The Sports Pink big interview - Dave Jones

Nearly 12 years have now passed since the sickening claims - relating to Jones' time as a care worker in Merseyside - derailed his career on the south coast.

The then Saints boss was accused of, and charged with, a series of harrowing sexual and physical offences against children – a horrific ordeal that he recounts in his updated autobiography, No Smoke No Fire.

The disgusting extent of his accusers' deceit would ultimately be exposed, as a court case against him collapsed within days of it starting.

But, while father-of-four Jones reclaimed the most important thing of all - his life - the lies were enough to cost him his position as manager of Saints.

Against his wishes, he was placed on gardening leave in January 2000, by then chairman Rupert Lowe, in order to concentrate on his upcoming trial.

By the time he was exonerated, Glenn Hoddle was at the helm at The Dell and Jones’ contract was ultimately paid up.

History dictates that Hoddle abandoned ship little more than a year after taking charge and, although a memorable spell under Gordon Strachan would follow, Saints were relegated from the Premier League in 2005.

Had he been allowed to continue, Jones believes the club's fate would have been very different.

"They would never have been relegated, I know that, under me," said the 55-year-old.

"But they went down the road they took and it didn't work out for them.

"I think over the years we would have survived and been in the Premiership.

"There was a plan in place, and we were halfway through it.”

The Sports Pink Online