If you woke up this morning with a hangover then you could be forgiven.

Thousands of Southampton fans partied into the night after their team marched into the FA Cup final for the first time in 27 years.

Clubs and pubs were packed as Gordon Strachan's red and white army celebrated yesterday's thrilling 2-1 semi-final victory over First Division Watford.

The victory not only means a place in the final but it also gives Saints a passport into Europe with a guaranteed place in next season's UEFA Cup.

The FA Cup party now moves to the final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff where Saints will play champions Arsenal on May 17.

For the next five weeks the city is set to go even more football crazy as FA Cup fever grips the region.

There will also be a desperate clamour for tickets, accommodation and buses as more than 35,000 fans from the south coast prepare to travel to the Welsh capital.

A number of confident fans had already booked their coaches and hotel rooms in Cardiff weeks before the semi-final.

As well as the city and the fans it was a good day for the players

It has been reported that they were on a £20,000 bonus each just for reaching the final, although a club spokesman said bonuses were never made public and were not worked out until the end of the season.

Almost 20,000 Southampton fans travelled 135 miles in 110 coaches and hundreds of cars to Birmingham yesterday for the big match, while thousands more watched in pubs across Hampshire.

And when the final whistle went scores of fans did a celebratory conga dance through the Villa Park stands.

A Brett Ormerod header gave Saints a first half lead before an own goal doubled the advantage.

But there was a nervous last four minutes when Marcus Gayle scored for Watford.

The Saints team's achievement received huge plaudits from both football professionals and city leaders.

Former club manager Dave Merrington said: "I'm delighted for the supporters. When they go to work this week they will be absolutely elated.''

And another ex-Saints boss, Alan Ball, added: "It's just absolutely brilliant. It's great for the south coast. These fans have waited for ages and ages to celebrate something like this.''

City council leader June Bridle listened to the game on the radio.

"I jumped off the chair when I heard the final result,'' she said. It's great for Southampton, I'm delighted and want to say a big well done to all the team.

"Even people not interested in football know that the city feels good and that's fantastic.

"It's been breathtaking up until the semi-final, so people's blood pressures will be pretty high when it comes to the final. Everyone will want to be in Cardiff for the final and if they can't be, they will be very close to a TV or a radio."

And Southampton Test MP Alan Whitehead, who was at the match, added: "It was a dodgy last five minutes, but it's wonderful now it's over and they're in the final.

"Brett Ormerod was brilliant and this will multiply the enthusiasm in the city and the pubs by ten times. I was there in '76 - I was only 26 at the time - and it was great being here at Villa Park."

Southampton Itchen MP and season ticket holder John Denham was also among the 42,600 crowd. He said: "It was great, but the last eight minutes were very tense. We deserved to win.

"It is always a huge boost for the city when the football club does well. I can remember being a student in Southampton in 1976 when the city went wild. I hope that happens again.''

Police in Southampton said there were only a handful of arrests, mainly for drunk and disorderly offences and police in the West Midlands said there had been arrests inside and outside the ground but could not give a figure.

For reports, photographs and analysis of the big match - see Sport on Monday in tonight's Daily Echo and our special Saints website www.thisisthesaints.co.uk