It's been another remarkable seven days in the life of Saints.

This time last week, everybody was flying high. The win over Leeds had breathed fresh cause for optimism into Saints' season.

Come Wednesday, there were few thoughts of joy around as fans united in grief following the sad passing of Alan Ball.

On Friday, we learned that Ameri-can billionaire Paul Allen, the world's 19th richest man no less, was thinking of buying Saints.

Oh yes, and then there was small matter on Saturday of another 1-0 win, this time at Norwich, lifting Saints into sixth place with one game left on goal difference.

It's never dull, is it?

The atmosphere generated by the travelling Saints fans was terrific.

There was a minute's applause for Ball before the game and everybody was emotionally charged.

He would have approved of what Saints produced on the pitch.

This was a day, and indeed this will be a week, where talk of investment is secondary.

Saints fans may want a rich club but they want a successful club, a club that is competing in the Premier League.

And that is still a very real possibility next season.

The only shame is that, going into the last game of the season at home to Southend, Saints don't have things entirely in their own hands.

They may be in the top six at kick-off but that's only on goals scored with Stoke level on goal difference below them.

Obviously, if Stoke were to better Saints' result by one goal, they could miss out.

But talk of that seems to miss the fact that West Brom and Wolves are not guaranteed to win.

After the season the Champion-ship has produced this year, would it really be a surprise to see Stoke and Saints both finish in the top six? Not really.

But Saints can't worry about the maths of the situation. If they go out and beat Southend, it will be a shock if they don't make it.

It's the same, simple equation we've had for the last couple of weeks.

It's hard not to feel confident for them.

Southend have been relegated already and, while there is the argument that there will be less pressure on them and they will want to bow out on a high, Saints should have the beating of them, especially at home.

The key is for the players not to be too confident or nervous or uptight - or worried about results elsewhere.

It's a time for calm heads.

That's where the captain is so vital and, against Norwich, Claus Lundekvam showed his real worth as the team's leader.

He had a superb game at centre- half, always commanding, good on the ball, never worried by Robert Earnshaw no matter how hard Norwich tried to get the ball in behind and try and expose him to the Welshman's raw pace.

It was the performance of a class act.

They will need some more of that on Sunday.

It's hard not to feel a bit of a fraud for saying this game against Norwich wouldn't be easy for Saints, because the Canaries were dreadful.

The win was very comfortable and Saints were almost never stretched.

It was a game of few chances. Norwich put the balls in behind for Earnshaw fruitlessly to chase and gave it to Darren Huckerby's feet in the hope he would beat eight players and produce something.

After that, which didn't work, they ran out of ideas.

Saints kept the ball well, helped by Norwich strangely playing so deep, moved it around and built on the base of an excellent defensive display.

Saints had a few shots from distance and Bartosz Bialkowski saved from Earnshaw at the near post before Leon Best scored the all-important goal on 30 minutes.

Andrew Surman fed Gareth Bale on the overlap, and he pulled the ball back from the by-line across goal, from where Best let rip with a sweet shot from 12 yards that flew past keeper Tony Warner.

The latter made saves from Kenwyne Jones and Best while Bialkowski, Chris Baird and the post ensured a scramble in the six-yard box didn't end in an unjust Norwich goal.

At Saints you just wonder ... what next?

Hopefully, promotion!