Saints have taken the first steps to see if they can mount an official protest against Spurs for enticing Glenn Hoddle away from The Dell.

The club have already had preliminary discussions with Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore and will now draw up their version of events to determine whether they have a case.

They believe Spurs have broken all four clauses in the Premier League's code of conduct over the poaching of managers.

These are:

* paying off the previous manager before appointing a new one;

* behaving in good faith towards another Premier League club;

* not using the media to dislodge another manager;

* not approaching a manager or his agent without formal permission from the other club.

Saints are also upset that Hoddle was pictured at Tottenham's training ground on Monday before the final legal documents had been signed to release his registration.

Chairman Rupert Lowe said: "We are seriously looking at making a complaint but I want to discuss it with the board first.

"Those discussions will be informal and not the subject of a regular board meeting.

"We have not got to put together a timetable of events and the reasons why we think they have broken the code of conduct. Then we will take it from there."

Meanwhile, the FA are also looking at the involvement of Hoddle's agent Dennis Roach.

FA Compliance Officer Graham Bean is believed to have completed his investigations and the file is being placed before chief executive Adam Crozier to decide whether to proceed.

According to an FA spokesperson, investigations into the activities of agents are not limited to players, and that if Saints had any complaint regarding Roach's part in Hoddle's move to Spurs, they would be prepared to listen.

Saints chairman Rupert Lowe would not comment on whether any action that Saints might take would include a complaint against Roach.