No more upheavals now until the summer - Higgy

Danny Higginbotham believes Saints have a squad strong enough to avoid a relegation scrap.

Saints face a massive game against Higginbotham's former club Derby at St Mary's tomorrow with a win a priority if the remainder of the campaign is not to become a second successive battle against the drop.

Just six points separate Saints from the Champion-ship's bottom three and, with Derby three points off of Saints in the table, victory is desperately needed for George Burley's men.

But Higginbotham, pictured right, who was relegated from the Premiership with Derby as well as Saints, is confident the changes Burley has made will be enough to ensure their survival this year.

He said: "Every game is very important.

"Realistically, it's going to be very difficult to get to the play-offs, so it's important to dispel the fear of relegation.

"We've got the players within the squad and the team that know what the situation is.

"Winning becomes a habit and losing as well.

"I don't think there is a hangover from relegation, because there has been a big transitional period.

"We've lost a lot of players and a few have come in and it's a big job George has taken on. He felt it needed doing and we will probably see the benefits of that from the summer onwards.

"It was a difficult time when he came in - there were a lot of things up in the air, but we will see.

"The mood is very good. The manager and the coaching staff have kept everybody on their toes and it's not been downbeat or negative."

Higginbotham moved from Derby to Saints for £1.5m just over three years ago and he added: "It's been a bit of a strange time.

"A lot of lads have gone and a few have come in but the transfer window is over and nobody is leaving now until the end of the season, though there may be a couple of loanees come in.

"The mentality now is that everybody's here until the summer and there can be no more decisions to be made until then.

"We need to start winning games, otherwise we will be in a relegation scrap and we don't want that.

"We aren't looking nervously over our shoulder because it's nothing a few wins won't solve, but we need them sooner rather than later.

"It's a worry when you're down there but we need to go on the pitch and get the points to get us out of it."