No one said that it would be easy
In the main Saints support at Swindon was superb, however there was the first rumblings of discontent and this has carried on, on internet message boards since.
Saints fans are a little disgruntled at the inclusion of several players by Alan Pardew and the general performance of the team in general, perhaps many thought that we would walk the division and that there was no hard work to be done, I think most accept now that this is most certainly not the case.
Of course the start is disapointing and I would also accept that Alan Pardew has made mistakes, but he has only been at the Club for a very short period and he hasnt had the time to stamp his own authority on the squad nor get a real feel for who should play where in what formation, however it looks likely that at least two players will have arrived prior to the Brentford game and both will be in positions that we are weak in.
If you took a poll amongst Saints supporters as to who the most popular manager the Club has ever had is I suspect that there would be only one winner, it may surprise older fans, but it wouldnt be Lawrie McMenemy, Lawrie was respected more than liked, whereas the man who would win hands down, is not only respected by the fans but loved, that man is of course Gordon Strachan.
But we need to remember WGS's arrival at St Mary's, just under eight years ago, to be bruttally frank it wasnt the most popular appointment, he had just got Coventry relegated and was universally despised by Sky Blues fans, his track record wasnt great and Saints fans seemed to fall into two categories, those who were appalled by the appointment and those that were baffled and were now resigned to relegation.
This feeling wasnt improved by Strachan's first three games, all defeats, by then the supporters were all up in arms and the internet was red hot with those calling for him to be sacked immediately if we were to have any chance of survival.
However the story changed shortly after, Strachan slowly but surely brought in key players in problem positions and the rest as they say is history, but it didnt change over night, we were still thumped 6-1 at Old Trafford two months into his reign, but he got patience from the fans and he got time and he got it right, we need to give Alan Pardew the same and we might just get the same end result.
Yes we have a big hurdle to overcome, but its not insurmountable and a good league win is whats needed now, what better place to start than against Brentford on Saturday, Gordon Strachan hah one advantage that AP doesnt have and that is a full house of Saints fans behind the team, but Pardew can have a voiciferous crowd as per the Millwall game, if the fans get behind the team and keep turning up, the tide will turn, just ask Gordon Strachan.