SAINTS players are living in a "comfort zone" which will lead to the club's first relegation in 31 years.

That's the view of long-time fan Nick Illingsworth, who edits the webzine Uglier Inside and used to write a weekly supporters column for the Daily Echo.

Illingsworth remembers the relegation scrapes of the 1990s but believes there are crucial differences between then and now.

"Four times in the 1990s we went into the last day knowing we could go down - in 1994, 1996, 1997 and 1999 - but in each of those seasons I never felt as low as I feel now," he remarked.

"I knew we had players who would fight for the club.

"Look at the 1999 team - people like Beattie, Marsden and Kachloul all had something to prove while the likes of Dodd and Benali would always fight for the club.

"In amost all those seasons I've mentioned better teams in terms of footballing skill went down instead of us.

"But now the situation has been reversed - we have the quality, but no fighting spirit. The spirit we had in 99 has gone, and it's hard to take.

"We always had players who were up for the fight - players like Benali and Dodd who knew if they went down they would probably not play in the Premiership again.

"We haven't got that at the moment - our players don't seem to have that fight, they're all in the comfort zone - and I include the manager in that.

"We are caught in a three-way feud between Redknapp, Lowe and Mandaric and the only losers are us fans."

Illingsworth, meanwhile, has called on Harry Redknapp to start talking up his squad.

"We know our players are better than Norwich's, but a relegation fight is about attitude and motivation as well as skill and I don't think our players have the right attitude or motivation,"

"Look at Bryan Robson, Iain Dowie and Nigel Worthington - they are all constantly talking up their sides. They are motivating them.

"I don't see Harry doing that - he just keeps on saying how hard it's going to be and how if we survive it will be the biggest miracle he's pulled off."

Illingsworth added: "There are players at the club who would show pride and fight, but Redknapp's farmed them out on loan or isn't playing them.

"Brett Ormerod would fight for the team like he always has, but no - he's been out on loan.

"Ormerod would be hungry, like Blackstock would be hungry or Jones would be hungry - but, no, they're out on loan as well.

"Fernandes and Folly would be up for it - they're desperate to prove a point. But they're playing in the reserves.

"Meanwhile, we're plodding along with the likes of Claus, Jakobsson, Delap and Telfer."