WHILE Saints look to seal promotion over the coming days, there is the opportunity for one player to book a place in the club’s history.

Today voting for the 35th annual Daily Echo Player of the Season award opens for business.

The long running vote will see one of the current crop of Saints stars add their name to their old trophy that contains many of the greatest players in the club’s history such as Alan Ball, Kevin Keegan, Peter Shilton and Matt Le Tissier.

There is no doubt the Echo Player of the Season trophy is the most prestigious award that can be handed to a Saints player thanks to the unique history it possesses.

But, as ever, it is the fans who will crown the man they feel has been the star turn for them this season.

This year’s vote looks like being one of the closest fought battles for many a long year with every vote likely to be vital.

Adam Leitch's Top 3

1 – Dan Harding
2 – Adam Lallana
3 – Jose Fonte

Unlike many previous years there is no stand-out player who seems nailed on to lift the trophy, as Rickie Lambert was last time out when he scooped a massive 66 per cent of the total vote.

Fans have already had their thinking caps on ready for voting to open and now is the time to get canvassing for your favourite.

Amongst the front runners for the award will be last year’s runner- up Adam Lallana.

Though he has had spells out of the team through injury his influence on the side has been massive.

Another very strong contender is Jose Fonte, the Portuguese centre half proving a rock at the back all season for Saints.

• See below for how to vote for your player of the season

Dan Harding has been a model of consistency at left back this season, Lambert looks set to notch another 20 goals this season while the likes of Lee Barnard and Dean Hammond have had decent campaigns.

There is bound to be support for Alex Chamberlain, the youngster having had such a huge impact in his first full season before injury put a stop to it.

Or how about Kelvin Davis who has been an ever present in the league for Saints and broken Peter Shilton’s long standing record for the most clean sheets in a season for a Saints keeper?

There are so many worthy choices this season that it would take a brave person to call the winner now.

So get voting, have your say and create another little piece of Saints history.

How to vote

• To vote via text message, start your message with SAINTSFC leave a space and then add the four digits of the player of your choice. Then send to 80360. For example SAINTSFC 1234 and send to 80360.
You will receive a confirmation receipt and will be charged 50p plus your normal operator text charge for each text sent.

• Call: 0901 151 adding the last four digits of the player of your choice. For example if it was 1234 that you'd like to win simply dial 0901 151 1234
Calls cost 51p Per Call from BT landlines. Calls from mobiles and some other networks may cost more.

• Postal votes can be sent to Adam Leitch, c/o Daily Echo sports desk, Newspaper House, Test Lane, Redbridge, Southampton, SO16 9JX

• To vote by by email, send the name of your player of the season to adam.leitch@dailyecho.co.uk.
Please note, only one vote per email address.

Players and numbers

Lee Barnard - 0901 151 1181
Danny Butterfield - 0901 151 1182
Richard Chaplow - 0901 151 1183
Alex Chamberlain - 0901 151 1184
Kelvin Davis - 0901 151 1185
Ryan Dickson - 0901 151 1186
Jose Fonte - 0901 151 1187
Dan Harding - 0901 151 1188
Dean Hammond - 0901 151 1189
Radhi Jaidi - 0901 151 1190
Adam Lallana - 0901 151 1191
Rickie Lambert - 0901 151 1192
Guly do Prado - 0901 151 1193
Dan Seaborne - 0901 151 1194
Morgan Schneiderlin - 0901 151 1195

Previous Winners

MATT Le Tissier is the only man to have won the Daily Echo Saints player of the season award on three occasions. The legendary Le Tiss was voted the fans’ top man in 1990, 1994 and 1995.

1976/77 – Steve Williams
1977/78 – Alan Ball
1978/79 – Malcolm Waldron
1979/80 – Phil Boyer
1980/81 – Ivan Golac
1981/82 – Kevin Keegan
1982/83 – Mark Wright
1983/84 – David Armstrong
1984/85 – Peter Shilton
1985/86 – Peter Shilton
1986/87 – Glenn Cockerill
1987/88 – Derek Statham
1988/89 – Jimmy Case
1989/90 – Matthew Le Tissier
1990/91 – Alan Shearer
1991/92 – Tim Flowers
1992/93 – Tim Flowers
1993/94 – Matthew Le Tissier
1994/95 – Matthew Le Tissier
1995/96 – Dave Beasant
1996/97 – Egil Ostenstad
1997/98 – Paul Jones
1998/99 – James Beattie
1999/00 – Dean Richards
2000/01 – Wayne Bridge
2001/02 – Chris Marsden
2002/03 – James Beattie
2003/04 – Antti Niemi
2004/05 – Peter Crouch
2005/06 – Claus Lundekvam
2006/07 – Chris Baird
2007/08 – Andrew Davies
2008/09 – Kelvin Davis
2009/10 – Rickie Lambert