SAINTS chairman Leon Crouch has thanked the thousands of fans who helped make last week's heartbreaking play-off loss at Derby "a moving experience" for him.

The club's second largest individual shareholder paid tribute to the club's emotionally-drained supporters and manager George Burley, pictured right, in the aftermath of the Pride Park loss.

Crouch, the acting football club board chairman and a member of the PLC board, said: "The players played their hearts out at Derby.

"Everyone showed passion, character, commitment, it was a fantastic effort - we outplayed Derby.

"George has proved he is a good manager. We are happy to have him, we have always said that.

"He said before the season started that he was aiming for the play-offs, and that's what he achieved.

"We were a whisker away from Wembley, and I am gutted for the players and the fans that we did not get there.

"George has done everything we could have asked of him.

"The fans were fantastic, in both games they out-sung and out-clapped Derby. They were definitely the 12th man.

"They deserve to be going to Wembley, and they deserve to be back in the Premiership.

Full story in today's Daily Echo