SAINTS SPOTLIGHT League One preview – Huddersfield v Saints

TERRIERS SUBSSAINTS SUBSBUTLER

PILKINGTON

PERRY

THOMAS

HARDING LALLANA

RASIAK

LAMBERT

SCHNEIDERLIN

WOTTON

JAMES

BIALKOWSKI, LANCASHIRE,GILLETT, GOBERN, PATERSON,HOLMES, SAGANOWSKI

GLENNON, ROBINSON, SIMP-SON, N CLARKE, WILLIAMS,BERRETT, AINSWORTH

PELTIER

P CLARKEKAY

T CLARKE

ROBERTS SKARZ

RHODES

MURTY

SMITHIES

NOVAK

For up-to-the-minute sports news visit dailyecho.co.uk76 Friday, August 14, 2009

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‘They don’tcome muchbigger’ - Lee

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FIT-AGAIN defender WayneThomas has a double reasonto be cheerful.

Not only is he delighted that the clubfinally appears to have some stability,he is also back playing in the firstteam after a long injury lay-off.

The 30-year-old had been out for thepast nine months with a knee injurybut has proved to be an integral part ofthe Saints defence in the two competi-tive games under Alan Pardew thisweek.

And he is glad that, at last, he and histeammates can get on with playingfootball rather than worrying abouttheir futures after the long-windedtakeover saga was completed.

Distracting

“It gets distracting,” he said whenrecalling the off-field summer dramas.“We weren’t paid a couple of times andhad to wait.

“We didn’t know whether we weregoing to go into administration, go popor what.

“So, when somebody comes in itgives stability to the club and every-one knows they’re getting paid.

“Then you can just look to do the beston the pitch you can do.”

So far this season, Saints have put intwo good performances at St Mary’s –

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drawing 1-1 with 2008/09 League Oneplay-off finalists Millwall and com-fortably beating lower divisionNorthampton 2-0 in the first round ofthe Carling Cup.

The key to the impressive form isthe appointment of manager AlanPardew.

“The gaffer is well-respected andconveys what he wants the lads todo,” said former Torquay, Stoke andBurnley defender Thomas.

“There’s a lot more organisationand discipline around the place.

“People are training with a smile ontheir face and people are looking toimpress and get in that startingeleven.”

Distracting

Having returned from injury – hemissed the whole of last season withknee trouble – Thomas is now lookingto establish himself in the first team.

“It’s great to be back playing foot-ball but I need to keep my place andwork as hard as I can,” said the manwho won promotion from League Onein 2002 with Stoke.

“You’ve got the likes of OllieLancashire coming through, who is agreat prospect, myself, Pezza (ChrisPerry) and I’m sure the gaffer is look-ing to bring one or two more in aswell.

“You can’t take for granted thatyou’re going to be playing.

“You’ve got to be working hard andtry to nail your own spot down andcontribute the best you can to theteam effort and results.”

HUDDERSFIELD boss Lee Clark admitsgames in League One “don’t comemuch bigger” than against Saints, writesGORDON SIMPSON.

The Terriers, one of the favourites forpromotion, host Alan Pardew’s side atthe Galpharm Stadium tomorrow.

It will be Saints’ first visit toHuddersfield since a 1-0 League Cupsuccess in September 1994 and theirfirst for a league game since a 2-0 topflight win in December 1971.

“In this division, sides don’t comemuch bigger than Southampton, and it’sa great way to kick-off our home leagueprogramme,” said Clark.

Like Saints, Huddersfield started theirseason with an opening day draw in theleague – 2-2 atSouthend –before produc-ing a midweekCarling Cup win,seeing offStockport 3-1 athome.

New signingJordan Rhodes– a £250,000signing fromIpswich – hasfound the netthree times inthose twogames andHuddersfieldfans will be hop-ing the 19-year-old continues his fineform.

But Clark is also wary of Saints’ newstriker, Rickie Lambert, who is also offthe mark for his latest club.

“Rickie is a very good striker, butSouthampton are about much more thanone player,” he said. “I saw a lot of themlast season when I was working forNorwich, and they have some of thebest young players around.

“The points deduction will have beena hammer blow, but will also havebrought them together and given themeven more incentive to accrue points asquickly as possible.

“I have made my players very awareof how dangerous they will be.

“But on the other side of the coin, ifwe play as we can than there’s nothingto fear.

“I was very pleased with most aspectsof the Stockport performance, and wewill be looking to kick on tomorrow.”

Midfielders Jim Goodwin (knee injury)and Michael Collins (suspended) areboth ruled out.

LEE CLARK