A look at some of the games played on this day including probably the lowest attendance I have ever been in to watch Saints, certainly in the top two flight.

Lets start with a good away battering, this one was at Filbert Street in 1968 when Leicester tonked us 4-1, Ron Davies getting our goal.

1973 was another away defeat, this time to West Ham and this one was notable for the debut from the bench of Bill Beaney a regular contributor to the Saints Archive on Facebook.

This game was played on the morning of the Good Friday and Bill was brought on for the injured Jim Steele between the Pop Robson goals in the 14th & 18th minute with the Echo describing him as having a composed debut. He would make his full debut the following day against Chelsea at the Dell and making a further two starts for the first team.

In 1981 Spurs were the visitors to the Dell and 23,735 assembled to see a 1-1 draw, Mick Channon scored on the cusp of half time and Spurs equalised late on in the last home game of the season and we were still not sure of UEFA Cup qualification.

Although this was Kevin Keegan's first season, it was not him that received the player of the year trophy before the game it was Ivan Golac.

In 1984/85 we were heading for 5th position and unknowingly into Lawrie McMenemy's last 7 games as manager of the club, it saw a debut at left back of Andy Townsend who strangely seems to wipe us off his CV when he boasts of his great playing career, we discovered him at non league Weymouth and gave him his big break. Goals from Steve Moran and Dave Armstrong sent Aston Villa to a 2-0 defeat.

In 1987 a Colin Clarke equaliser gave us a 1-1 draw at Chelsea in front of only 11,512 fans at Stamford Bridge. A lo crowd but not the lowest I ever watched Saints in front of in the top flight as we will soon see.

Saints V Coventry was often a relegation six pointer back in the 1990's, but this was saw both clubs just about safe as they went into this one with three games to go, we won 2-1 with both scored by Rod Wallace in the first half and a late Coventry goal not rocking the boat. The win took us up to 12th and ensured that we could not now be caught by anyone in the bottom three.

A year later and it was Easter Monday and a trip to Wimbledon who were now playing at Selhurst Park, it was not a good following to South London, we were now virtually safe and the natives were restless at manager Ian Branfoot's new way of playing, indeed there were more Queen fans heading to Wembley for the Freddie Mercury tribute concert on the train up.

Mind you we probably made up around a quarter of the gate of 4,025, definitely the lowest crowd I have ever seen in the top two divisions watching Saints and possibly only beaten by our trips to Hartlepool, Dagenham & Oldham in our days in league 2.

A first half goal from Richard hall gave us all three points and meant we were now mathematically safe from the drop and guaranteed the riches of the newly formed Premier League the following season, but three of our best players would not be there with us Neil Ruddock had already played his final game for the club and he would be followed by Barry Horne & Alan Shearer.

Photo: Action Images

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