RUPERT LOWE has described football as "a brutal business" - and explained why he tries to keep decision-making divorced from the emotion surrounding the game.

The pressures of football have been highlighted in recent weeks with West Ham boss Glenn Roeder suffering a minor stroke shortly after seeing his side beat Middlesbrough.

The Saints chairman, right, is a keen hockey player and also enjoys tennis, golf and cricket to unwind - but admits it is a pressurised business, particularly for the manager at any football club.

He said: "It is an incredibly high stress business - that goes principally for Gordon (Strachan). He is the one either taking the praise or receiving the abuse depending on how well everything is going.

"Looking at Glenn Roeder there is no doubt that he is a very decent man. He clearly cared deeply about the performance of the team and he was carrying the weight of expectations of hundreds of thousands of people and that is an extremely stressful thing to do."

He added: "It is often very easy for people to overlook, despite the fact that they might not believe it, that the board, the manager, the team, the staff, everybody wants to see the team do well, regardless of whether they are or they are not doing well.

"But sadly there are going

to be three teams getting relegated every season. Doesn't matter how good they are or how hard they try.

"It is a brutal business and many people who are quick to criticise should reflect on that before they add to the weight of pressure they are already feeling.

"The media prefer bad news to good news and the way human nature works, bad news sells more than good news."

Lowe, who watches Saints home and away, admits he often gets caught up in the drama of the big-match atmosphere.

He said: "You can't help getting caught up in it when watching a game. Take the game against Birmingham, for example.

"All credit to them and their supporters but twice we led and it was a very exciting atmosphere.

"But you've got to try and not get caught up in the emotional side of football, whether you are doing well or whether you are doing badly.

"In some ways the highs and lows and emotions need to be evened out to ensure, while all those around you are losing their heads, the people responsible for making decisions make them in a logical and sensible way.

"That might sound rather boring but at the end of the day decisions made as a result of excess emotion tend to be bad ones rather than good ones. Decisions made on logic tend to be better."

Internet site Saints Forever is encouraging fans to see their side off to the FA Cup final in style.

Firstly they are appealing to supporters to take flags to St Mary's for this evening's final home match of the season against Bolton.

Then are encouraging people to tie yellow and blue ribbons round their car aerials as a simple but effective way of showing support ahead of the FA Cup final.

A spokesman said: "It would be great if everyone took along their red and white flags from Villa Park and their newly acquired yellow and blue ones for Cardiff to see the boys off in style tonight.

"As for the ribbons, they're a simple, cheap and very visual way of showing your support for the club and were a popular idea back in 76 when we last won the cup."