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4:16pm Sunday 4th May 2008
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 ...
wiltshire saint, at home says...
5:09pm Sun 4 May 08
little trevisco, cornwall says...
5:11pm Sun 4 May 08
The Messiah, Heaven says...
5:12pm Sun 4 May 08
Rocker268, Hampshire says...
6:20pm Sun 4 May 08
Saint Mad Cap, Happy Horndean says...
6:21pm Sun 4 May 08
tom, southampton says...
6:33pm Sun 4 May 08
Saint Mad Cap wrote:because of trafic
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. :-)
NIGEL PEARSONS BIGGEST FAN, Harefield says...
7:18pm Sun 4 May 08
super saint, Weston says...
8:15pm Sun 4 May 08
Sam, The Itchen over 'ere says...
8:46pm Sun 4 May 08
Saint Mad Cap wrote: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!
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. :-)
Condor Man, Southampton says...
8:59pm Sun 4 May 08
Andy P, Bitterne says...
9:44pm Sun 4 May 08
Martin Betts, Suffolk says...
11:41pm Sun 4 May 08
pete young, totton says...
11:45pm Sun 4 May 08
The Original Realist, Southampton says...
12:16am Mon 5 May 08
dainowel, Bristol says...
1:20am Mon 5 May 08
Martin Betts wrote:You stupid idiot.
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.
Le T, says...
5:13am Mon 5 May 08
Chav free zone, Swaythling says...
9:41am Mon 5 May 08
Portswood Pete, says...
1:03pm Mon 5 May 08
Chav free zone wrote: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.
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!!
Costa Baz, says...
2:47pm Mon 5 May 08
Portswood Pete wrote: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.
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.
Martin Betts, Suffolk says...
9:53pm Mon 5 May 08
dainowel wrote:Why are you calling me an idiot, nothing I said had anything to do with the Chairman, I am just glad we stayed up!!
Martin Betts wrote:You stupid idiot.
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.
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.
Tracey, Southampton says...
1:36am Tue 6 May 08
Costa Baz wrote: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.
Portswood Pete wrote: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.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.
Kate, Andover says...
9:09am Tue 6 May 08
tom wrote: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!!
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
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Dan, soton says...
4:49pm Sun 4 May 08
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!!!!