Lawrie McMenemy has backed the appointment of Mark Hughes and believes the new Saints boss will get an instant reaction from the squad.

McMenemy, the club’s greatest ever manager, who led Saints to their own major piece of silverware, the 1976 FA Cup, thinks Hughes is a sound appointment from Les Reed.

He feels that the move is a return to the more traditional type of British manager who is well versed in the top flight and able to help guide Saints to Premier League survival.

Before Hughes sets his sights on that, he has the small matter of an FA Cup quarter-final at Wigan on Sunday to contend with.

McMenemy, writing in his exclusive column which appears in tomorrow’s Daily Echo, said: “I support the Mark Hughes signing 100 per cent.

“He has been there, done it, and has a lot to prove to his last club. Even though Stoke are a point behind Saints at present, in his four-and-a-half-year period he took them to the top half on three occasions.

“I would class him more in the old style managerial way as opposed to the foreign input we have had over the years here and at most other clubs now who are coaches only. Their job is to coach the first team and, in my opinion - and the proof was there last week - are not able in some cases to manage the players.”

Hughes has come in to replace Mauricio Pellegrino, who was sacked on Monday following a run of one win in 17 league games, which culminated in an embarrassing 3-0 defeat at Newcastle.

McMenemy believes that Hughes won’t have to search too far for inspiration when he delivers his pre-match team talk before the Wigan game, and that the Welshman will challenge the squad to prove themselves to the fans again.

“The team talk in the hour before kick-off is one that I’m sure Mark Hughes will seize on,” said McMenemy.

“With the door shut and just the players, him and staff in there, he can look at them all and ask some big questions.

“‘Are you all proud of what you did last week?

“‘Are you happy that the manager has been sacked?

“‘Did you enjoy reading the reports, listening to the comments, saying you all lacked effort and a desire to win?

“‘Are you happy to still wear the shirt?

“‘Are you aware that the people last week that booed you on the bus had hundreds of miles to travel and paid an enormous amount of money?

“‘You need to show them that you are sorry, and your way of apologising is to get out there today and not just win the game but give 110 per cent in your efforts.’”

  • Read more from Lawrie McMenemy on Pellegrino, Hughes and Saints’ situation in our 12-page FA Cup quarter-final preview supplement in tomorrow’s Daily Echo