed it had been a gamble even having Pahars on the bench after the flu bug which prevented him training in the run-up to the game.

He said: "Marian had been in bed for three days so there is no way he could have started. But he said he could give us half an hour or so which showed a lot of character.

"I was delighted by that because he has the quality to change a game as he did at Bradford last week.

"It might have been taking a risk and if we had had a midweek game I probably would not have done it."

Pahars is establishing a reputation as one of the brightest young talents in the game but Hoddle is not looking to cash in on the jewel in the club's crown.

He added: "The club is looking to buy rather than sell and he is the sort of player we are looking to build the team around."

Saints defender Richard Dryden was a Wembley winner yesterday coming on as substitute to help Stoke to a 2-1 victory over Bristol City in the final of the Auto Windscreens Shield.

Dryden is on a month's loan with the Division 2 club and could complete a permanent move before the end of the season.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.