Saints boss is hero

Thursday, 12/05/2011

by Chris Rann, Shoot's Southampton blogger

We usually make it hard for ourselves. That has always been the Southampton way. I think most Saints fans expected it to go to the wire. With two wins needed from three, there was just enough margin for error for us to make it nerve racking. But they didn’t.
 
Saints all but sealed their promotion to the Championship at Home Park on the Bank Holiday Monday having beaten Brentford on the Saturday. This meant only a disastrous and unprecedented set of results involving record-breaking goals scored by Huddersfield or conceded by Saints on the last day could spoil the party.
 
Thankfully, with the future of other teams at stake, Saints didn’t rest on their laurels against Walsall and completed the season with a home victory.
 
They had done it. The feelings of Saints fans were a potent mix of elation and relief, with perhaps the latter being more prominent. League One has been a bumpy and emotional ride, and often the pressures of expectation have been hard to bear.
 
The form Saints finished the season in was staggering. Just one defeat and one draw in the last 15 games was truly a title-winning run, leaving us wondering what might have been had we not had such an atrocious start to the campaign.
 
Credit for the turnaround must go to the manager. Nigel Adkins took over at Saints when they were 22nd in League One. A club in turmoil again, and mourning the loss of their owner. They finished in second, just three points behind champions Brighton.
 
With part one of the long term plan complete, it is an odd feeling for a Saints fan. The last time we found ourselves in the Championship I was devastated, now I am unbearably happy about it. We have a great squad and a great manager, and I don’t expect us to struggle next season, although at the same time, I am not predicting it will be easy.
 
In all it has been a fascinating season in League One, and there are many things I will miss about it, but the future is bright for Saints, and I don’t plan on being here again.
 
Congratulations to Brighton on being deserved champions and commiserations to Huddersfield, good luck in the Play offs. Best wishes to Lee Bradbury and Bournemouth too.
 
Half way there. Keep the faith.

Chris Rann also writes for www.georgeweahscousin.com

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