Make no bones about it, in terms of taking a giant step forward as a football club, the upcoming Europa League tie against FC Midtjylland is perhaps the biggest game for Saints since our promotion season of 2011/12.
Since Markus Liebherr bought Southampton Football Club in the summer of 2009 it has been a journey of steady progress, there have been some rocky periods and issues at times but it has always been about progress.
In that time there have perhaps been some key games that have marked that progress and emphasised to the watching world that we are on the up, the Johnstones Paint Trophy Final against Carlisle was perhaps the first and each subsequent season saw at least one that publicised our cause.
No comes another one, or perhaps I should say two given that the Europa League play off against FC Midtjylland is a two legged affair.
There are some that belittle the Europa League and say it affects league form, but the reality is that yes perhaps it is the difference between finishing 7th one year and 9th the next, but if we want to keep progressing then competing and I mean "COMPETING" in this League is the next logical step for Saints.
Firstly it will put us on the European stage, secondly it will bring in more income which in turn will thirdly allow us to bring in better quality players and of course there is the little matter that the winners now get in the Champions League.
But it is more than just those three things, it is a natural progression, why do you think Spurs and Liverpool do not turn their noses up at it ? they want to be playing in Europe year in year out, of course they would prefer it to be in the Champions League, but they would rather the Europa League than nothing, they know that you cannot just tak a squad from than nothing into truly competing in the Champions League, you have to hav a team that is used o it, that is why I always found our ex Chairman's attitude towards it strange, in football you have to build foundations and you cannot miss out any of those foundation by taking shortcuts.
So this is why the games against FC Midtjylland starting with Thursday night's home leg are so important, we have worked hard to get where we are and it now comes down to these games whether we win through and enter the group stages and get the name of Southampton Football Club on the map, or we go out with a whimper in a small ground in Denmark and become the forgotten men as several teams before us have become.
Therefore it surprises me that there are so many empty seats for Thursday, some Saints supporters want a successful club and want to be part of that glory, but to put yourselves in that position you have to do the mundane, any Manchester United fan will tell you that titles are not won against Arsenal or Chelsea, they are won by being able to relentlessly go to the so called smaller teams and win time and time again.
That is the case now with Saints, FC Midtjylland are not the draw that even Vitesse where, but it is still an important game and one where the team needs your support.
Promotion from League One was not won in the final home game against Southend in front of a packed St Mary's it was won by beating Dagenham & Redbridge in front of 18k, glory is best enjoyed when you have been along for the whole ride, I accept that there is a whole raft of supporters who have not been physically there for the hole ride since 2009, but we need that new generation to sep forward with gams like this and make it a magical night under the St Mary's llghts.
If we want more of last season in the Premier League, if we want Saints to be a top club, if we want more quality players coming in, if we want Ronald Koeman to stay, if we want Ronald Koeman to stay and if we want St Mary's to be expanded then we as a group of fans have to show it by turning up in numbers each and every game, but especially for a crucial game as this one is in the grand scheme of things.