OptiNews - Friday 24 February to Thursday 02 March 2017

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

It’s high time Saints found a new Bobby Stokes

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It’s 2058 and the Daily Echo has tracked Claude Puel down to his retirement home in France to talk about Southampton’s League Cup final appearance 41 years ago, writes MARK SANDERSON.

It sounds weird, but that is exactly the kind of legacy the 1976 FA Cup Final has given the Saints players who were part of the winning team that day.

Lawrie McMenemy will tell you there’s barely a day goes by when somebody doesn’t ask him about when Bobby Stokes scored the winner against Manchester United at Wembley.

I wrote Bobby’s biography last year. Bearing in mind it’s called Bobby Stokes – the man from Portsmouth who scored Southampton’s most famous goal, I’m grateful the team were considerate enough to wait until after I published the book to have a shot at winning only their second major trophy in what is now 132 years of existence.

Although Bobby was responsible for Southampton’s finest hour to date, it’s often said that the team from 1976 were some way from being the club’s best.

The subsequent sides built by McMenemy, as the club reached the first division, particularly from 1980 to 1985, were of a higher calibre overall.

You could draw comparisons between 1976 and today - with so many of the club’s best players being sold in the last few years many fans have lamented the enviable squad we could have had if those players had stayed.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but had Claude Puel fielded a stronger team in the home FA Cup tie with Arsenal then the club would have faced two non-league sides in the following rounds for a another Wembley appearance in the FA Cup semi-final.

The reality is we are living through an era when the domestic cups are as winnable for a club of Southampton’s stature as they’ve ever been – as Premier League sides rest players in favour of their league and European fixtures.

As a result, we should only ever go out of the cups with all guns blazing.

While a higher place league finish is more lucrative than winning a trophy, lifting silverware is far longer remembered – it’s unlikely many fans can remember where Saints finished in the league when they won the FA Cup.

Winning at Wembley in 1976 was fantastic for the club and city, but fans under 45 were either too young to remember it, or not born at all.

It’s high time to do it again.

That way several generations can experience what it was like when Bobby was responsible for the biggest party the city has ever known.

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

It’s nearly time, #SaintsFC fans…

We’ll see you tomorrow for our #MarchToWembley!

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Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article

Puel: No fear!

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José Mourinho’s side head into the EFL Cup final having lost only one of their previous 25 matches, although that defeat did come in this competition, as they were beaten in the second leg of their semi-final, 2-1, at Hull City.

Understandably, United head into the showpiece game as favourites to lift the first piece of major silverware this season, but Puel is quietly confident about his own team’s chances.

"It was 25 games they played with just one defeat, which is a very strong record,” said the Saints boss.

“They have played many games, like us. They have great players and a lot of possibilities to replace players game after game.

“I think they have taken confidence from all of these results. They have international players in all areas and lots of quality.

“But we know also that we can make the difference with our collective. We saw this against Arsenal and against Liverpool.

“We respect them, but we do not fear them, and this is very important.”

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 26/02/2017 00:30:30

| | Man Utd vs Southampton Preview, Team News, Line-Up, Betting Tips & Prediction | Football Talk | Premier League NewsFOOTBALLTALK |
| | Juan Mata flies to Spain on eve of Man Utd vs Southampton | Off The PostOFFTHEPOST |
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| Expert: If these 3 Southampton players perform they can beat Manchester UnitedSHOOTCOUK |

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Sourced from Daily Mail article

Juan Mata is available for Manchester United EFL Cup final

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Juan Mata reported to the Manchester United team hotel in London on Saturday after flying in from Spain from his grandfather’s funeral.

Sportsmail has been told that Mata has declared himself fit and ready to play in United’s EFL Cup final against Southampton at Wembley.

The Spanish playmaker was granted permission to attend the funeral of his grandfather Manuel in Asturias. Manuel Garcia Llamas, Mata’s maternal grandfather, passed away at the age of 85.

