A FED-UP boss is hoping a point salvaged by Saints this weekend will lift the flagging spirits - and work rate - of his beleaguered staff.

Loyal fan Terry Harnett and his army of builders know only too well what it's like to feel the Monday morning blues.

More often than not, he claims, his staff are too depressed to work.

And it's not just the team of red and white supporters at his company in Tiptoe, near New Milton, that are feeling the effects of Saints' dismal display so far this season - repercussions of a loss are felt all over Hampshire.

Sixty-four-year-old Terry says Monday mornings are regularly a write-off for TM Harnett Builders when their heroes fail to score a league point.

"If Saints lose I know there won't be anybody in until 8.10am on a Monday morning, whereas if they win it's a 7.45am start.

"Production always goes down when the club are doing badly, because everyone is too fed up to talk to each other or get motivated to work.

"By the middle of the week we start feeling a bit more positive and look forward to the next game, but it's getting to be a real struggle with the current run of form," said Terry, who has been running his business for about 30 years.

It's a stark contrast from the last couple of seasons when Saints won their place in the FA Cup final - business was booming and work was fun, said Terry.

After only managing to scrape a 2-2 draw against fellow strugglers Crystal Palace on Saturday, the one point won't be enough to lift their spirits.

And with a visit to Manchester United this weekend, signs of a return to happy Monday mornings look to be some way off.

A Southampton University sports psychologist is even urging Saints to do better - something she says will make the people of the city smile again.

Lecturer Candice Williams said the phenomenon was not uncommon - and urged Steve Wigley's men to start putting some goals away and notching up the points."People live through their sports heroes, and if they do badly, the individual will almost feel that he or she has done badly too.

"With football, because it has such a big following, it can really affect the general mood of a place."

She added: "I've heard of people taking sick days off work before because they are so depressed that their team has lost. It can really affect morale at work.

"What we need is for the Saints to start winning for people in Southampton to start smiling again."

For all the reaction and analysis from Saturday's 2-2 draw with Palace see Sport on Monday.