AFTER 18 MONTHS out you could have forgiven Michael Svensson for slowly building himself back up again.

What you would not expect is the big Swedish centre half to come in again when not even totally ready and look as if he'd never even been away.

But that's exactly what he did!

And what a boost it is to see him back there, that ginger spiked-up hair shining out like a beacon from the centre of defence.

What was incredible is that Svensson has been out for 18 months.

It took two very painful knee operations to even discover what the exact problem was and then a serious procedure in the second to put it right.

As always with serious injuries, particularly with knees, it's a long road to recovery.

There are always set-backs along the way, good days and bad days where you wonder if it will be up to playing again.

But, despite all this, here was Svensson back in the Saints team and not merely surviving the game but influencing it.

His plan was to have a few more reserve games to get himself up to speed but with Claus Lundkevam out for a month and Darren Powell suspended for three games he has already become the mainstay of the defence.

Yes, the mainstay after 90 minutes in 18 months!

But such is his class you don't feel it will be too much of a problem.

Preston gave Saints and Svensson a real test.

With Danny Dichio and Patrick Agyemang up front they have two strong and physical strikers. They play plenty of high balls into them and try and batter you down.

But Svensson, partnered admirably by Powell, was up to it.

If he can survive that sort of test physically then he should be OK. Because mentally, in terms of reading the game and his positioning, he didn't even look rusty.

Svensson has had to sit out and watch as Saints were relegated and surely would have dreamed of a winning comeback.

But if Saints would have got a win at Preston it wouldn't have been deserved.

The team looked in cruise control in the first half.

Preston were struggling and Saints enjoyed all the possession and even got the slice of luck in front of goal so many have been saying they need to break their run of draws.

On 27 minutes Powell fired in a shot from the edge of the area that took a massive deflection off Callum Davidson and left the keeper with no chance.

It was a lucky own goal in a game Saints were controlling. And, at half time it seemed this might finally be the day to end a run of six consecutive draws.

But, rather, it was extended to seven.

Preston played much better in the second half and Saints couldn't respond. They stayed at the same pace in midfield and attack they were in in the first half and the home side deservedly levelled.

On 65 minutes Agyemang got the ball in the box and fired in off the underside of the bar.

After that there were few chances for either team and the runs were extended - unbeaten to ten and draws to seven.

It was a shame once again. Though Saints didn't deserve any more than a draw if they would have played a little better, like against Reading, they might well have won.

Instead there were a few too many long balls rather than trying to pass through Preston.

Harry Redknapp is now searching for a couple of loan players and surely one will be a man to make a difference up front.

Something a bit different and a bit extra to the hard work their current strikers manfully put in.

The bonus for Redknapp is that he must feel like he has just made a massive signing.

A Swedish centre half who has proved himself at Premiership and international level.

A man of strength and character who can be depended on when the chips are down and will never back out of doing his job.

Svensson's back and for that all Saints fans must be massively happy.