I`VE ONLY EVER BEEN TO LUTON TWICE.......

once to fly from Luton Airport and the other to land back again. And what a disaster they both were. I had been invited to speak at a conference in Ireland and I flew to Waterford on RyanAir only to discover that my luggage, including conference graphics and suit, had been sent to Vienna! I got them back three weeks later. The return journey a couple of days later was hazardous in the extreme - the infamous hurricane of 1987 had struck overnight and fierce winds were still blowing as a landing of sorts was effected on the Luton tarmac.

So Saints 2-1 victory over Luton Town FC on Saturday produced a warm feeling of revengeful satisfaction whilst doing little to lighten the countenance of their outspoken manager, Mike Newell. Saints` first goal - a towering header from Northern Ireland international Chris Baird - his first for the club - found the top corner of the net, eluding the despairing clutches of the Hatters` on-loan custodian, Dean Kiely. Kiely had a distinctly uncomfortable afternoon, being on loan from Saints` arch-rivals Portsmouth, which produced the predictable banter-esque abuse from the home fans.

That victory moves Saints up to 7th in the league, level on points with 6th place and, thus, a play-off spot. I have an uncomfortable feeling that promotion back to the Premiership may be a distinct possibility. From the financial/business point of view, I might perhaps welcome that as a shareholder in the club. However, the prospect of again being associated with the over-hyped, overpaid prima donnas of the Premiership is not an attractive one. Oh, for the days of cloth caps, rattles, terraces and stale pies!

Hatters` grumpy boss Newell has now seen his team lose seven games on the trot, receive a final warning from his Chairman about his future conduct, be forced to backtrack on his comments about female match officials.....and still no news from Lord Stevens about his (Newell`s) bung allegations. Maybe he should fly off to Waterford - on RyanAir, of course.