THE figures below show why the Saints manager’s job is one of the warmest hot-seats in English football.
Following on from Alan Pardew ’s Bank Holiday departure, the club are now searching, remarkably, for their 13th permanent boss of the Millennium.
Pardew was dismissed having only been in charge for 49 league games, but that was still more than six of his seven predecessors managed.
Given the exceptional turnover of managers at Saints in recent years, not one boss since Chris Nicholl left in 1991 has completed 100 league games in charge.
The nearest was George Burley, who was in charge for 99 games – including two in the play-offs – prior to leaving for the Scotland job in January 2008.
Four managers have failed to even last 20 league games in charge.
The shortest reign was just the 13 games Paul Sturrock managed in 2003/04 and early 2004/05 prior to his departure which was announced as mutual consent.
Up until 1991, though, Saints had only had three managers in 36 years!
Ted Bates was in charge from 1955-1973, followed by Lawrie McMenemy serving 12 years and Chris Nicholl serving six.
The late, great Alan Ball used to tel everyone who asked that all managers really need three years in charge before they can be judged a success or failure.
Amazingly, no Saints manager has lasted that long in charge since Nicholl two decades ago. The best was Dave Jones (two years and seven months).
Pardew was sacked having won 53 per cent of his 64 league and cup games.
