If Saints fans wanted any proof about why we didnt get promoted last season, they perhaps need to look no further than Danny Higginbotham's  proposed move to Sunderland. 

Whilst Saints struggled all last season and indeed the start of this, to find a solid and reliable centre back, they need only to look at Saturday's opponents and Danny Higginbotham.

At time of writing he looks set for a move to Wearside with Sunderland reportably bidding £2.4 million plus Graham Kavanagh for his signature a substancially bigger amount than the amount that took him to The Brittannia Stadium.

As we have often said on TUI, this was perhaps the biggest cause of our failure to win promotion last term, put bluntly if we had had Higginbotham, even for just the play off games we would have beaten Derby and probably West Brom.

The only good thing to come out of a move for Higgy from a Saints perspective is that we inserted a sell on clause into the deal meaning that we will at least get a little windfall to soften the blow of missing out on £50 million plus.

But good luck to Danny, he suffered at St Mary's from being too versatile, meaning that he never had a real run in his best position and that subsequently was never as respected as he should have been, but many fans knew he was good and his form for Stoke coupled with Pele's attempts to be a centre Back, have made some think that the play offs were achieved in spite of George Burley and not because of him, if Higgy is in the Stoke team on Saturday he will be applauded by the home fans, if he has already played his last game then of course we will be glad he isnt playing against us and wish him well back in the Premier.    

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