On Saturday it was a sight not seen for several years with Matt Le Tissier leading a host of names from our illustrious past in welcoming Francis Benali.
Ralph Krueger took another big step in re establishing Southampton Football Club in the community on Saturday when he made a very public demonstration of support for Francis Benali as well as a whole host of other names from Saints past, including Matthew Le Tissier, who along with Benali had been subject to rough treatment from former Saints Chairman Nicola Cortese.
Krueger having come from a sporting background albeit in Ice Hockey knows the importance a Professional sports club has in the community, how much it means to those who support it and of course he knows that the benefits run both ways and that the club benefits in return from a supporter base that is happy and a business community that feels welcome and will put in sponsorship money.
Nicola Cortese saw none of these benefits, why he didnt one can only speculate, perhaps it was because he did not come from that sporting back ground that Krueger does, perhaps he had no affection for the club or perhaps he thought as Saints as his own personal fifedom bankrolled by the Liebherrs and that being the case he did not need the supporters money nor that from busines's.
Cortese almost seemed scared of Saints past, frightened that his own achievements would be overshadowed if supporters were reminded of it.
Whatever the reasons ultimately they contributed to his downfall, which is sad because Cortese did oversee a good period in Saints history, he could truly have been feted as a great, but the sad fact is he divided the club not united it, it could have been even better than it was but our ex Chairman chose a path that made him a very rich man rather than a very respected rich man, perhaps all along he was only interested in the money ? or perhaps he just didn't get what football is all about !
But under Ralph Krueger things seem to be changing, he is not frightened of Saints history or intimidated by the fame of people like Matt Le Tissier, he knows that any sports club needs to take pride in its past, yes it needs to look to the future and move forward, but the past is what brings supporters to the club initially.
This isnt rocket science, look at the biggest club's in the World, whether its Man Utd, Liverpool, Real Madrid or Barcelona, visit their grounds and you will see reminders of their triumphs all over the place, be it statues,museums, pictures etc etc.
Saturday was perhaps the first public admission that things have changed at St Mary's, Krueger admitted to the Daily Echo that he has been talking with Le Tissier virtually from the first moment he arrived at the club
"For me, it has been really natural from the first day I met Matt a few months into the new year,” said Krueger, who described it as an "honour” to have had Le Tissier in the directors’ box for Saturday’s match against Newcastle.
"It was February or March we came together and it was just natural.
"He fits the values that we want to exude here with the Saints, and the line we want to go on.
"He has been wonderful in the background, just as a supporter of the difficult summer we had, and somebody I can soundboard off once in a while — discussions outside the inner circle.
"He is a trusted friend already of the club.”
Very welcome words indeed after the past years we have had were Francis Benali was banned completely from the club and Le Tissier ostracised and they were only the tip of the iceberg.
Krueger elaborated on hos he sees the past helping the future.
"It is something we want to make sure that the expectations of players that are here, where we learn from this summer and try to work with the experience of players from the past to reignite that kind of loyalty and passion for a one-club lifestyle,” he said.
"That is not going to be possible to do with all players, but it is certainly using players like that as an example — look what life is giving back to them now that they did that for Southampton.
"They are so respected in the community, I can see the support they get around here.
"It is nice to see those stories, but it is a different football world today. We know that, but we would like to still tap into what their experiences were.”
Although Krueger clearly wants to embrace the clubs past he is also keen not to dwell on past issues in the boardroom which is a refreshing attitude, it would be easy to point the finger at the ex Chairman, but he is not doing so and wants Saints achievements on the pitch to do the talking.
But he has an open mind and is not afraid to look at the bigger picture, nor is he afraid to listen to those around the club, take in their opinions and use some of that advice if he considers it wise.
It is a breath of fresh air, the saddest thing of all though is that the recent past had to happen as it did, it could have been so much better and the way that fans were divided was in many respects obscene in that some supporters were prepared to let the treatement to Le Tissier and Benali happen because they saw it as "Business" and that all good businessmen are ruthless and it is impossible for a decent ethical person to be a good businessman, it was almost as if some supporters had been watching the film Wall Street on repeat and believed that "Greed Is Good"
There is an old saying in business, "If you chase money you never catch it, if you chase success then money will come"
That is very right and now Ralph Krueger and his board are putting things together the right way, they are embracing all parts of the community and know that success is easier achieved if everyone associated with a football club is kicking in the right direction, be it the current staff, ex players, supporters, local business and of course the media.
Im sure that Krueger is just as ruthless as Cortese when it comes down to it, but he isnt ruthless for ruthless sake and that is the crucial difference.
Markus Liebherr ran his companies with very strong and ethical morals, Im sure he brought his children up the same way, that being the case we should be in good hands.
Saturday was a big step forward, on the pitch we saw our rebuilt team show that their is life after the summer departures, off it we saw that the Clubis back to being what it has been for over half a century, a well run business that can compete with the best.