To be a Saints fan at the moment

We're in the premier league. This is a place we wouldn't have dreamed of being 3 years ago when we had a 10 point penalty hanging over us in League 1. Successive promotions have seen us winning more than half our matches for 3 seasons running. After an admittedly poor start to this season we seem to be finding our feet, despite the need for new blood, especially at centre back.

However, at the heart of this, has been the eternal optimism and drive of one Nigel Adkins. He has been the heart and soul of this club for two and a half years. He's kept his feet on the ground when we've been winning and taken the knocks, and speculation regarding his future, in his stride.

When you consider that the side has not changed a tremendous amount in the transition from League 1 to Premier League a huge amount of credit has to go to Nigel in not only recognising the talent but having faith in it too. The players also deserve credit for sticking with it no matter how bad things have been but it is my belief that it was Nigel's relentless drive that brought the best out of them.

Today we see the start of a new era. We have finally signed a new central defender, something all Saints fans have been clamouring for since the start of the season. We have a new manager, someone most of us have never heard of. He had to speak to the press through a translator. I don't have a problem with that per se but we actually have a fairly English based squad, unlike a lot of top flight teams.

In my opinion it's a sad day for football. It's an even sadder day for fans of Southampton Football Club. And it's an especially sad day for Nigel Adkins, who deserves so much better.


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