TOO good to go down?

It's something you hear often around the streets of Southampton as the St Mary's faithful contemplate the unthinkable.

"Okay", they think, "it's not been a good start but it's early days yet and we are better than the three that went up.

"This might be a transitional year, one in which we don't get near Europe, but the future looks pretty good. We've got some good young talent and it was only 18 months ago that we were in the FA Cup final."

It might prove to be true, but such thinking, you hope, does not also represent the prevailing opinion at Saints.

Too good to go down?

Like many familiar clichs, it is complete and utter nonsense.

History tells you so.

Indeed, history tells you the Premiership has been littered with clubs who have been relegated very quickly after appearing to have become established top-flight forces.

The most recent run of finishes - 10th, 11th, 8th, 12th - has made this among the best periods in Saints' history.

For that, everyone at the club deserves huge credit. But you are not what chairman Rupert Lowe calls a 'Doubting Thomas' to be acutely aware of the dangers.

The examples in the past decade or so are all too numerous. Coventry, Leicester, Sun-derland, Sheffield Wednesday and Derby all recorded a string of mid-table or top-half Premier-ship positions before being sunk.

The likes of Blackburn, Ipswich, Leeds, Norwich, Notts Forest, QPR, West Ham and Wimbledon are even more extreme cases. They all finished in the top six within recent memory of a relegation.

The lesson is quite clear - the Premiership is no respecter of reputations. The establishment can go down with the newcomers.

Indeed, perhaps believing for too long that everything would be okay was what most undermined those clubs that did, on paper, look too good to go down.

The bottom line, of course, should be that Saints are too good to go down. There is a strong squad and one which should be able to compensate for the injuries.

But it is not being negative to be realistic and aware of warning signs. A bigger danger would be for Saints to coast along, as-suming everything will be okay.

Paul Sturrock felt his players were in a comfort zone at the end of last season and you have to wonder whether there was a lingering, subconscious sigh of relief at the exit of such an inspiring but tough taskmaster as Gordon Strachan.

A whiff of danger and a certain fear-factor is perhaps just what is needed to inspire the best from the players.

It is certainly crucial they produce in the next six weeks with a run of winnable games. For that reason, it's vital everyone gets squarely behind the team to create a succession of cup-tie atmospheres at St Mary's.

Too good to go down? In the Premiership, you also have to earn the right to stay up.