MICHAEL Svensson today places his faith in the hands of the surgeons as he has one last crack at saving his footballing career.

The 31-year-old is back in Sweden for an operation on his troublesome knee that will then lead to a gruelling 18-month rehabilitation period to stand a chance of returning to professional football.

It is a very major operation and an incredibly brave decision to take for the man who has only played seven competitive games for Saints since picking up the initial injury in the warm-up at Fratton Park in Paul Sturrock's second game in charge in March 2004.

See today's Daily Echo for full story.