The last game of the season and to be honest I don't think anyone cares about the team selections or the result, it is the beginning of one era and the start of another, the big question is whether Will Still will be in the stands.

When the game kicks off against the Gunners, many Saints supporters will be thinking just exactly where they were on this weekend a year ago, it will be a day short of that epic win at Wembley against Leeds United, one that was described by many as their best ever day out supporting Southampton FC.

When we wake up on Monday morning it will be exactly a year to the day and we will reflect on what has gone on since and how it has been mainly downhill.

Two years we had already been relegated when Liverpool arrived at St Mary's for the last game and we drew 4-4 in a game that many were predicted would be a goal fest for the visitors, it ended up that way, but no one expected us to match them.

So Arsenal arrive here with almost nothing to play for, they definitely can't catch Liverpool, but technically Manchester City can catch them if they can overturn a 12 goal difference, with City at Fulham, it would need Arsenal to truly slaughter us and Fulham to spring a real surprise for that to happen.

So apart from the imminent arrival of Will Still who it seems all the football pundits in the know are sure is going to happen, there is not a lot more of interest for Saints fans.

A fond farewell to a few players who have done well this season in Arron Ramsay & Matteus Fernandes, perhaps even Kyle Walker Peters, but aside from this trio I don't think many others will get a warm farewell.

That may be a trifle unfair, i have always maintained that this squad could have stayed up, but the tactics of Russell Martin, the baffling team selections and substitutions of Ivan Juric and the stay with the tried, tested and failed, meant that any chance we had of staying up was buried.

So this will be a strange day at St Mary's, one that perhaps will show Sport Republic that this is last chance saloon with them in terms of patience in the fan base, it will be interesting to see how Will Still is received if he is unveiled as the manager for next season, certainly it isn't the name manager that most would want, but then again neither was Nigel Adkins or Mauricio Pochettino.

I would hope the reception for Still, if not ecstatic could be warm, that he will be given a chance by the fans and given the backing by Sport Republic.

Booing Still won't change anything if he is appointed, so we have to run with it and see where it goes, it will inspire some to not renew season tickets, but that is their choice, for me a football team is for the bad times as well as the good.

So I would hope that Sunday afternoon is about the future not the past, we cannot change the last 12 months, but the next 12 are as of yet unwritten either good or bad !

All Photos Via Reuters

Bowlercow added 17:50 - May 24 Well said Nick and thank you for this last seasons reports To anyone who thinks Still can't do it because he has no Championship experience just take a look at today's play off winners Think of what MoPo did with no experience Remember Scunthorpes physio became St Nigel Pull took us to an 8th place finish and a cup final RoKo had never coached or played in England And then remember the likes of Mark Hughes and Alan Pardew For tomorrow just enjoy your pint Watch the game as a neutral and give him a welcome he will never forgeth

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harrapuk added 19:54 - May 24 Will Will Still still be up for it after seeing us perform (or under perform).
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WestSussexSaint added 09:17 - May 25 Like all new incoming managers Will Still will have my support. Why would any Saints supporter want him to fail? Clean slate and let’s get behind him and whatever squad he ends up with through this summer. As for the match, let’s get through it and consign this season to the bin where it belongs. I just hope the club have read the mood music and don’t do a lap of appreciation. As you have said only a very few players deserve it and I doubt there will be many fans left in the ground anyway.

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Block8 added 09:31 - May 25 You say we don't care about the team selection or result but some of us do. This is the chance to have a look at some of the ready made replacements for our so called stars. Let Still have a look at what may remain not what will be gone? Please, please lets not go with a back five, show some intent to entertain, as the result is probably the least important factor today. We have some decent players back from loans and some very good youngsters. I personally do not want to "celebrate" with players who have underperformed, let us all down and now want to F**K off to pastures new! Play Ramsdale & Fernandes of the want aways as they do deserve a clap!

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SanMarco added 11:33 - May 25 We all care about results - but this one less than most of course. Nick still thinking this squad could have stayed up is the interesting comment. I don't think I agree with that. The managerial behaviour he describes certainly guaranteed us a humiliating race against the Rams but our maximum even with a fortunate wind of luck, VAR etc, was surely well short of the fourth worse team. Who of the clubs who survived were we better than, seriously?? Player recruitment was the biggest thing for me. And Will Still or whoever it will be the biggest thing this summer too. I think the three mentioned should get at least a not negative reaction. I don't think Jan Bednarek deserves booing either - good club servant but, ultimately not good enough at the highest level. The rest just weren't good enough or were played out of position, or both. On the whole not their fault.

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