THE thousands of Saints fans who jeered and mocked Glenn Hoddle throughout Saturday's superb success at White Hart Lane last night got their wish.

Hoddle, who walked out on Saints back in March 2001 to take over at Spurs, was sacked after presiding over the club's worst-ever start to a Premiership campaign.

The 3-1 defeat by Saints proved the final straw for chairman Daniel Levy and the board as the club slumped to second from bottom of the table.

Despite spending over £11million on new players over the summer, Spurs have just four points from their opening six games.

In all, Hoddle had lost 11 of his last 16 league matches. That contrasts sharply with unbeaten Saints, who are up to fourth - their best-ever Premiership position.

Levy, currently on honeymoon, said: "Unfortunately, the start to this season has been our worst since the Premiership was formed. Coupled with the extremely poor second half to last season, the current lack of progress and any visible sign of improvement is unacceptable.

"It is critical that I, and the board, have absolute confidence in the manager to deliver success to the club. Regrettably we do not."

Hoddle has been left "absolutely devastated" by his sacking as Tottenham manager, according to his assistant John Gorman.

"Glenn is Tottenham through and through and we have both worked extremely hard and you just want to be successful," Gorman said this morning.

"Glenn played so many years there and had got so much pride in his work.

"We wanted to give the Spurs fans success and joy and we never really achieved that. We would have loved to have given them success but it hasn't happened."

Gorman, who was Hoddle's assistant at Saints, believes he and Hoddle should have been given more time.

"Sir Alex Ferguson is now rightly acclaimed very highly at Manchester United but he had a hard time for a long while but he managed to stay in the job and look how successful he's been.

"Sometimes these decisions have to be made."

In addition, there have been bitter parting shots from the likes of Tim Sherwood, Teddy Sheringham, Steffen Freund and Neil Sullivan who have departed White Hart Lane this year.

Three men are believed to be at the top of the list to replace Hoddle - Martin O'Neill, ex-Saints boss Graeme Souness and Alan Curbishley.