Saints club president Terry Paine has declared himself in “bullish” mood ahead of Saints’ League Cup final – and believes a win would open the door to the big time.

Paine, the club’s record appearance maker with 713 Saints games to his name, and part of England’s 1966 World Cup winning squad, admits it has been hard to watch some of the club’s star talent sold in recent years, albeit he accepts it is an inevitable part of the modern game.

However, he thinks a cup win is just what is needed to help move Saints towards the elite status enjoyed by just a handful of top flight sides and that, combined with the club’s recruitment policy, will bring sustained future success.

He said: “Obviously it (a League Cup win) will have a big impact.

“It impacts the kind of players you can bring in if they can see you are a club that wins silverware.

“Domestically at the start of every season there are only three things you can win and so if you get one of those then you are showing the consistency you need to be amongst the big clubs.

“We have been on the fringes of the top six and unfortunately lost some influential players but the work on bringing in others has been very successful.

“A win does attract players, it does make an impact financially, and I think we are at a stage where that is important.

“We don’t like to see all the homework done by the club and Les Reed and his team in finding these players and then when somebody finds a bit of form the vultures come in.

“We know that is football these days – let’s put it this way, nobody is going to break my record.

“It does show how good we are at bringing in the right players and when I look at us signing Sadio Mane from Austria and Virgil vans Dijk from Celtic. I can’t help but wonder what the other clubs are doing. That’s not a complaint, long may it continue, but we are obviously much better structured.”

He added: “It’s a big step forward for the club.

“Regardless of how the League Cup is looked at now, and we know not all the teams play their strongest sides, we have beaten four Premier League sides and that takes some doing.

“It’s a massive step forward and if we can finish off the league in a bit of style and all goes well at Wembley then we would be more than satisfied with what’s going on.

“Bearing in mind we have lost the big man (van Dijk) at the back and with Jose Fonte going as well it’s more credit to those who have come in and done the job.”

While facing Manchester United and Jose Mourinho may seem a somewhat daunting task, Paine is actually pleased they are Saints’ opponents for the big day at Wembley.

For Paine the start to the game will be key to his side’s chances but he feels if Saints can weather an early storm then they have every opportunity to cause an upset.

“I would rather play Manchester United than a full blown Chelsea or Arsenal,” insisted the 77-year-old, who now lives and works in South Africa where he is a top TV pundit.

“If we can keep it nice and tight they have had problems as well. They are not prolific in front of goal.

“I imagine Jose Mourinho will play a very strong side. They aren’t going to win the league and he likes to get trophies on his CV as everybody does so he will want to this.

“But if we can keep it nice and tight for the first 20-25 minutes we can build on that and we can cause a surprise.

“The fear factor of Manchester United has gone temporarily. Even in their recent unbeaten run there has been quite a few draws, and some of them against the lesser sides in the league.

“I am very bullish about our chances.”

Paine has been particularly buoyed by the arrival of Manolo Gabbiadini.

The £14m Italian striker has netted three times in his first two games for Saints and provided an extra cutting edge in attack.

“It’s early doors but he really looks like a front man,” reckoned Paine. “He looks like a finisher, a striker who loves to get in behind.

“It is early but he looks like our saviour in some ways, just a natural striker and not a player you need to manufacture in any way.

“First impressions are that we have done a good bit of business again.”

Paine has seen the ultimate English football success story at Wembley in 1966 and is delighted for Saints fans that Claude Puel has taken the League Cup seriously and may now get his rewards.

“He is on the verge of greatness,” insisted Paine.

“I don’t care what cup competition it is, I still believe the fans are so important and it rattles me when I see some of the team selections in cups, not only at Southampton but other clubs much more so.

“They forget to look at the big picture which is that day at Wembley for your supporters.

“I know on the day somebody has to win and somebody has to lose but it’s a big deal to see your team get to Wembley in a cup final.”