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Another Great Escape for Saints boss Pearson

4:16pm Sunday 4th May 2008

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SAINTS completed a dramatic final-day escape from relegation by coming from behind to beat Sheffield United.

Stern John cracked a second-half double and Marek Saganowski's header shortly before the interval ensured the Saints avoided the drop to League One by beating the Blades 3-2 at St Mary's.

Saints are well versed at beating relegation on the final day - in the Premier League they went into the last day of the season in danger of relegation four times during the 1990s.

But having dropped out of the top flight three years ago, they were staring down the barrel of third division football when Stephen Quinn put the Blades ahead.

Saganowski equalised and John fired Saints ahead at the start of a nerve-shredding second half, in which United substitute Jon Stead dragged his side level.

But John's 20th goal of the season, and comfortably the most important - means St Mary's will again be hosting Charlton, rather than Cheltenham, next term.

The striker's afternoon ended prematurely as he was sent off for a second yellow card 10 minutes from time, but the 10 men held out.

The win was only Nigel Pearson's third since he took over in February, but the man who was in charge of Carlisle when goalkeeper Jimmy Glass scored a last-gasp winner to save them from dropping out of the league can add another Great Escape to his CV.

Saints will also be meeting Sheffield United again next season after their lingering hopes of a play-off place were ended.

Whether Pearson will still be in charge remains to be seen, with former chairman Rupert Lowe poised to take over the club again in the coming weeks.

Log back on later for reaction from St Mary's ...


Your Say YourDaily Echo

Dan, soton says...
4:49pm Sun 4 May 08

Congratulations Nigel!!!!

I am so relieved!!

Now we just need to settle the boardroom over the summer and look forward to Nigel guiding our boys to where they should be next season!

COYR!!!!


wiltshire saint, at home says...
5:09pm Sun 4 May 08

Awesome result, great job by Nigel and all the boys

COYR

little trevisco, cornwall says...
5:11pm Sun 4 May 08

Well Done Nigel....up the saints.

The Messiah, Heaven says...
5:12pm Sun 4 May 08

Just thank the Messiah,I said I would keep you up.
Keep the Faith
The Messiah

Rocker268, Hampshire says...
6:20pm Sun 4 May 08

A Great Result and a great game the atmosphere today was amazing, the only low point was when the ref halted play for something that had happened a minute earlier that lost the momentum and some of the cheer then a few minutes later John got sent off, I reckon if he'd stayed on we would have scored at least once more!
Well done and thank you Nigel good luck for next season COYR

Saint Mad Cap, Happy Horndean says...
6:21pm Sun 4 May 08

Nigel's the man for me. Well played the lads.
Why do some people leave 10 mins before full time?

Thank you all the fans that travel to the away games. :-)

tom, southampton says...
6:33pm Sun 4 May 08

Saint Mad Cap wrote:
Nigel\'s the man for me. Well played the lads.
Why do some people leave 10 mins before full time?

Thank you all the fans that travel to the away games. :-)
because of trafic

NIGEL PEARSONS BIGGEST FAN, Harefield says...
7:18pm Sun 4 May 08

Dear Mr Lowe,
Many fans dont want you to return to this club ever again. There are many reasons for this one being that you sent us down from the top flight a few years back!!!
Now, things are different, without you there is stability in the club. The board are trying to secure investment and in difficult sircumstances, keeping things under control.
I ask only one thing of you if you decide to come back, KEEP NIGEL PEARSON!!

IN HIM WE TRUST

coyr

super saint, Weston says...
8:15pm Sun 4 May 08

Fantastic day all round.

Pity we've now got to look forward to Lowe and his mate Wilde returning.

Enjoy today because it get's worse really.

Sam, The Itchen over 'ere says...
8:46pm Sun 4 May 08

Saint Mad Cap wrote:
Nigel's the man for me. Well played the lads. Why do some people leave 10 mins before full time? Thank you all the fans that travel to the away games. :-)
You're welcome, I love going to away games, so glad next year we'll be visiting places like Pride Park, The Valley, maybe the Madjeski etc, beats going to the County Ground and the Withdean!

Thats crazy going early to beat the traffic, took an hour and a half driving out of southampton after the game, but it was well worth it to stay and celebrate at the end.