The funeral took place in Oviedo on Saturday. Mata did not travel with the United squad on the train down to London on Saturday but he is with the team this evening.

Mata was extremely close to his grandfather, who would attend almost every training session and game as his grandson developed in Spain.

‘He loves football,’ Mata said of his grandfather last year, 'From when I was only small he was taking me to games and to training.

‘He spent hours on end at training complexes all over Spain looking after me. On one occasion he even travelled from Oviedo to Madrid and back again in the space of one day to watch me.’

Mata’s return is a boost for Jose Mourinho as attacking midfielder Henrikh Mikhtaryan has already been ruled out after picking up an injury in the victory over Saint-Etienne in the Europa League on Wednesday night.

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Sourced from Mirror.co.uk article

What time is Manchester United vs Southampton? All you need to know

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Manchester United and Southampton lock horns at Wembley in the EFL Cup final.

It is the first piece of silverware up for grabs this term and Jose Mourinho will have eyes firmly set on the prize.

This was the first competition Mourinho won when he first arrived in England and it would kickstart his tenure at Old Trafford.

But they won’t have it easy, with Southampton having already knocked out Arsenal and Liverpool on their way to the final.

Here’s all you need to know about the clash this weekend.

It all kicks off at Wembley on Sunday February 26 at 4.30pm.

The match will be shown on Sky Sports 1.

But if you can’t be by a television then you can follow all the action on our all-singing all-dancing MirrorFootball blog.

Manchester United saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Michael Carrick limp off in their Europa League last-32 second leg win over St Etienne, leaving both players a doubt for Sunday.

Southampton are still without Charlie Austin, Virgil van Dijk, Alex McCarthy and Matt Targett. Sofiane Boufal is a doubt.

While the Red Devils are growing increasingly reliant on Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s goals, Paul Pogba is quietly going about his business and turning in man of the match performances most weeks.

The Frenchman is doing exactly what United paid a world record fee for as he offers a dominating presence in the middle of the park, pulling the strings keeping his side ticking.

Going toe-to-toe against Paul Pogba in midfield will Oriol Romeu and the former Chelsea man will be key to Saints hopes of landing the trophy.

The Spaniard will be key in disrupting the supply to Ibrahimovic up front as he looks to continue his fine form as a defensive shield.

Romeu was forced off with injury against United earlier in the season and it showed.

Manchester United have seen off Northampton, Manchester City, West Ham and Hull to reach the final

Saints got past Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Arsenal and Liverpool to make it.

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Sourced from Mirror.co.uk article

All you need to know about watching the EFL Cup final

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Jose Mourinho can win his first trophy as Manchester United boss on Sunday.

The Red Devils lock horns with Southampton at Wembley as they do battle for the season’s first major piece of silverware.

Manchester City were the winners last year, when Manuel Pellegrini’s men lifted the trophy following a penalty shootout win over Liverpool.

Jose Mourinho’s men will start the final as favourites, but Saints have put together a formidable run in the competition this season.

They’ve already knocked out Arsenal and Liverpool and will be eyeing another scalp.

Here’s all you need to know about the clash this weekend.

It all kicks off at Wembley on Sunday February 26 at 4.30pm.

The match will be shown on Sky Sports 1.

But if you can’t be by a television then you can follow all the action on our all-singing all-dancing MirrorFootball blog.

Manchester United saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Michael Carrick limp off in their Europa League last-32 second leg win over St Etienne, leaving both players a doubt for Sunday.

Southampton are still without Charlie Austin, Virgil van Dijk, Alex McCarthy and Matt Targett. Sofiane Boufal is a doubt.

While the Red Devils are growing increasingly reliant on Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s goals, Paul Pogba is quietly going about his business and turning in man of the match performances most weeks.

The Frenchman is doing exactly what United paid a world record fee for as he offers a dominating presence in the middle of the park, pulling the strings keeping his side ticking.

