I`m sorry but I just can`t resist it. I know I`ve been saddened by the cricket season drawing to a close and I`ve complained about the attention given to football but I now confess to a smugness which doesn`t come around too often.

This weekend`s football has thrown up results which gladden the hearts of those of us who follow clubs outside the so-called and self-styled `Premier League elite.`

After a Summer of Discontent when Southampton lost their chief executive, their manager, back-room staff and several key players, we feared the worst, with the word `meltdown` never far from our thoughts. But yesterday`s 1-0 win away at Swansea saw the Saints climb to second - yes, second only to Chelsea - in the Premier League table.  We seem to have our club back again - benevolent ownership and management, inspiring new team manager and staff, excellent new players all taking the place of and looking like an improvement on the regime that went before.

And what of those who departed in the Summer for rich pastures new?  Well, former manager Mauricio Pochettino saw his Tottenham team lose at home today to lowly West Brom;  Liverpool, having poached three of our players, were soundly beaten by West Ham and - possibly most satisfying of all - Manchester United, for whom Luke Shaw, who cost them £27million from the Saints but can only find a place on the bench, were exposed by a determined Leicester City side and beaten 5-3;  Leicester being managed by former Saints manager Nigel Pearson.

So please forgive the smugness - it might not last too long - but I think the Saints fans` new chant which echoed around Swansea`s Liberty Stadium yesterday summed it up rather well - "LET`S ALL HAVE A MELTDOWN!!"  It is, as they say, an ill wind and all that.