IT was a new era for Saints fans, directors and staff and what a tremendous new beginning it is.

It is strange because if it had been any other game and Saints had lost 4-3 there would have been questions asked.

However on Saturday all the Saints fans I saw leaving the ground had huge smiles on their faces.

Espanyol proved to be a good side on the day, although you could clearly spot the "European" side to them, especially when they decide to roll around on the pitch claiming they had been fouled - never mind the fact that there wasn't a Saints player within five metres of them!

Saints' manager, Stuart Gray, summed up those opening 45 minutes by saying: "I think the players were still looking around during the first half."

I think he may be right.

I heard recently a story that at a board meeting in 1948 it was said that Southampton Football Club needed to leave The Dell. Funny that. It has taken 52 years to start building and 14 months to finish.

Rupert Lowe, Andrew Cowen and all the contractors deserved to be very proud men on Saturday.

It is very difficult to summarise the emotions of Saturday because every individual fan would have had their own feelings as they arrived at the ground and entered the stadium.

One older fan summed it up for many of them when he said, "I never thought I'd see the day."

Some seemed to be almost speechless because there is simply no comparison with The Dell.

Some fans would have left the ground with a strange realisation that this was not an away visit, and that they would be coming here again for every home game. Those supporters that haven't been to any away grounds would have found this a totally new experience and a good one at that!

Saints fans were also shocked to see the quality of the pitch.

It was almost like we had never left The Dell. It was a shame though that half of the turf was brought up by some of the Spaniards!

Next week is, of course, the start of the new Premiership season - Happy New Year!

Saints will find it tough going at Leeds but hopefully we can stay focused. After all there isn't much to look at when you are inside Elland Road!

Let's hope we can take a lot of support and rock Leeds' chances of a winning start.