Going toe-to-toe against Paul Pogba in midfield will Oriol Romeu and the former Chelsea man will be key to Saints hopes of landing the trophy.

The Spaniard will be key in disrupting the supply to Ibrahimovic up front as he looks to continue his fine form as a defensive shield.

Romeu was forced off with injury against United earlier in the season and it showed.

Manchester United have seen off Northampton, Manchester City, West Ham and Hull to reach the final

Saints got past Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Arsenal and Liverpool to make it.

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Sourced from Daily Star article

Massive boost for Manchester United as Juan Mata given chance to face Southampton tomorrow

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The Spaniard was missing as the rest of his team-mates boarded a train heading to London. It caused alarm among many fans who feared he would not be fit for tomorrow’s final at Wembley. However, he is back in England and at the team hotel.

Mata was given permission to fly back to Spain after his grandfather’s death. He left England on Thursday to attend the funeral but has returned tonight. His availability is a big boost for Jose Mourinho who will be without Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

The Armenian injured his hamstring in the Europa League clash with St Etienne on Wednesday. But Mourinho has insisted he is relishing the chance to manage a team to glory once again. He told MUTV: "I just want to play, I can’t wait.

"I’m not nervous. I’ve had many years in football, many finals - I want to play. "I want to win, I want to play, I want a challenge. I like finals and big games. I want to feel responsibility, big responsibility – that’s all. “It’s not one more game, it’s always a special match. Everything is normal – we train, we travel, we are ready.”

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Sourced from The Independent article

Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse relishing challenge to fell Manchester United’s stars

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James Ward-Prowse has insisted he is relishing Sunday’s EFL Cup final and is not daunted by competing against Manchester United’s fleet of stars.

The 22-year-old has likened the final to any other game this season, with Southampton already overcoming an away trip to the Emirates and a two-legged affair with Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool to reach the final.

The Saints’ cup run has very much been founded on their impenetrable defence and Ward-Prowse has emphasised the importance of this record.

Despite being without Virgil van Dijk, who played a pivotal role in Southampton’s journey to the final, the youngster remains confident that his side are ready for United.

“It’s been a great cup run and obviously not to concede a goal throughout the competition has been great in terms of the defensive stability,” he said. “It is a great record to have, one of our principles is to base [our play] off clean sheets to make sure we’re defensively strong because we’ve got a very good attacking force who can create chances and score goals.

“Obviously, Virgil has been a big part of that and won’t be available for Sunday but Jack [Stephens] has come in and done a great job and I’m sure he’ll be ready for Sunday.”

While the Saints will be marked as underdogs against United, Ward-Prowse has brushed that aside and believes there is no reason why Southampton can’t emerge victorious at Wembley.

“For us we obviously know we are going to play a tough team in the final because all the good teams get there but we’ve been underdogs throughout the competition against Arsenal and Liverpool as well,” he said.

“But that doesn’t mean anything to us, we’re just focused on ourselves and making sure that we’re right so whoever the opposition is whether it’s Man United or anyone else we’re focused on us and making sure that we can do what we can to win the game.

“I think we can beat any team on our day and for us if we can go and do the job we know we can then there’s no reason why we can’t win it.”

And how does he feel about United’s £89m summer signing Paul Pogba? Despite averring to the Frenchman’s obvious class and with the midfielder pair set to go head-to-head in Sunday’s clash, Southampton’s 22-year-old has insisted it’s an occasion he’s looking forward to.

“He is obviously a top-quality player, that’s the reason why Man United paid the money they did,” he admitted. “[But] it’s an exciting prospect not only for me but for all of us to come up against those sorts of players, we want to be playing at the top level and against top players so it will be an exciting game.”

“Obviously, there’s going to be individuals who can produce moments of brilliance but we believe we have got a team of 18 [who] can make an impact and help us win the game.”

