mikec Posted 25 April, 2012 Share Posted 25 April, 2012 1993-94 West Ham 3 Saints 3 Saints under Alan Ball needed to win to guarantee staying up. Goals from Maddison and 2 from Le Tissier gave us a 3-2 lead. A pitch invasion, then West Ham equalised, then another pitch invasion and the ref finished it a minute or 2 early. Other results meant we were safe anyway. 1995-96 Saints 0 Wimbledon 0 On the final day the 3rd relagation place was between Coventry, Saints and Man City. All three teams were all on the same points but City, now managed by Alan Ball, had the worst goal difference. Everything seemed to be ok when City went 2-0 down to Liverpool. But then they pulled it back to 2-2 with still 20 minutes to go. Another City goal would have sent us down but it did not come. Legend has it that someone wrongly told Ball that we were losing so he told his players just to defend for the last few minutes. 1996-97 Aston Villa 1 Saints 0 Saints needed a draw to stay up, Villa needed a draw to guarantee a European place. Cynics said they would play out a dull 0-0. Of course being Saints, it was not that simple and we had to rely on Middlesborough and Sunderland not to win to keep us up. 1998-1999 Saints 2 Everton 0 The year of the "great escape". Having been in the bottom 3 for virtually the whole season a win the previous week at "Dellhurst Park" had put survival in our own hands. 2 goals from Marion Pahars secured the win while Charlton lost anyway to go down. 2000-2001 Saints 3 Arsenal 2 Fairy-tale ending for the last ever league game at the Dell against 2nd-place Arsenal. After 74mins it is 2-2 with the 2 Saints goals from Kaschloul - when on comes legend Matt Le Tissier for one of his last few appearances. On 89 minutes he scores the winner with a left foot volley. 2004-2005 Saints 1 Man Utd 2 Although they had nothing to play for and had a cup final the following week, United turn up with a full strength team (thanks Fergie). Saints needed to win and hope other results went our way. There was brief hope when we took the lead with an own goal and news came through that Norwich and Palace were losing, but when United equalised any spirit seemed to disappear and Van Nistolroy completed the misery with a 2nd half winner. After 28 seasons in the top flight, Saints were relagated. 2006-2007 Saints 4 Southend 1 Saints under George Burley needed to win to guarantee a play-off spot against already-relgated Southend. Before the game there was an emotional tribute to Alan Ball who died earlier that week. Southend briefly threatened to spoil the party by taking the lead but 2 goals each from Kenwyn Jones and Leon Best took Saints into the playoffs. 2007-2008 Saints 3 Sheff Utd 2 Nigel Pearson had been brought in on a short term contract to try and prevent relegation to League 1. Once again survival was in our own hands but again, we conceded the first goal. A brilliant save from Richard Wright prevented us from going 2-0 down and we then went straight up the other end and Saganowski equalised. Stern John then put us ahead in the 2nd half, but Sheffield then scored again to make it 2-2. A second goal from John put us ahead once again and then he managed to get himself sent off to leave a tense final 10 minutes. 2011-2012 Saints vs Coventry ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocco boxo Posted 25 April, 2012 Share Posted 25 April, 2012 Loved everything about the Everton match whole day was superb, I take another day like that Saturday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNSUN Posted 25 April, 2012 Share Posted 25 April, 2012 Good post, good memories. I sometimes wonder whether Alan Ball deliberately took Man City down... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 25 April, 2012 Share Posted 25 April, 2012 Good list but - How can you leave out the Walsall game last year? The stadium was jumping and we all knew for the first time that the tide had truly turned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 25 April, 2012 Share Posted 25 April, 2012 We always take things to the last day don't we? And by a large we do the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLOTH EARS Posted 25 April, 2012 Share Posted 25 April, 2012 Saints 0 Spurs 0 1978. Great day. Promotion 100% confirmed, Spurs were also promoted, Lots of singing and dancing on the Dell pitch and the Spurs fans wanted to join us, quite what would've happened if they did God only knows! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeSixty Posted 25 April, 2012 Share Posted 25 April, 2012 We always take things to the last day don't we? And by a large we do the job. Or others do the job for us. Up the hull! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpturner Posted 25 April, 2012 Share Posted 25 April, 2012 The Villa away game was a nailed on 0-0 draw. I am sure that (at least) one of the Villa players had a lot of cash riding on it. Probably Saints as well. Taylor for Villa had an absolute head fit when Dryden banged in the OG. He was not pleased at all......strange reaction to going 1-0 up don't you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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