FORMER Saints manager Gordon Strachan thinks the hangover of relegation without “a proper fight” is still lingering but expects Russell Martin’s side to be up there.

The retired Scotland international, who led Saints between 2001-2004, helped guide the club to their last FA Cup final appearance in 2003.

The expectation at St Mary’s now is league success, with Saints instead in the Championship after an 11-year stay in the top-flight was brought to an end. 

Saints have taken 10 points from their first five matches under Martin, who also represented Scotland, with their first defeat coming as a 5-0 hammering at Sunderland last time out.

Speaking to Gambling Zone about the side’s Championship prospects, Strachan said: “Southampton are a team that love to keep the ball.

"Their possession-based game will work against some teams, but not all of them.

“I didn’t think that Leeds would lose so many players, which I think could be a problem for them. Leeds are the biggest club out of the three, there can be no doubt about that

“When I look at The Championship this season, I don’t think there are one or two teams in the division that will blow most teams away.

"I can’t see any candidates that you would potentially consider run-away leaders in terms of securing those automatic promotion spots.”

He added: “I think it will be really, really tight between the top ten with about eight or nine games to go and I expect Coventry, Leeds and Southampton to be in that group.

“I hope that Leeds can get themselves sorted out by that point in the season because they have the fanbase that can drag them along into the promotion reckoning and they also can intimidate other teams.

"Let’s see how Leeds respond now the season really starts to kick on. It's a heck of a division to see who can win it. I can see Leeds getting over the shock of relegation.

“The way Leeds went down was an embarrassment and sometimes that can take a while to get over – for the club, that can take a little bit of time to shake off and get out of the system.

“Southampton didn’t go down with a proper fight either. I think both clubs are suffering from the consequences of poor finishes to the Premier League and need to dust themselves off.”