INSULTING!

The St Mary's faithful have grown used to so-called pundits tipping them for the drop, but after the team's fabulous successes of 2002/3 they feel a little more respect is now due.

The odds of Saints descending to the Nationwide are a surprisingly short price 11-2, with even relegationthreatened teams last season like Aston Villa and Leeds rated as less likely to go down.

The likes of Manchester City, Tottenham, Middlesbrough, Everton and Blackburn also have shorter odds to beat the drop than Gordon Strachan's men.

Last season was Saints' best for decades, finishing eighth in the league, reaching the FA Cup final and qualifying for Europe.

That came after a succession of mid-table finishes and fans now firmly believe the perception of them as "struggling Southampton" is totally out of touch.

Daren Wheeler, editor of the Beautiful South fanzine, said: "It is a bit insulting to again be placed below teams we have done better than this season, but it's been going on for so long that we have virtually gone beyond worrying about it.

"The national media just focus on big London sides and the top five and see everyone else as feeder teams. That's why you get all this silly speculation linking the likes of Bridge, Beattie and Niemi with moves away.

"But we are used to it and in a way it helps the team. The players and the fans enjoy proving everyone wrong.

"Everyone feels confident we will have another good season, and with the Pompey matches and Europe, it could be even more exciting than last."

Nick Illingsworth, chairman of Southampton Independent Supporters' Association, said: "The thing with football odds is that unlike racing they are not based on current form, but perceptions of clubs. We have only struggled once in the last six years, but for some reason the perception of Southampton is still of a struggling club.

"Images stick, it's like people still going on about West Ham playing the beautiful game and boring Arsenal. The bookies look at the clubs, like Villa or Man City who are supposed to have money, and assume they will do better.

"But the truth is we have crept past teams like that, by having a strategy not of looking for quick fixes, but of making steady progress.

"Sometimes the perception of Saints can be annoying, but mostly we just laugh at it now. Clubs that go down are either those who are not up to it, like West Brom, or those who waste money on players, like West Ham and Sunderland.

"We have done the ground-work and as long as we don't go buying so-called superstars who don't want to play, I'm sure we will be fine."

Saints fan Jordan Orsini admits he follows the odds closely and said: "I have accounts with Ladbrokes, IG Index, IG Sports, Cantorsport, Cantorindex, Stan James, Coral, and even an Irish one - I'm virtually semi-pro on sports betting.

"If we are 11-2 that basically says that we, and five or six other clubs are in line for relegation.

"I'd say that was fair given the top five are definitely not going down. It's a bit mean but it's not an insult.

"Also, how can we complain about the world considering Saints as underdogs when Gordon Strachan himself regularly is quoted extolling the abilities and skills of other players and teams - and then only says that our guys have got great hearts and can run all day in typical underdog speak?"

On a brighter note for Saints fans, Pompey are rated as third favourites for the drop after fellow newly-promoted pair Leicester and Wolves at 5-4.

THE ODDS...

Premiership relegation 2003-04: Leicester 8-13, Wolves 10-11, Portsmouth 5-4, Bolton 6-4, B'Ham 15-8, Charlton 5-2, Fulham 3-1, Saints 11-2, Villa 6-1, Manchester City 7-1, Leeds 10-1, Spurs 10-1, Boro' 12-1, Everton 14-1, B'Burn 16-1, Chelsea 100-1, Newcastle 150-1, Liverpool 500-1, Arsenal 2000-1, Man United 2000-1.