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 26/02/2017 01:30:47

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| Legend: Southampton must stop this Manchester United man to be in with a shotSHOOTCOUK |
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| Tadic and Austin on winning goals v Man United - Southampton FCDUGOUT |
| | “There’s only one Thierry Henry” – Nathan Redmond responds to comparisons with Arsenal iconSQUAWKA |
| | Revealed: These are the 3 Man United players Southampton fans wish they had mostFOOTBALLFANCAST |

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

Too excited to sleep?

Why not enjoy highlights from the last time #SaintsFC won a major trophy at Wembley… http://sfcne.ws/1976FACF

Retweets: 0

Favourites: 6

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Sourced from Daily Star article

Claude Puel to drop Southampton cup star for this in-form player

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That is why the Saints boss plans to unleash new Italian hitman Manolo Gabbiadini on Manchester United in today’s League Cup Final – at the expense of a hero who helped get them there. To date, Gabbiadini, 25, has played no part in the run to Wembley, having arrived from Napoli after Southampton upset Liverpool in the semi-finals over two legs. Yet that will all change when Puel hands in his teamsheet for the south coast club’s first major final since finishing runners-up to Arsenal in the 2003 FA Cup Final. As the Frenchman explained yesterday, showing loyalty to regulars is irrelevant compared with Southampton winning major silverware for the second time in their history. Gabbiadini is in red-hot form right now after scoring three goals in his opening two Premier League games.

“If Manolo has to play in the final because he is confident and he is scoring goals, then he must start” All of which means he is ahead of Shane Long and others when it comes to Puel’s pecking order up front. The ex-Monaco and Nice coach, 55, said: “I don’t know how many of my players could possibly participate in the final – maybe 25. But I cannot play them all. “It is only important to put in place the very best team to try and win this game. “If Manolo has to play in the final because he is confident and he is scoring goals, then he must start.” Such sentiments are totally understandable given Gabbiadini’s fine start to life in England.

Until the Italy international turned up on deadline day in a £15million deal, Saints were struggling to find the net. And while Puel is thrilled with Gabbiadini’s immediate impact on a previously blunt forward line, he argues that the rest of the squad should feel exactly the same. The St Mary’s supremo said: “Manolo came and played the last two games and scored. This was a good reward for all the players. "In so many games this season, we did a fantastic job with fantastic work – but without any reward. We lacked clinical finishing. That was difficult to accept. “It was important for us to conquer the problem. So when a player like Gabbiadini arrives and starts to score, it gives confidence to the whole team – and to the other strikers.”

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Sourced from The Telegraph article

Cedric Soares: Portugal’s unlikely Euro 2016 triumph can inspire Southampton at Wembley

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If Southampton’s players are intimidated by the prospect of facing the might of Manchester United in Sunday’s League Cup showdown, they need look no further than their own dressing room for evidence that underdogs can triumph against the odds.

Their right-back, Cédric Soares, was part of the Portugal team that pulled off a daring heist in Paris last summer when they beat the favourites France in the Euro 2016 Final.

“The Euro final was a great game,” the player, who goes simply by Cédric, told Telegraph Sport. “Nobody expected us to win, but the key is we believed from day one we could win the trophy and the coach always believed. When a team starts to believe and gets together, they can achieve anything. That day, even the players who didn’t play were helping the ones that did.”

One of those not on the pitch for the majority of the match was of course Ronaldo, who showed glimpses of a future career as he urged on the team, at times apparently job-sharing with national team manager Fernando Santos.

“He might become a manager, who knows,” said Cédric. “Cristiano had a lot of very important words with the team before the game and when we came in at half-time. He told us to stay together, and to believe in each other.

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Sourced from Daily Mail article

Dusan Tadic happy to play provider for Southampton

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Dusan Tadic regards scoring the winning goal at Old Trafford in 2015 as the highlight of his Saints career so far, but he’ll be just as happy to set up his new strike partner, Manolo Gabbiadini, to take the glory at Wembley on Sunday.

