SAINTS legend Peter Rodrigues has recalled being the last captain presented with the FA Cup trophy by the Queen, insisting: “I was too tongue-tied to answer properly.”

The skipper of the second division side was handed the cup by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, after defeating Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in 1976.

Rodrigues, climbing the stairs after Bobby Stokes scored the only goal of the contest, and his teammates would go down in the history of Southampton.

And, after the sad news of Her Majesty’s passing aged 96 on Thursday, Rodrigues has reflected on the “special” afternoon.

“It was a special occasion that really started the night before when we were instructed at the hotel how to address the Queen, either Ma’am or Your Majesty,” he told The Daily Mail.

“They are memories that will live with me forever, from introducing Prince Philip to my team before the game — I remember him sharing a joke with our manager Lawrie McMenemy — to the end.

“With us leading, I spent the last five minutes gazing up at the Queen and the cup that was next to her, thinking 'I want to collect that from you, Ma’am'. And it happened, one of the greatest moments of my life”

The queen attended several cup finals at Wembley earlier in her reign but, after 1976, she handed over these presenting duties to other members of her family. Her grandson, Prince William, is president of the FA.

“Because we’d been in the dressing room when she’d arrived, we hadn’t seen what she was wearing but when I walked up the steps past all the Saints fans, I saw she was in blue — I’m sure she wasn’t biased but maybe it was a sign,” Rodrigues added, with Saints wearing blue shorts.

“Before I took the trophy, she congratulated me and asked if I’d enjoyed the game. I was too tongue-tied to answer properly, I just said thank you ma’am.

“This week with the very sad news, there have been pictures of it all over social media. It’s made me feel as proud as Punch.

"Winning the FA Cup was special, I shudder every year when I see the latest captain go up to lift it, but to receive it from the Queen — that was crazy. Incredible.”

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