Retiring skipper Claus Lundekvam insists Saints' battle to avoid relegation doesn't come down to quality - but spirit.

Lundekvam, who is set to hang up his boots after a major ankle operation, admitted feeling "sick" that he can no longer play a part on the field in such troubled times for the club.

But looking back over numerous survival battles since he joined the club in 1996, Lundekvam believes that reviving the Dell Spirit' is now crucial if Saints want to avoid slipping into the third tier of English football for the first time in almost 50 years.

He said: "I certainly think quality wise we've got what it takes.

"If you go back to the season we got relegated we had quality as well, though - the squad had some fantastic players.

"I don't think it's down to the quality because we've got good players.

"You look at the game against Coventry and it was two teams with no confidence whatsoever, and even though we created the best chances it was very scrappy and nervous.

"That will be the case until the end of the season.

"It doesn't matter how we get the results, we just need to get them.

"The most important thing for me when we've managed to survive in the past with a squad a players not even close to being as good as the other squads is the team spirit and togetherness.

"That is going to be a big big part and if we can graft it out together with the manager and everyone involved that is going to be crucial."

Lundekvam believes new boss Nigel Pearson is doing a good job, but now feels it is down to the players to deliver.

Full story: See today's Daily Echo.