SAINTS signed off 2004 exactly as they begun it - with defeat.

They started the New Year with a 3-0 FA Cup loss at the hands of Newcastle and any deviation in form or results has been the exception during a truly horrible year.

In fairness to the players and Harry Redknapp, Saints came out of last night's 1-0 defeat at Liverpool with credit for a brave and committed performance.

It gave hope for the rest of the season, although courage and effort alone, unfortunately, do not equal points.

Valiant, but battered, heavyweight title contender Danny Williams, after all, will not be on Redknapp's shopping list in the next few weeks.

The over-riding explanation for such a bad past year is simple as well as embarrassing: Four different managers.

Indeed, if you include first-team coaches, the Saints players have had TEN different voices telling them what to do in as many months.

Gordon Strachan, Garry Pendrey, Paul Sturrock, Kevin Summerfield and Steve Wigley have all departed, while Christian Damiano could soon follow to leave Dennis Rofe and the new trio of Harry Redknapp, Jim Smith and Kevin Bond at the helm.

Just think about it.

Ten different people trying to get over their ideas in ten months.

It's no wonder the team has stopped playing to a pattern and there is little consistency and clarity in selection and performance.

No matter what happens between now and the end of the season, one can only hope that chairman Rupert Lowe will back the proven track-record of Redknapp in the long term.

The new manager and the players need time to establish a real partnership.

Of course, it was little over a year ago that Saints went to Anfield and won.

Pretty much the same group of players truly believed in themselves.

Yet, last night, despite a decent display, there was a certain inevitability about the outcome.

James Beattie, Kevin Phillips, Peter Crouch, Anders Svensson, Fabrice Fernandes and Leandre Griffit were all on the bench or out of the squad altogether, so goals were always going to be a problem.

However, few players this season can complain at being dropped and Redknapp's selection and tactics almost worked.

Saints competed well for long periods. Indeed, by crowding the midfield as Brett Ormerod frequently dropped to the right of a five, Liverpool were often made to look ordinary and themselves lacking a real cutting edge.

Trouble was, once they went ahead just before half-time through Florent Sinama-Pongolle, even the most optimistic Saints fan would not have predicted a comeback.

After the difficulties of the past 12 months, it will take a significant turnaround during the forthcoming weeks to protect a proud record of more than 25 years in the top flight.

But in 2005, one can only hope that a New Year's resolution of the board of directors is to show a little more respect for the importance of continuity in their choice of manager.

It's farewell now to 2004.

And for Saints, it's good riddance.