Alan Pardew needs Saints to beat Southend on Saturday otherwise it might give the season a slightly different perspective.
Throughout the season the mantra chanted by Saints fans has been that if it wasnt for the ten point deduction then we would have made the play offs, however the problem now is that if Saints fail to beat Southend on Saturday then its conceivable that they could be more than those ten behind the last play off spot and if that happens that will heap pressure on Alan Pardew from some quarters.
The newspapers are carrying stories of interest in pardew elsewhere even in the premiership, however these are nothing more than newpapers trying to generate gossip, however the perception of his job this season at Saints could well change if the club fail to finish within that ten point deficit.
For most of the season everyone has assumed that doing so would be a formality, however although its still odds on, it might not be the case if Huddersfield win at Exeter and we only draw to Southend.
If that happens then some may change their view on the Saints boss,failing to get promotion due to the points loss is one thing, but failing to do so without that deduction is another, a point that Nicola Cortese will be looking at closely.
Personally I dont think that it matters, the season was over before Saturday and Pardew was right to experiment a little at Gillingham rather than concentrate on finishing seventh, in this league it really doesnt matter.
Although I have been critical of Pardew at times, to clarify the situation I think he has done a reasonable job, but certainly not a great one, however we have moved forward and its important to keep continuity and continue to do so, we may have failed to win promotion but that doesnt mean we have to start from scratch again,, the foundations are there dont knock them down,
However this season has always been about putting things in perspective, yes we are lucky to have a club, but we are also lucky to have an owner who is prepared to back the manager in the transfer market and that rather negates the lucky to be here side of things, we have to thank God we are still in existence and then move forward and we havent moved as quickly as we should have done.
But the perspective that most judge on seems to be this deduction of points, thats why it is important that we win on Saturday and stay within that ten point gap, then Alan Pardew can point at the deduction and rightly state that without those points being taken then we would have been in the play offs, anything else leaves him standing on sticky ground.