Saints now face a tough task to finish fifth but this is still the most exciting end to a league season in terms of League position since 1990.
I am not including the nerve jangling last day escapes that we had in the 1990's here, yes they were exciting in their own way, but ultimately it was celebrating just about beating mediocrity.
Perhaps the last time we went into the final couple of games of a season with the chance of a truly high finish was in 1990 when our final two games were at Arsenal and Spurs, sadly we were to lose both 2-1 and end up in 7th position, however if we had won both then we would have finished third. However it has to be said that having lost at Arsenal the last day could only see us finish fifth if we beat Spurs, sadly even if we had done so the fact that Everton got a point and Chelsea won meant that we would have still ended up 7th even with a win at White Hart Lane
Before that we have to go back to 1985 for what was then also a race for us for 5th place, after the final weekend of the league season we still had a game to play and sat on 67 points from 41 games and in the 5th place that would see us qualify for Europe.
On the Tuesday after we faced Liverpool at the Dell, behind us where Chelsea on 66 points, Sheffield Wednesday on 65 and Nottingham Forest on 64 who could overtake us on goal difference if they won their final game and we lost, Sandwiched in between were Arsenal on 66 who had completed their games. Also playing were Chelsea at home to Norwich and Wednesday were away to Spurs.
In truth we had the hardest fixture, Chelsea looked odds on to beat Norwich who were in the bottom three and needed a win to have any hope of staying up, given that Chelsea had a far superior goal difference if they won we had to also beat Liverpool.
23,001 packed into the Dell on a rainy evening and when John Wark scored on the half hour to give Liverpool a half time lead things were not looking good, however a David Armstrong shortly after the break gave us hope, but Liverpool were in no mood to lay down and die, even though there was little on the game from their point of view and it was a nail biting ending.
No mobile phones and internet in those days and when the final whistle went at 1-1 no one really knew what Saints fate was, then the news came though that Chelsea had lost to Norwich 2-1 and Sheffield Wednesday had lost to Spurs 2-0 and that we were now assured of fifth and therefore had qualified for the UEFA Cup.
However our joy was to be short lived as history shows that later that Month the Heysel Disaster took place and English clubs were banned from Europe.
Perhaps more upset though were Norwich City, their win looked to have saved them, West Ham were a point behind with 2 games left and Coventry were 8 points behind with 3 games left, but Coventry won all three games, including beating Champions Everton 4-1 in the final game and joined West ham in leapfrogging the Canaries. A few months earlier Norwich had won the League cup, but that was overshadowed by relegation and they like us did not have the consolation of UEFA Cup football the following season to soften the blow.
Now at last 30 years later we go into a similar situation on the last day and how nice it is to be able to feel that tension again, perhaps we won't triumph like 1985, perhaps our agony will be prolonged in needing Arsenal to win the FA Cup, but whatever happens its been a great season and we should all be grateful for the work that Ronald Koeman and his players have done in the club's name this season.