STEVE WIGLEY has rejected any talk of panic at Saints.

But the head coach has stressed that winning "means everything" at Northampton tonight.

After a slow start in the league, an early exit from the Carling Cup at the Coca Cola League Two outfit is unthinkable and would plunge the St Mary's faithful further into doom and gloom after all the off-field uncertainty of recent months.

Wigley, pictured above, is still looking for his first win as head coach - he has picked up just one point from 12 since replacing Paul Sturrock - but says that confidence can quickly return.

"Little things can change a season," he said. "Getting a win means everything. You can say we have played quite well and we are unlucky and things like that, but the sooner we can get a win we will all feel good about ourselves - the players, the supporters and myself.

"We are working very hard for that and there is no panic here."

He added: "We have just been on the wrong end of a few things. We have scored two own goals and things like that which have cost us points. We just need to work very hard. The only way you change your luck is by being positive and making things happen.

"It is at a stage of the season where three points can transform your league position and everyone feels good about themselves.

"The sooner we can do that then good things come from it. Invariably if you are not winning you start bemoaning your luck."

Wigley also again rejected remarks from Newcastle manager Graeme Souness about the "direct" style of Saints' play.

"We have taken one or two knocks about playing the long-ball," he said.

"Well I've watched the tape against Newcastle and the only time we have played long ball was the last 15 minutes. No matter who you are you start throwing the ball in the box late-on if you are trying to get a point.

"Other than that, we passed the ball just as well as Newcastle did. If you look at the possession figures we had more of the ball."

The Carling Cup represents Saints' best hope of a return to European football, but Wigley is wary.

"Northampton are a very well organised team - they were very unlucky not to get promoted last season," he said.

"You know when you go to one of the lower league sides in the cup they are going to give it everything and be in your face.

"If we go expecting to win we could come unstuck. There have been upsets before and we have to make sure we are not on the wrong end of one."

Saints have only ever lost once in cup action to basement division opposition while a top flight club - 2-0 at Shrewsbury back in 1993/94 in the League Cup.

Meanwhile, French coach Philippe Troussier has again been linked with Saints if Wigley has to stand down from his role in mid-December due to not having the UEFA pro licence. Troussier is currently out of a job after being sacked by Qatar last month.