This time last year Saints also played Ipswich this time at home on 1st March, however are things a lot brighter this season

After the 1-1 draw with Ipswich at St Mary's on the 1st March Saints stood on 40 points with 11 games left, in 2008/09 they are slightly worse off with only 37 from those 35 games, however they are starting to find their form at the right time.

Last year of course the slide was just beginning in the three games up to the visit of the Tractor boys we had got a solitary point, that coming with a last minute penalty at Scunthorpe, we didnt know where the next win was coming from indeed it would be three games later and that in itself would be the only win in six games as we slipped into the relegation zone.

But as we know its usually best to come storming through with a head of steam up and that we are doing, sadly so ar Nottingham Forest who didnt slip up at home to Preston as we hoped they would, but our win still brings a plethora of clubs within range.

In truth its hard to see Palace on 44 points being dragged in and Charlton now lying 12 points from safety look doomed, but perm any two from the eight clubs sandwiched in between.

Saints of course have a difficult trip to Birmingham, but the win at Ipswich has taken a little pressure off them, a draw would be a decent result, a win would have me seeing if the play offs are mathematically possible, but on a serious note next weeks game against Derby is looking crucial, if Bristol City win at Pride Park on Saturday we could haul ourselves right up behind the Rams if we beat them at St Mary's.

But our real target team has to be Blackpool, we are two points behind with a game in hand, on Saturday they entertain Norwich, ideally a draw that will help neither of them would be a good result, meaning we can look to beat Derby & QPR at home before heading to Bloomfield Road, a few weeks ago the Tangerines looked safe, but like last year they are falling at a vital time, we can take advantage of it.

Its one game at a time for Saints I have always said that its about little runs of six games, our last six now shows ten points gained, if we can repeat that in the next half dozen then we will be well on the way to safety.

My thoughts this season is that we hve always had the players, my contention has always been that they were being played out of position and couldnt be expected to win games with the off field pressure, the Dutch experiment has been chastised in most corners, however Mark Wotte has proved that he knows a thing or two, in his first seven games he has amassed eleven points, Nigel Pearson in his first half dozen managed seven points, indeed in his 14 games in the hot seat, he only got 16 points, now most Saints fans rate Nigel Pearson, but in Wotte do we finally have a manager capable of replacing him, the signs are that we do.      

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