NIGEL PEARSON'S RED AND WHITE ARMY!!!

Condor Man, Southampton says...
8:59pm Sun 4 May 08

It's disheartening to see fans walking out, especially today. Nothing beat the feeling at full time when we knew that Coventry were losing and we were definately safe. Nothing beat going onto the pitch and seeing the shear joy on peoples' faces.

I think Pearson's got a better relationship with the fans than Burley ever did. Give him a chance next season to see what he can do with his own team.

Andy P, Bitterne says...
9:44pm Sun 4 May 08

THANK YOU LEON CROUCH FOR MAKING SUCH A BRAVE APPOINTMENT,YOU WILL NOW GO DOWN AS A LEGEND.

YOU HAVE SAVED SFC,BE PROUD!


Martin Betts, Suffolk says...
11:41pm Sun 4 May 08

I'd like to say a big thank you to Nigel Pearson, Richard Wright, and the rest of the team for their hard work over the past couple of weeks!!

Would love it if we could persuade Wright and Lucketti to stay.

LETS ALL BACK PEARSON TO TAKE US FORWARD NEXT SEASON.

Great support today, although it was probably the most nerve wrecking 90 minutes as a Saints fan I have ever experienced, not all the fans that were meant to have left with 10 minutes to go actually left the ground, I was down in the concourse with other fans who just could not bear to watch, we've seen us concede late goals far too often to be confident we could actually hold out!

Lets push the club forward and hope that we can attract the type of hard working, committed player that we need to mount a promotion bid next season.

Richard Wright, Lucketti & Perry would be a very useful start.

Today showed how much love there is for this club, 30,000+ all working together for SFC.

pete young, totton says...
11:45pm Sun 4 May 08

It is not a time for celebration, but relief that cowboys Leon Crouch, Slimy Wiseman & Lawrie McBighead, who have brought Saints close to oblivion are at last going.Good riddence.
Welcome back Rupert Lowe who kept us in the Premiership so long.It was the players who got us relegated. Let's hope Rupert sacks Pearson who took us so close to the drop and brings back Dave Jones, or Hoddle.

The Original Realist, Southampton says...
12:16am Mon 5 May 08

Dear Mr. Lowe

I look forward to seeing you back. I know you will act in the best interests of the club and sort out things behind the scenes. Good to see a near 32,000 fans today. It was a shame that Mob Ruled and "fans" breached the steward’s line and thereby prevented other fans the chance to congratulate the team

dainowel, Bristol says...
1:20am Mon 5 May 08

Martin Betts wrote:
I'd like to say a big thank you to Nigel Pearson, Richard Wright, and the rest of the team for their hard work over the past couple of weeks!! Would love it if we could persuade Wright and Lucketti to stay. LETS ALL BACK PEARSON TO TAKE US FORWARD NEXT SEASON. Great support today, although it was probably the most nerve wrecking 90 minutes as a Saints fan I have ever experienced, not all the fans that were meant to have left with 10 minutes to go actually left the ground, I was down in the concourse with other fans who just could not bear to watch, we've seen us concede late goals far too often to be confident we could actually hold out! Lets push the club forward and hope that we can attract the type of hard working, committed player that we need to mount a promotion bid next season. Richard Wright, Lucketti & Perry would be a very useful start. Today showed how much love there is for this club, 30,000+ all working together for SFC.
You stupid idiot.

I dont care how much drivel Lowe pays you to write the fact remains most Saints fans do not want a change of chirman, board or manager.

Leon Crouch has given this club some much needed stability and understands that the last thing the club needs is a publicity conscious self-interested opportunist for a chairman who paid himself in shares.

If Lowe had any integrity he would hand those shares back and sell the rest to one of the exisiting shareholders if he is concerned to get his money back.

I question whetherhe and Wilde will get back into the boardroom 46 per cent if proben foes not add up to control as there are 54 per cent that they do not control.

I appeal to those 54 per cent to get behind Leon Crouch and save the club from Lowe's asset stripping antics.

Because make no mistake Lowe will sell all our best players so that he can compensate himself from potential losses.

You only have to look at his record he transformed Saints into a selling club and got us relegated.

