TICKETS for St Mary's have become like gold dust as the Saints feelgood factor sweeps the city.

The next two league home matches against Liverpool and Manchester United sold out in express time and demand is already spiralling for the FA Cup game against Millwall next week.

The exceptional run of form of Gordon Strachan's team - which has lifted Saints to fifth in the league and through to the fourth round of the Cup - has even forced the ticket office to take on extra staff to deal with the demand.

On one hectic day last week staff dealt with an amazing 13,238 calls to the ticket-line and sold about 9,000 tickets.

Fans are clamouring to see the likes of David Beckham, Michael Owen and Roy Keane take on Saints in big forthcoming Premiership clashes, but the magic of the cup is also gripping supporters.

Ticket officer manager David Luker said: "We are incredibly busy and matches are selling out in record time.

"The Liverpool match on Saturday is sold out, while the Manchester United game, which is not until February, has also sold out already.

"We always used to have busy periods when we were playing the big teams, but at the moment we are just continually busy.

"And it's not just the really big games that seem to be selling out - the Birmingham match and the Sunderland match sold out.

"Tickets are also selling well for the matches against West Brom and Aston Villa in March.

"Things are exceptional at the moment and people just can't seem to get enough of Saints."

Calling all Saints fans - we want to know how you are celebrating the team's feel good factor. Is your household, pub, school, youth club, football team, shop or even church congregation a hot-bed of avid Saints support that's so proudly wearing the red and white stripes?

If it is, then we want to know about it.

Call Simon Walter on 023 8042 4558 or e-mail echosport@soton-echo. co.uk