HERE is the alternative league table which will shock the St Mary's faithful ahead of a crucial three-match spell that could shape their destiny.

Though the current Premiership table makes dismal reading after just six games of the 2004/05 campaign, it's still far healthier than the one we publish here.

It shows Saints at the bottom of the Premiership form table based on results since Boxing Day 2003.

Back then Gordon Strachan's men travelled to Fulham fourth from top with hopes high they could finish in a European place.

But they lost 2-0 and since then have continued to struggle.

So much so they return to Fulham tomorrow again in fourth place - but this time fourth from bottom with 2004 fast turning into their Annus Horibilus.

Starting with the 2-0 loss at Loftus Road on December 26, Saints have only won SIX times in 27 league games - fewer than any other Premiership club in the same period not including the three that went down or the three that came up.

Saints have picked up less than points and suffered more defeats than any other club - with everyone else apart from Manchester City picking up at least seven more points.

And, ironically, the clubs with the next worst records after Saints - Fulham, Manchester City and Everton - are Saints' next three opponents.

Even Wolves only picked up one point fewer than Saints from Boxing Day onwards last term.

While Saints have endured worse starts to the season than the current one - which has seen them gain just four points from six matches - and still gone on to survive in the Premiership, they MUST start to do something to life the doom and gloom that is enveloping sections of the fanbase.

There has been a lot of emotion from supporters in recent months concerning Strachan's departure, Glenn Hoddle's possible return, Paul Sturrock's short-lived spell as manager and Steve Wigley's appointment as head coach and concern about his qualifications.

But let's strip away that emotion and deal in facts - and, as our table on the back page shows, the cold hard ones are the most worrying of all at present.

It is far too early to write off Wigley's Saints as potential relegation candidates.

But if they repeat last season's results in their next two games - both dismal 2-0 defeats - then it would be getting increasingly hard to view the next eight months with much confidence