DANNY HIGGINBOTHAM says Saints must have "all guns blazing" against Norwich - and has rubbished doubts surrounding the heart and character of the team.

Saints' perilous position at the bottom of the table makes tomorrow's St Mary's showdown - billed as the club's most important league match for 27 years - a genuine 'must-win' game.

And full-back Higginbotham convinced the players can STILL turn a hugely disappointing season into a career highlight.

"People have written us off but we can shove it back in their face," said Higginbotham.

"We have got to win. We have got to go in there all guns blazing. We have got to get three points.

"It's a must-win game and we have to go out there 100 per cent sure that we will win.

"It is a bad time in my career but if we get out of this mess, then it will be the highlight of my career.

"We know if we win and results go our way then we can be out of the bottom three.

"It is all about getting some momentum. We know we have got to win tomorrow - simple as that."

The desire of the players has been questioned after the desperate 4-1 defeat at Pompey.

The Daily Echo has been flooded with letters and emails from fans since then asking if the players have the heart for a relegation battle.

But Higginbotham has launched a strong defence of his team-mates.

"The lads don't get out on that pitch and think 'I'll tell you what, we'll just lie down today'," he said.

"Nobody does that, we are professional people and we have got our pride and our character.

"It is very disappointing when people say that. I can speak for the team and say that we were absolutely devastated on Sunday, but we are going to rectify that."

He added: "Fans have their opinions and rightly so and we can't fault their support. They have been fantastic. We know that we owe them something.

"We have got to be all hands to the pump, we have got to be in it together and I believe that we can get the results we need.

"We go into the game fully up for it no matter what people say."

Higginbotham revealed there had been a frank discussion among the players following Sunday's Fratton Park bruising.

"We've had a constructive chat about it and we were very disappointed at the manner that we lost," he said.

"It's in the past now, there is nothing we can do about it. The only thing we can do is rectify it by showing everyone that we really mean business and we are still in this.

"We have had too many draws this year at home but not many teams have come to the ground and battered us."

With a trip to Crystal Palace looming next week, Higginbotham admitted Saints were fortunate to be up against other teams involved in what looks like a four-way relegation scrap.

"We know we can get out of the bottom three and that's very positive," said Higginbotham. "Come quarter to five tomorrow things could look a lot different.

"We have been fortunate that we can decide our own destiny to a certain extent. Alright, the teams are two points ahead of us but we can peg them right back in the following two Saturdays and I believe massively we can do that.

"We know if we play to our capabilities that we are a match for most teams in this league.

"We can't sit back. We are the home team and we've got to get a result."