SAINTS legend Francis Benali said the thought of arriving back “home” at St Mary’s is driving him on as he enters the final six days of his gruelling 1,000-mile charity run.

Fan favourite Benali is running between the home grounds of all 20 Premier League clubs and, having started on August 24, will finish at St Mary’s this Saturday as Saints play host to Alan Pardew’s Newcastle – the club where his journey began.

After making it to Swansea City’s Liberty Stadium over the weekend and then enduring a physically and emotionally draining run through the Welsh countryside, Benali has now crossed the border back into England and is on to what he called the ‘home straight’.

“The last few days have been incredibly tough,” said Benali, who made more than 300 appearances for Saints in a career spanning from 1988 to 2003.

“It all got a bit a much over the weekend and there were a few tears.

“It is a combination of physical exhaustion, hunger, pain from my knees and mental fatigue, but it all got on top of me and I broke down.

“But I really feel like I am through the worst of it.

“I know I still have a long way to go, but it feels a bit like I am on the home straight now.

“Getting to St Mary’s suddenly seems very real, it feels like I am heading towards my home.”

However, the Saints legend is taking nothing for granted as he has six Premier League grounds still to visit, starting with QPR’s Loftus Road on Wednesday, before he gets back to St Mary’s.

After QPR Benali goes to Tottenham, Arsenal, West Ham, Crystal Palace and Chelsea on Thursday before setting off for the south coast.

“I learnt very early on during this challenge that I can’t afford to look too far ahead,” he said.

“If I think about what I’m doing too much it all seems so daunting.

“It’s great to have a football stadium to visit at some point in the day because it is something to aim for, but on the days between visiting grounds I am just concentrating on taking one step at a time.

“But it feels like the end is almost in sight now and it is great to think about getting back towards home.”

And thoughts of home inevitably get Benali thinking about what it will be like to finally put his feet up.

“This is by far the toughest challenge I have ever done in my life and I can’t wait to get to the finish line,” he said.

“The running is bad enough, but the ice baths are the worst.

“It’s a nice thought knowing I’m never going to have to get in one of them again!”

But Benali knows going through the pain barrier is helping the donations flood in – with all the donations going to Cancer Research UK.

“I know there are a few people who have been waiting to see me suffer before they donated,” Benali laughed.

“It’s great that the donations are really starting to come in now. It definitely helps knowing I have so many people supporting me and counting on me to finish.”