Alan BALL

 When Alan Ball signed for Southampton from Arsenal in December 1976 he may have been joining the current FA Cup holders but he was also taking a huge gamble with his career. The Saints were languishing in 15th place in Division Two and as Alan himself said in his autobiography (It's all about a Ball) 'When I moved I reckon Lawrie McMenemy and myself were the only two people convinced I'd done the right thing'. Certainly Alan's father was so aghast he did not speak to his son for weeks afterwards, feeling that Alan was a fool for not joining any of the host of First Division sides that were chasing him. McMenemy meanwhile was delighted with his £50, 000 investment, and when asked if the midfielder could adapt to Second Division football answered 'He will have no problems, he's a grafter and grafting is a great asset in the bread and butter world of the Second Division'. World Cup winners do not grow on trees and McMenemy recognised he had purchased a vital component to add to his promotion blueprint. Almost immediately Saints' form improved - within a month they had beaten Carlisle 6-0 away - and that season they finished 8th. Alan's first goal for the club came in a thrilling 4th round FA Cup tie at promotion chasing Nottingham Forest, the midfielder scoring the Saints first goal in a 3-3 draw.

The following year, with Ball's leadership and football skills at the forefront, Saints gained promotion by finishing runners-up to Bolton. Alan was a virtual ever present, missing just 1 of 42 league games, and chipping in with 5 goals. Naturally Ball felt his move fully justified and in his autobiography answered his dad and others with three words - 'told you so'. Southampton finished in 14th place on their return to the top flight, with the former England midfielder playing every minute of the league campaign. In what proved to be Alan's last appearance at Wembley the Saints made it all the way to the League Cup final but, despite leading at half-time through David Peach, they went down 3-2 to Nottingham Forest. Ball's strengths included his quick mind, his one touch passing, his vision and his tenacity - all qualities that he bequeathed to the fledgling Steve Williams who blossomed playing along side the flame haired midfielder. In March 1980 Blackpool, his first club as a player, came calling, wanting him to become their player-manager and, prematurely as it happened, Alan left the Dell unable to resist being in charge of his former club. (Duncan Holley).

 Alan Ball's stint at Bloomfield Road was not particularly auspicious and in March 1981 Lawrie McMenemy decided to offer his ex-captain a chance to resurrect his playing career back at the Dell. The Saints had fared a lot better than Alan during the 13-month separation and, with the likes of Dave Watson, Mick Channon and Kevin Keegan now among the playing staff, were establishing themselves as a top ten Division One team. With Ball's addition the squad could boast 246 England caps between them and halfway through the 1981-82 season they created club history when a Kevin Keegan goal at Middlesbrough earned a win that elevated the club into top place in Division One. Saints, with the seemingly ageless Ball pulling most of the strings in the middle - he played 41 League games out of 42 that season - held onto to top spot for two months before finally slipping to seventh place, enough however to qualify for a UEFA place for the second season in a row.

That May Alan celebrated his 37th birthday but he was there, eager as ever, when the squad reassembled for pre-season training. Unfortunately Keegan and Channon, two of Ball's biggest friends in the dressing room, had both left the club in the summer and, combined with the fact that age was finally began to catch up with him, he decided after 12 games to try his luck in Hong Kong. His last match for the club came on the 30th October 1982 and was an emotional affair, especially as it was against one of his old clubs, Everton. A Ball-inspired Saints won 3-2 and the crowd said a sad farewell to one of the finest midfield maestros ever to grace the Dell turf. (Duncan Holley)