LOWE KEEP OUT OF SOUTHAMPTON NOBODY WANTS YOU.

Le T, says...
5:13am Mon 5 May 08

Dainowel in Bristol, why are you calling Martin Betts an idiot?

He said nothing about Rupert Lowe in his message.

I think you meant to be calling Pete Young in Totton the idiot - he's the one espousing the glory of Rupert Lowe "who kept us in the Premiership for so long". Utter nonsense.

Besides if Lowe gets the credit for keeping us up for so long, he has to take the blame for us going down as well, Pete.

Chav free zone, Swaythling says...
9:41am Mon 5 May 08

Rupert Lowe must never be allowed back he started the rot by not investing after the cup final. Why did so many managers leave when he was in control never to say a thing. bought off no doubt? Nigel Pearson is the man to take us up he must stay!!

Portswood Pete, says...
1:03pm Mon 5 May 08

Chav free zone wrote:
Rupert Lowe must never be allowed back he started the rot by not investing after the cup final. Why did so many managers leave when he was in control never to say a thing. bought off no doubt? Nigel Pearson is the man to take us up he must stay!!
So how much should he have put us in debt by? And that would have made our prem status secure would it? Ask Leeds, ask Forest, ask Leicester and countless other teams if they have a divine right to be in the prem.

The only bit of your comment that makes any sense is the last sentance.

Costa Baz, says...
2:47pm Mon 5 May 08

Portswood Pete wrote:
Chav free zone wrote: Rupert Lowe must never be allowed back he started the rot by not investing after the cup final. Why did so many managers leave when he was in control never to say a thing. bought off no doubt? Nigel Pearson is the man to take us up he must stay!!
So how much should he have put us in debt by? And that would have made our prem status secure would it? Ask Leeds, ask Forest, ask Leicester and countless other teams if they have a divine right to be in the prem. The only bit of your comment that makes any sense is the last sentance.
Pete, it's not about putting the club in debt but about putting his trust in the managers HE employed. There have been countless stories of managers being unable to buy the players they wanted because Lowe decided he wouldn't pay for them. Look at the way the level of ability, in the squad, has been diluted over the years, as a result of his unwillingness to back his own manager's judgements. Had he backed Strachan when he wanted to buy Drogba and Malbranque, would we have been relegated and in such debt, you claim he was wise to avoid by not buying decent players? Sometimes you have to take calculated risks, in order to take your business forward. Sometimes they pay off and sometimes they don't, but as we have seen at SMS. IF YOU FAIL TO INVEST IN THE RIGHT STANDARD OF PLAYER YOU END UP BEING RELEGATED AND IN THE DEBT YOU WERE TRYING TO AVOID BY KEEPING TO TIGHT A HOLD ON THE PURSE STRINGS. Buying loads of cheap players instead of one or two top quality players is false accounting. I for one will be very interested to see if Lowe can actually run a club that is not being subsidised heavily by Sky tv. I'll also be interested to see if he draws a wage and if he manages to squeeze a few quid out of the club for the share holders.,As most of them claim to be Saints fans I am sure they would willingly donate any shares profits to the manager for use on players. Matbe Rupes can ask the shareholders for permission to do that, and prove that he isn't just in it for money? Actually we all know money isn't the only thing he wants. He also craves the publicity and media attention he can get out of his position at SMS.

Martin Betts, Suffolk says...
9:53pm Mon 5 May 08

dainowel wrote:
Martin Betts wrote:
I'd like to say a big thank you to Nigel Pearson, Richard Wright, and the rest of the team for their hard work over the past couple of weeks!! Would love it if we could persuade Wright and Lucketti to stay. LETS ALL BACK PEARSON TO TAKE US FORWARD NEXT SEASON. Great support today, although it was probably the most nerve wrecking 90 minutes as a Saints fan I have ever experienced, not all the fans that were meant to have left with 10 minutes to go actually left the ground, I was down in the concourse with other fans who just could not bear to watch, we've seen us concede late goals far too often to be confident we could actually hold out! Lets push the club forward and hope that we can attract the type of hard working, committed player that we need to mount a promotion bid next season. Richard Wright, Lucketti & Perry would be a very useful start. Today showed how much love there is for this club, 30,000+ all working together for SFC.
You stupid idiot.

