The relief flooded around St Mary's after the win over Crystal Palace but the Saints supporters had done their bit in making sure that the team stayed positive.

The longer the game against Crystal Palace went on last night the more there was an opportunity for the crowd's mood to change and an atmosphere to prevail that would not be conducive to Saints being able to win the game.

Despite the fact that we are in the top six of the Premier League and enjoying our best season for near on three decades this season has seen a strange attitude in some supporters where they need to have a scapegoat, Pelle was of course the first this season and he was ironically cheered everytime he won a header in the first home game of the season, but at times we have seen Shane Long, Sadio Mane, Dusan Tadic and now full circle back to Pelle as the butt of certain elelements of the fans ire.

Therefore I went to last nights game with trepidation especially after hearing the team and that Pelle was named in it, I feared for the atmosphere if Saints struggled to score.

The last time I can remember such a tense atmosphere with the ability for it to turn nasty was back in December 2009, that was the season that we were relegated from the Champions ship and can be considered to be the most difficult ant turbulent in our entire history.

On the 20th December Nottingham Forest visited and due to a combination of cheap tickets 26k were in attendance some 11k more than the previous home game, Saints were fourth from bottom out of the relegation zone and four points clear of Forest who were third from bottom, Saints had pulled up the table and at this stage even with a team of kids and free transfers looked capable of surviving a tough season.

So if Saints had beaten Forest they would have been 7 points clear, however the crowd turned when Forest scored just before half time and the atmosphere was such that hey never stood a chance of winning the game and indeed from then on the seasons was a disaster on the pitch.

So strangely although instead of a Championship relegation battle its a fight for the Champions league placing it was a similar mood at the start of the game at St Mary's last night after abuse hurled at our players by Saints fans at West Brom.

Unlike 2009 though it was a case of instead of the more casual supporters being in attendance, they gave this one a miss meaning that perhaps only the more die hard's turned up in the 28, 351 and that meant that they backed the team.

So despite the fact that Saints failed to score till the 82nd minute the crowd did not turn ugly they kept with the team, perhaps in a strange way this was helped by the Palace supporters, their Ultra's kept up a barrage of noise throughout the game meaning that although the Saints fans were outsung they had to try and match the visiting contingent and that benefited Saints as the crowd stayed with them and didn't get on anyones backs.

Of course it wasn't perfect and i would be lying if i said it was one of those magical nights were the atmosphere was brilliant, but the main thing was that the Saints supporters kept backing their team and did not hurl abuse at certain players .

That would have been easy to do, Pelle the latest scapegoat could not seem to be able to buy goal, but he never hid and never gave up trying and the crowd realised this and he was given a good ovation when he went off and none of it was sarcastic, most Saints fans know that players need backing not abuse.

This meant that the atmosphere was condusive to a Saints win and when Palace hit a post some sensed that it was perhaps going to be our day after all.

The goal came late but lifted that tension and the crowd carried the team home to three deserved points and we had got the monkey off our back in terms of our goal drought.

There are still things not quite right going forward but hopefully now we can get back to scoring goals, we are still very tight at the back and although the last six games have only seen 2 goals scored, we have only conceded 4, seven points from those six games isn't great but the win last night means that we are still in the mix.

So with ten games left the team need the fans to stay with the side in each and every game, if we want to achieve our aim of European Qualification there is no room for the type of abuse that was witnessed up at West Brom and has been simmering for a while, we need everyone backing the players and like last night if they can't say anything positive saying nothing negative.

As I said it is a strange situation we are in our best position for 30 years yet some are not satisfied, lets do our bit to make sure that we are very satisfied come May.

Photo: Action Images

SanMarco added 12:34 - Mar 4 I think the key is that we didn't go 0-1 in this one. The atmosphere might have changed then. Some would not be satisfied if we won the quadruple undefeated and scored 120 conceding 12. I for one am delighted at the way things have gone this season. 4th is going to be tough but 5th or 6th is definitely still on.
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halftimeorange added 12:41 - Mar 4 You obviously weren't sitting where I was in the Kingsland. Almost from the off Elia and Clyne were the butt of "get him off" remarks from many quarters, Elia because of his lack of movement and Clyne because of his reluctance to beat his man and poor passing. Later on Ward- Prowse attracted similar jibes. As you correctly say, Pelle was exempt from the criticism and this was due to his obvious constant winning of headers with no-one around him (again!) to latch onto the drop-downs. Strange that when he was replaced by Long, Mane was moved inside and got the goal following up as he should have been doing all game in my opinion. In fact, Mane never gave up and along with Wanyama and Forster, was responsible for our win. The initial set-up was allowed not to work for far too long before it changed. Until our manager gives our centre forward some support we will not score many goals. Either that or play the ball along the ground. Last night corner after corner was launched into a penalty area packed with some of the tallest defenders in the PL. And as for our long-range shooting....do we practice that. For myself, I would never turn on our own team but, sadly, frustration is creeping in amongst the St Mary's faithful.

