A DISAPPOINTMENT TOO FAR....POSSIBLY

Four years ago, Southampton Football Club finished the season in 8th place in the Premier League, lost narrowly to Arsenal in the FA Cup Final, beat Liverpool home and away in the league and also beat Manchester United (again) with a late header from James Beattie.

Yesterday, Southampton Football Club were beaten 3-2 at home by Barnsley in the second tier of English football and find themselves languishing just a couple of places above the relegation zone, thanks to a combination of lack of investment, selling our best players to keep the bank manager happy, insipid management of the club in the boardroom and baffling tactical and selection decisions on the touchline; in short, all the classic recipes for decline.

No wonder Adam Hammill (left) on loan from Liverpool for the season, looked bemused and depressed after yet another defeat snatched from the jaws of a hard fought draw in injury time. It`s been quite a week for the masochistic tendancy among the Saints supporters. Last Saturday, the team were in front away at Watford only for the home side to snatch a dramatic winner in time added on. On Wednesday, a dull 1-1 home draw against Colchester, including an own goal from Saints` Rudi Skacel, gave at least hope that rock bottom may have been reached and that the only way was up. Not so - although performance wise yesterday saw an improvement, nevertheless victory again proved elusive.

It`s ok for Martin Luther King - he`s not a Saints fan. If he was, he would understand that the extreme disappointments suffered in recent years have all but rendered hope redundant for the wellbeing of the club I have supported for the past 60 years. Relegation from the Premiership was bad enough - I actually believe it was avoidable had we not gambled on the managerial skills of one H. Redknapp, currently once more managing our fierce rivals down the M27 - but the recipe for decline mentioned above has been in full swing since that fateful day when we lost at home to Manchester United and fell through the trap door.

Yesterday was another in a long line of disappointments and it may prove to have been a disappontment too far for me to continue to make the effort of the 250- miles round trip, the time, expense and nervous energy involved in being a Saints fan living in Kent. It`s depressing.

And yet, in two weeks time, when West Bromwich Albion come calling at St. Mary`s Stadium and I have the chance to see good friends again, enjoy the atmosphere of the occasion and rekindle my `infinite hope,` will I really be able to resist the temptation?