CHRIS Lucketti hopes to make Southampton the eighth club of his career.

But the on-loan defender is putting all thoughts of a permanent move to St Mary's to one side while he helps Saints retain their Championship status.

"We haven't spoken about a permanent deal or anything like that but it's looking less likely that I have a future at Sheffield United, which is one of the reasons I wanted to come down and show I can still play,"

explained the 36-year-old.

"At the moment I'm just here to do what I can to help Southampton stay up. I have another year at Sheffield United so I'll just have to wait and see what happens and how it goes to the end of the season. But I am really, really impressed by what I have seen.

"Bristol City are deservedly top but we proved more than a match for them and if we keep producing that kind of performance then we have a great chance of staying up."

Lucketti experienced relegation from what is now the Championship, on goal difference, with Bury in 1999 but a year earlier he helped the Shakers ensure last-day-of-the-season survival in English football's second tier.

Now he is helping for a repeat with Saints after starring on debut in the 2-0 win against Brsitol City.

"I also had a relegation scrape with Huddersfield so I know what's needed,"

he said.

"Survival takes balls of steel and big characters. We have enough of those, it is just a case of getting everything to click as it did against Bristol City.

"It's not a pleasant experience but the support was fantastic on Saturday.

"Everyone is a bit edgy and nervous but if we get the fans behind us in the remaining games then we have a great chance."

Lucketti, who lives in Rochdale, nearly missed the deadline for loan signings when he put pen to paper 11 days ago.

His wife, Jill, is bed-ridden as she recovers from a hip replacement operation so he is training with Sheffield United for the first half of the week before flying to Southampton for training on Thursday.

"I've come down with her blessing but it did hold the deal up and it was a close-run thing," he revealed.

"There was a problem with the paperwork and at first I was told it had not gone through.

"I was gutted to have missed the deadline after everything had been agreed.

"I got a call to say it was all off so I went in and trained with Sheffield United the next day.

"Then I went to the gym and came out and there were two messages waiting for me to say the league had granted special dispensation.

"I was delighted. Having spoken to Nigel Pearson I was very impressed.

He could not do enough for me so I was very happy to sign."