THE ENFORCER HAS ARRIVED...

Yes, folks, in what might seem like a panic attack, Saints have appointed Nigel Pearson as their new manager in a knee-jerk reaction to the debacle of Saturday`s surrender to Bristol Rovers.

Nige comes with a useful track record - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Pearson for more details. But what attracts me to his appointment is his reputation for instilling discipline and fitness into teams - both are qualities that have been sadly lacking at Southampton for too long.

Nigel is not the sort of character you would wish to encounter in a dark alley, I suspect....and if this photo of him is any guide, then he seems to have the passion and commitment we need. If only he could get his leg out of the crate of Lucozade. I`m all for giving him a fair chance to make his mark in what will be his first full-time managerial appontment. I just hope the St. Mary`s faithful will show some patience towards him, for there is an awful lot to do and not much time to do it.

So, welcome, Nigel - you could be just what we`ve been looking for.