It was the start of a new era for Saints at St James Park in January 1994 and it started with a bang.
January 1994 had started badly for Saints but had started to get better with the sacking of hated manager Ian Branfoot, in his place came Alan Ball alongside director of football Lawrie McMenemy in what was described as the dream team, Ball's first game as Saints manager couldnt have been much harder, against 3rd placed Newcastle United at St James Park, if that wasnt bad enough, because of ground re developement away fans would not be admitted meaning that the only Saints fans in attendance were a small number who had got tickets on the QT.
But several hundred Saints fans did see the game on a live satelite link up beamed back to the old Hulse Road Social club, the quality wasnt that great but that didnt stop them roaring on the team even though they couldnt be heard by the team 300 miles north in a caldron of T shirt clad Geordies on a cold winters afternoon.
For his part Alan Ball immediately told the press at his pre match conference that his philosophy would be simple, he had told his new team that
"Le Tissier was the best player at the club, he told them he was the best player in England, he told them he was probably the best player in Europe, he told them to give him the ball at every opportunity "
But it would not be Le Tissier who would initially silence the Toon Army, after only 5 minutes North East born Neil Madison charged through a crowd of players to head home and silence St James park but send the Hulse Road into raptures, sadly the lead would only last a little over half an hour when Andy Cole restored the parity and the score remained the same into the second half, Saints seemed to be playing with a pride and passion that had been lacking under their previous manager, but for those watching at Hulse Road it seemed they were still hanging on as Newcastle started to ask the questions.
As the game entered the final ten minutes, Saints fans began to believe that they might see and an unlikely away point, although deep down probably most still thought that Newcastle would sneak a late winner and were consoling themselves that it was about the manner of the display that would bode well for the future.
But with seven minutes left all eyes were towards the dim screen as Saints won a free kick just outside the box, in the blinking of an eye up stepped Le Tiss and the then the ball was in the net, cue massive uproar and beer everywhere although up in the North East im sure it was much quieter.
History tells us that Saints hung on, it doesnt tell us much about how that last seven minutes felt like seventy and about the celebrations that took place in the Hulse Road club.
Ball had won in his opening game, but more than that Saints had moved out of the bottom three to fifth from bottom with 24 points and were 3 points clear of Man City who were now in the drop zone.
Memory sometimes doesnt serve us well, most Saints fan from this era will tell of this game and the Liverpool home game on Valentines day, what they dont remember so well was that after this game Saints lost a vital relegtion clash at Oldham and that they still had to fight right to the final day, Ball did well in his early games, nine points out of his first four games, but then only picked up three in the next seven games to leave things on an urgent note, Ball got Saints playing well but ultimately Saints were were they were for a good reason, ultimately the squad Branfoot had compiled wasnt good enough and weak in key areas.
We escaped but only just and ball went on the following season to make some key signings and enjoy a great season with flowing exciting football, but how near we came to disaster after thinking everything was rosy again, there are parallels to be drawn with today.