Tadic ended a 27-year wait for a Southampton win at United by scoring the only goal two years ago.

Since Gabbiadini’s arrival, though, he switched from the wing to his favoured No 10 spot and enjoys setting up the £14million Italian as much as scoring himself.

‘I like to score and create goals. If a team-mate is in a better position, you need to search for him,’ Tadic said.

‘I am happy to give assists. It’s my way of thinking and I expect that from my team-mate for me. Scoring at Old Trafford was a very nice feeling. A great memory and something I won’t forget.’

Gabbiadini and Tadic are the twin threats that will most concern Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho, but Saints manager Claude Puel said there will be no room for sentiment when he names his line-up for Sunday’s final.

That is likely to spell heartache for semi-final hero Shane Long.

Puel said: ‘All the players have participated in this journey but now the most important thing is to use our experience to win.’

The Frenchman says Long will still have a key role to play, using his singing skills in the dressing room. He said: ‘I know Shane Long is a very good singer and he can do this before the game.’

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Sourced from Daily Star article

EXCLUSIVE: Mark Hughes gives his verdict on EFL Cup final

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That was back in 2005 when Mourinho got his hands on the trophy, his first in English football, to trigger an avalanche of silverware at home and in Europe. The League Cup was his after Chelsea beat Liverpool 3-2 following extra time in Cardiff and there was no looking back for the ex-Porto manager. This afternoon, Mourinho will lead Manchester United out in the EFL Cup Final against Southampton with Mark Hughes, a man who played for both clubs, predicting history is about to repeat itself. The Stoke City manager believes Mourinho – who lifted the Community Shield as United boss in August – will end the day with the fourth League Cup win of his impressive career. Hughes said: “It’s evenly matched but I would just say that United have got the edge. “It will be tight and it will be a good game – there’s some good talent on show – but I just sense that United, given the run they are on at the moment, will win.

“I just sense that United, given the run they are on at the moment, will win” “They are very difficult to break down and overcome as United teams have always been. “They always find a way to get some kind of result. I just sense that given it’s Jose’s opportunity to get that first major trophy at United, the focus for them will be huge. “But seeing that Southampton have not won a trophy for 40-odd years, it’s a huge day for them as well.” The two teams involved today both have a place in Hughes’ heart after enjoyable spells at both during his glittering playing days. He had two seasons at The Dell after leaving Chelsea in 1998 as he moved towards the end of his career. Previously he had won the 1992 League Cup with United when they got the better of Nottingham Forest 1-0 with Brian McClair scoring the only goal early on in a disappointing final for the Welshman.

He added: “I remember we didn’t play particularly well and I didn’t play particularly well. “It wasn’t one of the most memorable finals but it was clearly one which we won and we were grateful for that. “We had a good team then but my abiding memory is that it wasn’t a great game really. “And another memory that sticks in my mind from that day is that we wore that blue kit which looked like it had birds feet splattered all over it. “But overall I had a great time at United. A lot of people still associate me with the club albeit it was a long, long time ago. I left in 1995 – 22 years ago – but they were a big part of my life. “And apart from the spells I was away, I was there from the age of 14 to 31, a big chunk of my football career.

Over the course of his first season on the south coast the Wrexham-born ace clocked up a record 14 yellow cards. Hughes added: “I ended up kicking more people than I stopped. “The cards were all from the same foul. When someone was going past me I just popped my leg out and they fell over it. The yellow cards just accumulated over the course of the season. “I enjoyed it there and today they are a good template for teams to follow, the way they turn over their players. “They have the benefit of selling a lot of players for a lot of money.”

