IF it was up to me, I would give Claude Puel more time as Saints manager.

I was fortunate to be at a very nice hotel in Park Lane, London, with nearly 1,000 guests for the 25th edition of the League Managers Association’s awards, on Monday.

It was a great opportunity to see old friends, many of whom wanted to know what is going on at Saints.

No-one I spoke to there could believe that Mr Puel’s position was even under threat after leading Saints to eighth place in the Premier League as well as a major Wembley final in his first season.

They could not understand why the Saints manager’s job is even up for discussion.

I don’t know if Mr Puel was at the awards evening or whether he is even a member of the LMA, but he’s certainly been in the news.

Speaking as a professional and as one who goes to a lot of the home games as a spectator, I have two views.

From a football point of view, Southampton have done well to once again finish top of the Premiership’s middle group (as I said last week Everton have now made the elite a top seven).

For the last four years Saints have been a solid member of that middle division and to also reach a Wembley final this season - by beating four Premier League clubs without conceding a goal in five games - speaks for itself.

I was on the same table as David Pleat and Dave Bassett the other night and they and other managers such as Alex Ferguson have a lot of sympathy for Mr Puel.

His situation takes me back to my first season at The Dell.

After arriving from Grimsby in 1973, I foolishly agreed to have the title ‘team manager designate’, even though I took over 100 per cent from day one.We were relegated.

The directors had been worried about getting the right man after Ted Bates’ 18-year tenure.

We did ever so well until Easter, when in those days you played three games in four days.

Unfortunately we were the first team to be relegated after finishing third bottom, with more points than Saints had finished with in some of the previous years.

But Ted had been given 11 years to go up two divisions and I was also given time.

As the chairman pointed out, my record before coming to Saints included winning four championships - at Gateshead, Bishop Auckland, Doncaster and Grimsby as well as coaching more international players at Sheffield Wednesday than were at the Dell - so I’m sure Mr Puel’s success at Lille and Nice will be taken into consideration.

If he had guaranteed eighth position and a trip to Wembley to supporters and directors when he was appointed last summer I’m sure voting would have been in his favour.

But on Monday I did point out to those puzzled by the pressure on Puel that I’ve been at games where supporters have not been too pleased with things on the field.

Football has always been about goals and unfortunately Saints did not score one in their last five home games, hence the frustration voiced from the stands.

Mr Puel, who I have never met, does not seem to get too agitated.

But not dancing up and down like Conte or Klopp, or scowling and prowling up and down the touchline for the cameras like Mr Mourinho, does not make him a bad manager.

On balance, I think I would have to support the manager because of the achievements I have mentioned.

The days when Ted Bates and I did 30 years between us have long gone but he should be given the time to give the supporters more of what they want.

There have been rumours created by Garry Monk’s departure from Leeds, but a few days before his resignation it was interesting to see his face on the big screen at the LMA dinner along with other managers who have done well.

They included Chris Wilder and Phil Parkinson, who led Sheffield United and Bolton to promotion from League One.

Like Monk, Wilder and Parkinson were youngsters at Southampton.

It was good to see them recognised, especially at a time when there are so many foreign coaches, not just in the Premier League but in the Football League as well.

Not as many managers have been sacked this year as last, but when ambitious managers like Monk resign you wonder whether they have another job lined up.