David Prutton is ready to fight for a place in the Saints team - and with it a possible new contract.

The midfielder returned to competitive first-team action for the first time since April when he came off the bench in the second half at hometown club Hull on Saturday.

Prutton's contract expires next summer and the £2.5m man has regularly been linked with a move away from St Mary's over the past six months.

He almost left for Leeds in the summer but failed a routine medical. The ankle problem discovered there led to surgery which ruled him out for the start of this campaign.

But Saints boss George Burley has said that Prutton CAN force his way back into his plans - something the player wants to do.

Prutton said: "It's a case of play as much as you can.

"You can't look beyond where you are at the moment because if we don't concentrate on the present nothing happens in the future.

"If I can get back in the team and hold down a place that's down to me.

"Whatever happens happens in the future.

"I love it here. I want to stay.

"The situation is just play as much as you can for the club you're at which is somewhere I love playing and somewhere I want to keep playing."

Full story: See today's Daily Echo