Looking back, more good times than bad in some ways.

Last weekend, Saints became the first team to beat Everton this season with an excellent performance all round.

And still in the football world, the man hitting the headlines on the front and the back pages is Marcus Rashford, with all of the good work he’s been doing for children from working class backgrounds, as he himself of course was.

To be fair, most people in football, particularly in my day, are from similar backgrounds and can appreciate and understand what he has been doing.

More than 1million people have now signed a petition set up by Rashford, aimed at the government to help end child poverty in this country.

But often things like this are done by people who have finished playing or are certainly not on the field each week as well.

So, I think in time, someone is going to make a film about this boy.

Bearing in mind he has already been awarded an MBE from the Queen for all the good work he’s done and alerted everyone from businesses to the government level.

There have been calls from some, including former England striker Gary Lineker, to include Rashford among the nominees for this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

Personally, I feel that honour should be reserved for something people have done on the field, or, away from football, someone like Lewis Hamilton.

I don’t think even Rashford would expect that award, but I don’t think anybody would argue if he got a different, special award, which I’m sure BBC would do anyway for what he’s achieved during the year, not necessarily for what he’s done on the field. I think that would solve everybody’s questions.

I would think that his manager at Manchester United, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, would have been a bit concerned at how much time he was putting in away from the club rather than in training. But the answer came good and true when in their Champions League fixture against RB Leipzig on Wednesday night, Rashford came off the bench and went on to score not one, but three goals within 16 minutes. It’s amazing.

He seems to be a very nice lad, who is not looking for publicity, but full marks for everything he’s achieved so far.

In that same area, I have to praise, once again, Greg Baker and his staff at the Saints Foundation.

Where lots of people are waiting for government and councils to provide the help children need at present, they’ve just got on with it, working with two restaurants in particular in the city – Lakaz Maman and Kuti’s Brasserie – to help children and families across Southampton this half term.

Both restaurants have opened their doors in Bedford Place and Royal Pier respectively, to help feed young people in need. The restaurants are also working with the Foundation to ensure that the hot, nutritious food is also available in two additional communities across the city.

Staff from Saints Foundation were also on hand to distribute a selection of food to children and their parents this week at Oasis Academy Lord’s Hill on Tuesday and Thursday and Chamberlayne College on Wednesday and Friday, with food distributed on a first come, first served basis.

Whilst the whole country is at odds with this virus, not sure when it will finish, but as I’ve said before, the good thing that comes out of situations like this is people pulling together. I think a fine example of this is what the Foundation and restaurants, and there are other restaurants in the area doing similar work, are proving.

Saints on the up

Bearing in mind last weekend was the one-year anniversary of the big defeat against Leicester, not just the result but the way Saints played against Everton was proof of the right decision made by the club after that Leicester game, to support and stand by the manager.

Full marks to Ralph for repaying that support with the way he has changed the team, both off and on the field.

Looking at the table at present, a bit early of course, but it’s certainly good to see Saints near a top-six position. We must of course remember there is only about six points separating half the table.

Bearing in mind last year our away form was better than at home and in the absence of crowds when you do go away, for example normally at Villa, where Saints go this weekend, there would be a large crowd supporting the home team, it could well be we could keep our position for quite a while.