JAMES BEATTIE blasted back to his best with his first goals in 18 months and then vowed: "I'm back - to stay!"

After cracking the last-minute free-kick which gave Saints a dramatic 3-2 win over Chelsea, Beattie insisted he wants to remain at The Dell long-term.

His match-winning double came on the day he was again linked with a move to Crystal Palace, who bid almost £3 million for him just over a month ago. Although manager Glenn Hoddle stressed the former England under-21 striker is not for sale, it is thought the board were keen to take the cash with the new stadium stretching resources.

Beattie, who turned down a new contract at the start of last season, rejected the move and pledged to fight for his place in Saints' side.

And now he is aiming to prove his worth and earn a new deal on the south coast after a miserable year, plagued by injury.

He said: "I saw in the papers on Saturday that the Palace chairman admitted to bidding £2.6 million for me even though he knows I'm not worth it. My agent knows I'm not worth it and my mother knows I'm not worth it!

"He's right - it should be £3.6 million now! And I think my mother would disagree with him.

"I could have gone there and earned a lot more money than I am on here - and even now there are other clubs enquiring about me.

"I have said all along that I don't want to go but I don't know whether the club want the money. If I am being sold then I might be pushed out of the door.

"I have only one year left on my contract after this season so I am in a difficult position, but I really want to establish myself in the team here.

"I have had a bit of stick from some fans because of the speculation, which I can understand up to a point. But I just want to do well for Southampton.

"I feel I am back to the form I was showing in the second half of my first season here and the pressure is on me now to keep performing and to hold on to the shirt.

"It has been a wretched time over the past 18 months. I had broken ribs and then two bad ankle injuries last season so I have never really had a run.

"The first goal on Saturday was a huge weight off my shoulders because it was my first since May of last year, but the winner was more special because it gave us three points which we desperately needed.

"There has not been much chance to take free-kicks in the past with Matthew Le Tissier around. No-one had ever asked me before!

"But I practised a few in training this week - and I hit a few off target on Friday. But I really faniced this one. I thought I would hit the target and the ball went just where I wanted it.

"It had a fair bit of force on it. It curled over the wall and had enough pace on it to beat the keeper even though he got to it."