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 26/02/2017 02:31:00

| | Manchester United must be aware of “special” Manolo Gabbiadini in EFL Cup final – Martin KeownSQUAWKA |
| | Where to find Man United vs. Southampton EFL Cup Final on US TV and streamingWORLDSOCCERTALK |
| | Man United vs Southampton: League Cup final preview and preferred teamTHEPEOPLESPERSON |
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| Manchester United vs Southampton – EFL Cup Final PreviewFANSIDEDREDDEVILARMADA |

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Sourced from Daily Mail article

Nick Holmes reflects on Saints’ FA Cup triumph over Manchester United

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Nick Holmes recalls the last time Southampton played in a League Cup final, in 1979, they took a 1-0 half-time lead against an apparently hungover Nottingham Forest team.

‘I’ve talked about it a few times with a couple of their players and they insist Brian Clough made them drink too much on the Friday,’ says Holmes with a laugh, a Saints player that day and still revered by fans as a one-club man who spent 14 years at the Dell.

'Clough thought it was good for bonding, so the Forest lads had their champagne or whatever they wanted the night before.

'They felt it! We completely outplayed them in that first half but something obviously changed at the break. John Robertson came back out and was stunning. Garry Birtles and Tony Woodcock caused us all sorts of problems and scored three goals between them.

'I managed to get our second, very late on. It dropped on the edge of the box and I hit a half-volley.

‘That was back to 3-2 with two minutes left, but we didn’t get another chance. It’s what you’d call a consolation. Except it wasn’t. Losing any game was horrible.’

Fortunately Holmes already had another Saints occasion under his belt to provide a lifetime of memories, the 1976 FA Cup win against Manchester United. He hopes that final will inspire Southampton as they play United this time around.

‘People didn’t believe we could really do it in 1976,’ he says. 'United are favourites again but upsets happen and the way Saints have made it to this final shows they are capable.

‘They’ve seen off four Premier League teams [Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Arsenal, Liverpool] and conceded no goals. Their record against United hasn’t been bad over the last few years, with a couple of wins at Old Trafford.’

Even almost 41 years on, few days pass without Holmes being approached by a Southampton fan wanting to thank him for the part he played in beating United on May 1, 1976.

He was just 21 when the Saints went to Wembley as the Second Division underdogs against the Goliaths from Old Trafford.

When Bobby Stokes scored the 83rd-minute winner, Holmes, after a 60-yard madcap dash, was the first to catch him to celebrate.

‘Most vivid is the sheer joy of our fans,’ he says. 'I knew how they felt because I was one of them. As a boy, my dad and I had season tickets, I never missed a game.

‘My dream was to play for Saints and it came true. A few times over the years the gaffer [Lawrie McMenemy] said there were other clubs interested but I never wanted to move.’

Holmes, now 62, played in a no-frills era on something close to ‘normal’ pay. When he retired in the late Eighties, coaching and scouting offered a less-lucrative living than being a shopkeeper. He ran an open-all-hours village shop for 10 years.

He had one spell as a manager at non-League Salisbury between 2002-09 and now works as a stock control manager at a friend’s internet company.

He retains hunger for the ‘glory game’ where silverware matters above all. ‘Fans want to win trophies,’ he says. 'Present-day managers perhaps don’t rate the cups too highly. Doing well in the league is paramount.

‘But ask any supporter, certainly of Southampton, and they’ll tell you how important a trophy is. People regularly come up to me and say that day in May 1976 was the best day of their life.’

That FA Cup success remains the only major honour in Saints’ 131-year history. To commemorate the 40th anniversary last year, the team who won it — barring the late Stokes, the late Peter Osgood, and captain Peter Rodrigues, who was ill — met up for dinner and a few days together.

They even tracked down the same open top bus from the 1976 victory parade and did the journey again. Thousands of supporters flocked to see them.

As for Sunday’s game, he hopes manager Claude Puel will pick ‘star man this season’ Oriel Romeu, ‘great servant’ Steven Davis and home-grown James Ward-Prowse alongside Dusan Tadic — ‘the player who can unlock the game’.