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bstokesaint added 13:32 - Mar 4 I sat on the divide between the Northam and the Kingsland and I have to say most fans were well behaved and the support for Pelle was what the player needed. That said maybe playing Mane upfront might be an option Koeman wants to consider in the future. I think his pace will create more one on one opportunities. I'm thinking some of Clyne's abuse is down to his reluctance to sign a new contract. I believe some fans feel he's moved into "the head up his ar$e" category. Personally I think if he does choose to go the club should cash in. After all we got him virtually nothing and he's already made the decison once to choose us over Man U. He's earned any right if he wants out.

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landsdownsaint added 13:33 - Mar 4 It's no wonder that that when the bigger clubs come calling some players want out !
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bstokesaint added 13:44 - Mar 4 Bigger clubs will always come a-calling regardless because they pay the biggest bucks. That'll always be a factor unless they make themselves bust!!
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JGH added 14:05 - Mar 4 Why does Nick feel the need slag off anyone who doesn't have a season ticket/turn up every week. Some of us don't live in Southampton or have the means to go to every game - get over it! He even suggests that the lack of these part timers was a reason for the improved atmosphere last night (vs against WBA). As it's only the season ticket holders who get tickets to away games are Nicks 'diehards' not therefore responsible for the WBA support or lack thereof...

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simmo400 added 14:22 - Mar 4 Saints were poor in this game no different to the previous home games. Sadio pulled us through with a MOM performance and he was our key player. Spider and Victor worked hard and Durachic had a decent game. Main moans for me were Elia useless, Pelle for missing an easy chance in the first half although he tried hard his touch has gone. Again out set piece play was no more than a joke. Tadic came on and showed a little class holding and turning with the ball, a positive i thought. Thankfully we got a break with them hitting shota at Foster and the post and for a change we followed up a miss hit shot for a tap in. Well Done SADIO best player on both sides by far.

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Jasper added 00:06 - Mar 5 JGH makes a good point you are stating "Nick" that casual supporters (Those that don't attend every game) don't back the team, that's arrogant and ignorant. A lot of opinionated snobs to be found at St Mary's these days.
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saintyourmum added 00:56 - Mar 5 halftimeorange added 12:41 - Mar 4 You obviously weren't sitting where I was in the Kingsland. Almost from the off Elia and Clyne were the butt of "get him off" remarks from many quarters, Elia because of his lack of movement and Clyne because of his reluctance to beat his man and poor passing. Later on Ward- Prowse attracted similar jibes. As you correctly say, Pelle was exempt from the criticism and this was due to his obvious constant winning of headers with no-one around him (again!) to latch onto the drop-downs. Strange that when he was replaced by Long, Mane was moved inside and got the goal following up as he should have been doing all game in my opinion. In fact, Mane never gave up and along with Wanyama and Forster, was responsible for our win. The initial set-up was allowed not to work for far too long before it changed. Until our manager gives our centre forward some support we will not score many goals. Either that or play the ball along the ground. Last night corner after corner was launched into a penalty area packed with some of the tallest defenders in the PL. And as for our long-range shooting....do we practice that. For myself, I would never turn on our own team but, sadly, frustration is creeping in amongst the St Mary's faithful. How much are you motivational seminars. Bellend.

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saintyourmum added 01:02 - Mar 5 I work six days a week, have a wife and two children. This was my first visit to St Marys since our Last game of the Championship. Ya know why "nick" - because I don't have time. When Zi do though, I'm there. I bet you "nick" don't have a family - at least not a family that want you around. Get off ya throne mush. Bellend.
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Horndeansaint added 11:38 - Mar 5 Hey lads, lets leave the "I am a better fan than you" debate for another day. Whether you are a single millionaire who can travel the length and breadth of the country or a casual, turn up when you can supporter, nothing, absolutely nothing can excuse not getting behind your team. We had "one of those" behind us, he will know who he is, block 35 row Z who spent the game whingeing, moaning and complaining about everyone and everything, including his own wife who was sat next to him. Sad little man with a massive chip on his shoulder. Good on my own son who told him, in no uncertain terms to either support the team or f**k off somewhere else. Same goes for the 10 minute early gang, either stay to the end or don't bother coming in the first place. I could tell you what the conclusion of the film, play etc. was when missing a bit of traffic was more important than what you went to see but why would I bother if you show that little interest? They must be the rich ones who couldn't care less about more than 10% of the game. Unfortunately we live in a society where those who have not witnessed the game to the extent that they can understand what is happening have the misguided view that you just turn up and win. Our friend in row Z never once appreciated that with 7 defenders minimum and a goalkeeper in your way, it is not going to be easy to score. We all know that we are not winning the number of games that we were early on but teams are no longer coming here to defend like Sunderland and Newcastle did.

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