Tomorrow is a pivotal day for clubs in the looking glass war of Premier League survival.  It comes down to whether Bournemouth, Aston Villa or Watford manage the great escape.   The top end of the League is pretty much decided and for me the Saints finishing either 11th or 12th represents a comfortable end to what has been a topsy turvy season.   

But what is unusual for me is to reach the last game of the season without the worry whether Southampton will survive or not because many, many times over the years nerve ends have been stretched, finger nails nibbled and palpitations just about controlled as the final games of the season have unfolded.   There have been so many great escapes - going to Sellhurst Park as the Saints fans turned it into Dellhurst Park to overcome Crystal Palace;  being there as a last ditch home win over Wimbledon secured another top flight season thanks to two special goals from Marian Pahars, aka the Latvian Michael Owen;  and countless times when the genius that is Matthew Le Tissier almost single- handedly saved us for another day.   

But also there have been times when the miracle of survival eluded us - losing at home to Manchester United ten or more years ago which sparked the decline through the Championship, down to League One and with a ten point deduction following administration.  So I know all about that sinking feeling, which will be apparent tomorrow as Bournemouth must win away at Everton and hope that both Aston Villa and Watford lose their matches away at West Ham and Arsenal respectively.

In one sense I shouldn`t mind what the outcome will be but I have sympathy for the supporters of each of those teams, for I`ve been there and know what it`s like.   But I think, on balance, it would be fitting, if not a little piquant, for Watford to fall through the trapdoor.   A week or so ago they sacked manager Nigel Pearson for having guided them out of the relegation zone and given them a good chance of staying there, only for Nige to be sacked with just two games to go.   We liked Nige when he managed Southampton out of trouble but any club which treats people the way they treated him simply deserves to be relegated.   Sadly, however, with football being what it is I fear the odds are stacked too far against Bournemouth -  I hope not, but there aren`t many fairy tales in the game these days.