HUNDREDS of fans queued up in West Quay yesterday to buy the new Saints home shirt for 2012/13.

But none had a more poignant story to tell than the Birmingham City supporter who drove down from the second city to purchase a top for his friend’s funeral.

The shirt Dean Wheeler bought will be placed in the coffin of lifelong Saints fan John Marum.

John moved to Birmingham 20 years ago but continued to follow the fortunes of his favourite team, and was delighted when they secured promotion to the Premiership at the end of last season.

A few days ago John died of a heart attack, despite only being in his late 40s.

Wheeler, 44, made a 280- mile round trip to Southampton yesterday to buy one of the new red shirts in a final act of friendship.

Dean said: “John was Saints through and through and would have loved the new strip.

“The shirt will be placed in John’s coffin before the funeral on Thursday.

“He’s being cremated but his parents still live in Southampton and are bringing his ashes back to the city.”

Daily Echo reporter Chris Yandell was at West Quay to gauge reaction from Saints fans about the shirt, which apart from the red sash top of 2010/11 will be the first home shirt since the late 1980s not to feature the club’s traditional red and white stripes.

Saints have worn red and white stripes in every postwar season apart from 2010/11 and the nine seasons from 1980-81 to 1988/89 inclusive.