As I revealed on Monday, yesterday I presented a petition to the Court Leet sitting in Southampton Civic Centre to change the name of the Itchen Bridge to honour former Saints boss Lawrie McMenemy and it was accepted.
Around 20 years ago this site was the first to suggest that a statue of Ted Bates would be a fitting tribute to the man who truly built the foundations of Southampton Football Club, it took time but eventually we got that tribute.
A couple of decades later and still this football club has not truly honoured the man who built on those foundations and won us the FA Cup, that is shameful so I decided that I would petition the ancient Court Leet for the Itchen Bridge to be renamed as I revealed on Monday
Yesterday I presented that to Court Leet and it was accepted that this was something that could now proceed to be discussed by the full Southampton City Council.
I felt that there was a positive mood in the room as I read the "Presentment" that the Itchen Bridge be changed in name, to either The Lawrie McMenemy Bridge or The Lawrie McMenemy Itchen Bridge.
The Daily Echo have given this some publicity and it was good to see them quote Lawrie who said.
"It’s quite a surprise. It’s very kind of the supporter, especially if he’s a big Saints fan.
"I’m just pleased that people remember the final, they don’t have to rename the bridge after me as long as people remember the final!
"It’s really touching – I was manager of the club for a long time and was involved with the club for many years after that – it’s nice to have had a positive impact on the people in the city that’s close to my heart.”
Francis Benali a man who is a true Sotonian born and bred in the city and of course another who truly deserves the title "Club Legend" had this to say:
"We’re coming up to the big anniversary of our only FA Cup win and it would be a fitting tribute, particularly with such a big landmark in our city.
"Lawrie signed me as a schoolboy and spoke to my mum on the doorstep of our house in Southampton, telling us the club would be the best place for me – not that I needed much convincing!
"It’s those little things and his time for people that make a huge difference as well.”
Now the first hurdle has been passed and achieved comes the second hurdle and that is getting this passed by the City Council itself, you would hope that this does not become a political football, that all political parties would be united in wanting to honour Lawrie in this way.
There are precedents, Mountbatten Way the major road into the City from the West was opened and named after Lord Louis Mountbatten in 1980, a little later in 1989 came Thomas Lewis Way from the North into the City.
Lord Louis Mountbatten had close links to the City and lived at Broadlands in Romsey and most people won't know that Thomas Lewis was born in St Mary's not far from our present stadium in 1873 and rose to prominence in trade unions in the then town of Southampton eventually serving as a Labour MP from 1929-31 and then from 1945-50 before retiring.
So if major arteries into the City from the West & North can be named so can the one from the East and over the river into St Mary's and the Lawrie McMenemy Bridge.
I would hope that most if not quite all Southampton supporters will back this and the small percentage that perhaps can't because they feel that he left the club under a cloud in 1985 to manage Sunderland, can concede that that is now water under the Lawrie McMenemy Bridge and given what he has done for Southampton Football Club and the City itself both before and since merits recognition.