I dont care how much drivel Lowe pays you to write the fact remains most Saints fans do not want a change of chirman, board or manager.

Leon Crouch has given this club some much needed stability and understands that the last thing the club needs is a publicity conscious self-interested opportunist for a chairman who paid himself in shares.

If Lowe had any integrity he would hand those shares back and sell the rest to one of the exisiting shareholders if he is concerned to get his money back.

I question whetherhe and Wilde will get back into the boardroom 46 per cent if proben foes not add up to control as there are 54 per cent that they do not control.

I appeal to those 54 per cent to get behind Leon Crouch and save the club from Lowe's asset stripping antics.

Because make no mistake Lowe will sell all our best players so that he can compensate himself from potential losses.

You only have to look at his record he transformed Saints into a selling club and got us relegated.

LOWE KEEP OUT OF SOUTHAMPTON NOBODY WANTS YOU.
Why are you calling me an idiot, nothing I said had anything to do with the Chairman, I am just glad we stayed up!!

ps. I wish Rupert Lowe did pay me to big him up, i'm skint!


Tracey, Southampton says...
1:36am Tue 6 May 08

Costa Baz wrote:
Portswood Pete wrote:
Chav free zone wrote: Rupert Lowe must never be allowed back he started the rot by not investing after the cup final. Why did so many managers leave when he was in control never to say a thing. bought off no doubt? Nigel Pearson is the man to take us up he must stay!!
So how much should he have put us in debt by? And that would have made our prem status secure would it? Ask Leeds, ask Forest, ask Leicester and countless other teams if they have a divine right to be in the prem. The only bit of your comment that makes any sense is the last sentance.
Pete, it's not about putting the club in debt but about putting his trust in the managers HE employed. There have been countless stories of managers being unable to buy the players they wanted because Lowe decided he wouldn't pay for them. Look at the way the level of ability, in the squad, has been diluted over the years, as a result of his unwillingness to back his own manager's judgements. Had he backed Strachan when he wanted to buy Drogba and Malbranque, would we have been relegated and in such debt, you claim he was wise to avoid by not buying decent players? Sometimes you have to take calculated risks, in order to take your business forward. Sometimes they pay off and sometimes they don't, but as we have seen at SMS. IF YOU FAIL TO INVEST IN THE RIGHT STANDARD OF PLAYER YOU END UP BEING RELEGATED AND IN THE DEBT YOU WERE TRYING TO AVOID BY KEEPING TO TIGHT A HOLD ON THE PURSE STRINGS. Buying loads of cheap players instead of one or two top quality players is false accounting. I for one will be very interested to see if Lowe can actually run a club that is not being subsidised heavily by Sky tv. I'll also be interested to see if he draws a wage and if he manages to squeeze a few quid out of the club for the share holders.,As most of them claim to be Saints fans I am sure they would willingly donate any shares profits to the manager for use on players. Matbe Rupes can ask the shareholders for permission to do that, and prove that he isn't just in it for money? Actually we all know money isn't the only thing he wants. He also craves the publicity and media attention he can get out of his position at SMS.
If the money isn't in the bank then it can't be given to the manager to spend. People forget there are other expenses that have to be paid for as well, wages and the mortgage of the stadium for example.

Of course Lowe will draw a wage, Crouch draws a wage but somehow that is ok?

Kate, Andover says...
9:09am Tue 6 May 08

tom wrote:
Saint Mad Cap wrote: Nigel\'s the man for me. Well played the lads. Why do some people leave 10 mins before full time? Thank you all the fans that travel to the away games. :-)
because of trafic
Is it really worth it??? You missed out on a great party after the final whistle went - we didn't leave the stadium til after 5pm!!

I can't leave until the final whistle goes and I sit in traffic only for about 10 mins....

I don't understand people who leave before the game ends, especially on Sunday - what a game and what an atmosphere!! If those extra few thousands had been here all season to back the team, maybe we wouldn't have been in that position in the first place.

Please Saints, keep hold of Pearson. With the right backing, he can, and will, take us back to the Prem.

COYR!!!!! Believe.....

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