Saints travel to Deepdale on Saturday without the incentive that they could get automatic promotion, but there is still a lot to play for and depending on our result and those of the 2 clubs above us we could finish anywhere between 3rd and 5th.

Whatever anyone says, the game at Preston has meaning, we are playing to finish 3rd or 4th and thus securing home advantage in the 2nd leg of the play off semi final and to be blunt I would rather that we play the team in 6th than the team in 4th.

Plus I would rather travel to Middlesbrough/Wrexham/Hull/Derby on a weekend than a weekday night.

I suspect that Tonda Eckert is applying a similar theory in his planning for the game and that his team, although it will have changes in the team, will be sent out highly motivated to get the job done, so we can then hope that those above us fail.

We looked a little jaded in the final stages of the game against Ipswich and Tonda knows he needs to freshen things up.

the great thing about Eckert as a manager is that he is meticulous in his planning and he will have seen where he needs to tweak things.

I think we might see a change in the centre of defence, perhaps Nathan Wood rested and if Jack Stephens is not fit then perhaps Joshua Quarshie getting a game.

In midfield Cameron Bragg starting and perhaps Cameron Archer playing alongside Ross Stewart who himself will probably start, as it seems that it is a game by game rotation with Cyle Larin.

Usually the last away game of the season is a celebration, a chance for the travelling supporters to wave the team goodbye for the summer and to do so with good memories of a large travelling army of supporters in celebratory mood.

That looks likely to be the case at Deepdale with over 5,000 tickets sold and i hope that most of those that have bought them turn up.

Given the 2,000 minimum away ticket allocation, it could be the last away game for many this season, certainly I would not think we will get much more than 2,000 tickets at any of the other teams in the play offs, perhaps only Millwall and that only due to segregation issues.

So there is not a lot more to say about this game, Tonda Eckert has taken us from lower mid table to the very cusp of automatic promotion, as fans we expect the team to turn up on Saturday and give 100% commitment and battle their hearts out.

After what they have done in the past 3 months, as they go up North with tired minds and tired legs they can expect the Southampton supporters to do the same.

For me being a football supporter is simple, of course very few people can got to every game in a season, not everyone can sing and shout for 90 minutes, we all do what we can and when we can and the next week or so, like the players themselves sometimes we all have to go that extra yard or two.

All Photos Via Reuters