FOR over 30 uninterrupted years I have held a Saints season ticket. I have been through those terrible dark, depressing days as we slipped down the various divisions almost into oblivion. I cannot do it again! Especially when it may not be too late for it all be avoided.

Since game five, there has been absolutely no variation – we have been winning points at the painful rate of three every four games. Under Mauricio Pellegrino there has been no “learning curve”, no gradual improvement as he understood the English game, no sign that the squad of good players we have are melding into a force to be reckoned with. If nothing changes, we will end up 8-10 points adrift from safety. Not even close.

There are now 13 games left. If we take out Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City (the last, and potentially most nail-biting game of the season), that leaves eight games we should have a chance with. So we need get at least 15 points from those 24 possible. But for the last 20 games we have achieved only ¾ point per game, so we will probably end up only winning six points instead of the 15 we need to survive.

So now is absolutely the last moment to have a managerial change if we are going to have a chance of avoiding the great dream of Markus Liebherr turning into a nightmare.

Let me finish of with a direct statement to Mauricio Pellegrino. I have no idea why the management of Saints have not yet sacked you. We have always known the club works hard for a long term success, not the short term. But this is ridiculous. If you are half the nice guy I have heard and seen make endless sad statements at the end of so many games, then you have the power to save our great club.

Mauricio, do the honest, honourable thing now and resign before you drag everybody down with you. I do not doubt for one minute you have done your best, but it has simply not been good enough. Take one last brave step to return the faith shown in you and, before it is too late, resign. Maybe that will be enough to save Saints.

Malcolm Coe

Nursling