Adkins’ reign starts solidly

NIGEL Adkins faces Athletic for the second time this season on Saturday, as Southampton bid to get back on track once again.

The former manager of Championship side Scunthorpe was appointed boss of the npower League One pre-season favourites following the sudden sacking of previous incumbent Alan Pardew.

Saints finished last season like a train — though the signal was on red when Athletic visited the St Mary's Stadium last time, the visitors earning a gutsy 0-0 draw — but started this campaign under Pardew in stuttering fashion.

Up to Adkins choosing to swap Scunthorpe for the Saints in mid-September, the team was foundering.

Third from bottom of the table, Southampton had only managed to pick up four points from their opening five league matches and had failed to score in three of those games.

That is despite fielding attacking players of the calibre of Adam Lallana, David Connolly, Lee Barnard and last season's 37-goal former Rochdale and Stockport striker Rickie Lambert, who has five to his name so far in 2010/11.

Things have been better since.

After losing his first league game in charge of the team at MK Dons, Adkins led his new club on a run of five matches without defeat until they ran into a resurgent Huddersfield.

As far as the make-up of the squad goes, Southampton have made a number of changes from last season.

Brazilian midfielder Guilherme Do Prado has arrived on the south coast on a five-month loan from Cesena and the slightly less exotic Richard Chaplow has joined on loan from Preston, as has striker Nicholas Bignall from Reading.

Well-versed right-back Danny Butterfield has been captured from Crystal Palace, while new defender Frazer Richardson is awaiting his debut after signing from Charlton. He suffered a dislocated shoulder in pre-season, but is approaching full fitness and could be involved this weekend.

Athletic and Southampton are currently locked on 15 wins each in all competitions, with 12 draws.