DISCUSSIONS for an official celebration to mark Saints' incredible FA Cup run after next month's final are well under way.

Police chiefs, club bosses and the city council are meeting up to plan an event for the people of the city to show their support.

The club's previous appearance in the final, when they beat Manchester Utd 1-0 in 1976, saw 200,000 people turn out for an open top bus parade.

Boss Lawrie McMenemy and the players proudly showed off the trophy from a balcony at the Civic Centre to the jubilant scenes below.

A spokesman for the city council said: "We know that the whole city will want to celebrate the great achievement of the Saints in reaching the cup final, and we will be talking to the football club and the police over the next few days about how to best do this.

"We will be making plans that allow as many people as possible to celebrate safely."

Lawrie previously told the Daily Echo: "Coming back to Southampton just had to be one of the most special days in so many people's lives here.

"The brass bands, the cheering, the sheer joy. None of us had seen anything like it and we'll never forget it."