Kelvin Davis is hoping to write his name into the record books by becoming only the second Saints keeper in history to make 300 appearances for the club.

The 38-year-old has played 293 games for the first-team since joining from today’s opponents, Sunderland, in 2006.

Davis already holds the club’s post-war appearance record for a keeper, having surpassed Eric Martin (289) last season.

The club captain now only trails Thomas Allen, who played for Saints from 1920 to 1928.

Allen turned out for the club 327 times, and is the only custodian ever to break the 300 mark for them.

While he is no longer the number-one choice at St Mary’s, Davis is still holding out hope that he can become the second member of that exclusive club.

“I don’t really know why that’s become such an important goal for me,” he said.

“I suppose it’s because it was the next goal and, obviously, getting back in the team and putting on the shirt and playing for the club is something I really look forward to doing.”

Davis, who is under contract at Saints until 2016, is also hoping to extend his stay with the club into a second decade – even if it is not as a player.

His current deal is due to expire at the end of his testimonial year and, while he is considering playing on beyond that, he has also begun to think about plans for when he does finish.

In a wide-ranging interview in today’s Daily Echo, he revealed he is looking into taking his coaching badges and that, when he does hang up his gloves, he hopes he can remain with Saints in some capacity.

He also spoke glowingly about the club’s current first-choice keeper, Fraser Forster, believing the £10m summer signing can go on to become England’s number-one.

“From Fraser’s point of view it’s a great step for him, to come from Celtic to the Premier League, but to come to this club in particular, because the environment that we’ve got here, his character can grow,” he said.

“He’s a very good professional, he’s a very good lad, and he’s got everything here he needs to push on in what he wants to achieve, which I’m sure is to become England’s first-choice goalkeeper.”

A big advantage Forster may have in that sense is that his Saints goalkeeping coach, Dave Watson, also fills the same role for the national team.

Watson was appointed as part of the staff after Ronald Koeman was hired as manager, and Davis is thrilled to have his former England Under-21 teammate at the club.

“Dave is a guy that’s fully in love with his job,” he said.

“You can tell that he’s always thinking about his goalkeeping, he’s always thinking about his coaching, his sessions are always of a high level, he demands the highest standards.

“He gets my full support and my full respect and he’s a coach that gives everything.”