He believes new striker Manolo Gabbiadini — ‘he’s sharp, he’s got finesse’ — can provide goals, and memories, for the ages.

‘They’ve got a chance,’ he says.

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Sourced from Mirror.co.uk article

Mick Channon on the key to Saints repeating their 1976 upset over Man United

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Mick Channon still laughs at taking the bookies to the ­cleaners the last time Southampton played ­ Manchester United at Wembley – even if he did not get a piece of the action.

May 1, 1976: Saints 1 United 0. It was one of the biggest FA Cup Final ­upsets in the history of the game.

Lawrie McMenemy’s dad’s army from the ­Second Division were given no hope against a United team of Tommy ­Docherty tyros that would finish third in their first season back in the top-flight.

But Bobby Stokes’ late strike took the trophy back to the south coast – and Channon reckons Saints can be bookie busters again in today’s EFL Cup Final if they stick to the gameplan that worked wonders 41 years ago.

The former England star – still beating the odds at the age of 68 as a highly-successful ­racehorse trainer – ­recalled: “United were big favourites in ’76, but we loved being the ­underdogs.

“And when a few of the lads saw that some bookies had us at 7/1 to win the Cup, well those odds were impossible to resist. I was the big ­gambler in the team – however, I had a rule that I would never bet on football.

“But Peter Osgood, Stokes and a few of the others weighed right in.

“It would have been rude not to. I mean, it was a two-horse race and we had a team that had been around the block a few times.

“It turned out to be a nice little earner – and it always brings a smile to my face to see the ­bookies get stung.

“If anyone can get ­decent odds on Saints beating United at ­Wembley again, then my advice is take ’em.

“United are the big ­favourites – and deserve to be. Jose Mourinho has brought the winning mentality back to Old Trafford and they are a top team.

“But Southampton are no mugs. They will be going to Wembley ­thinking they can win – and it’s about time the fans had some new ­heroes.”

Channon was an ­England regular in 1976 and the star of a Saints team that was packed with hardened veterans like ex-Chelsea striker Osgood, captain Peter Rodrigues and ­former United midfielder Jim McCalliog.

It took 83 minutes for the ­deadlock to be broken, when Stokes marched on to McCalliog’s forward pass to beat Alex Stepney with a low 20-yard shot.

Channon said: “Martin Buchan captained United that day – and I think he’s still whingeing that Stokes’ goal was offside.

“Tommy Doc had built a team of brilliant young whippersnappers, while we were supposed to be a load of old a_*_s.

“But our plan was to frustrate the life out of them and as the game wore on you could see that the favourites tag was weighing heavily on them. And that’s the key for Southampton again.

“They have to come up with a way to stop Zlatan Ibrahimovic because he is the best thing that has happened to United since Eric Cantona.

“The boy is a natural winner. The bigger the occasion, the better he seems to get. If Saints can handle him then they will take away a big part of United’s threat.

“And if they can keep it tight until the last 20 minutes, then they’ve got a real chance. Pressure can do funny things –even to the best players.”

Channon, who was a League Cup winner with Norwich in 1985, has been in Dubai this week working with his horses.

But there is still an outside chance that he will be at Wembley with family and friends to see referee Andre Marriner put the two teams under starters orders.

“I’d love to be there,” he said. “What’s the odds for a 1-0 Saints win with a goal from No.11?”

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PAUL HETHERINGTON COLUMN: Transformed Puel, Robbo back in boots, Old Trafford delay

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The Saints’ French manager has convinced at least some of his south coast sceptics that he can be a success during his time at St Mary’s.

Puel, 55, did not make the best of starts at Southampton – as this column highlighted at the time.

One Saints insider told me: “He isn’t impressive and there are concerns about what might happen. Puel hasn’t had the immediate impact his predecessors Mauricio Pochettino and Ronald Koeman had.

“He doesn’t appear to have their dynamic approach and presence.”

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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 26/02/2017 03:31:15

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