Osgood on Beattie: he has matched best in the world

Striking hero of the Seventies believes Strachan's spirited Saints can preserve their reputation as top underdogs

Anyone who believes there is no way Southampton can beat Arsenal in next Saturday's FA Cup final needs, first of all, to be reminded that upsets are the common currency of one-off showpieces and then led gently in the direction of the record books. Here, under 1976, proudly sits one of the Wembley results of all time: Southampton (then of the Second Division) 1 Manchester United 0.

So, after 27 years, the lightning bolt is poised again. At least that's the Hampshire mantra, and don't try telling them different. Even that bizarre 6-1 hammering at Highbury last Wednesday has not deflected the supporters, the team or the manager, Gordon Strachan. Especially the manager. After that match Strachan was remarkably upbeat, and acknowledges of his reaction: "People thought I was nuts, but I felt we could still win the Cup."

Of that torrid scoring spell for Arsenal, he says: "I saw a freak 20 minutes and, touch wood, we won't see that again." With the aim of ensuring that, the club were hard at it on their secluded training ground in Marchwood on Friday, plotting the removal of the trophy from the holders' hands. Strachan, a ball tucked under his left arm, was in sergeant-major mood, directing execution of the ploys with orders, advice, encouragement and the occasional Scottishism: "Away ye go."

At the conclusion of the formal training James Beattie, socks around his ankles, stayed on the pitch to hone the shooting which, for most of the season, has seen him lead the Premiership's scorers. He hammered a succession of long shots and then wound up his morning by belting a few from point-blank range into a miniature net. Perhaps thinking, as he did so, that he wouldn't mind one of those early on at the Millennium Stadium. Afterwards, he reflected on what a great season he and his team had enjoyed. "If we bring that trophy back it would become an unbelievable season," he grinned.

In pursuit of that unbelievable goal, Strachan had just restored the intensive coaching sessions with which he has driven his players all season until he suspended them after last Saturday's home draw with Bolton. "I thought after that game they needed a break from me and coaching to get their minds off the Cup final," he said. "But it didn't work out for us. We need to be on top of it all the time to squeeze every last bit of effort and concentration out of them.

"I get a kick out of coaching, but I was trying to protect them. I thought maybe at this time of the season it might be too much for more information to be passed on because your brain gets tired as well as your legs. But I hold my hands up, maybe we were just too relaxed before the Arsenal game."

Strachan maintains the feedback from last Wednesday is crucial, particularly in the matter of not losing focus to that extent again. "But I'm glad it happened," he insisted. "And I think we have got it out of our systems already. Until then, nobody this season has outfought us or outplayed us. What we have learned in the two league games we have played against Arsenal is that we have made chances. We know if we play our game right on Saturday we will have chances to score, which means you have chances to win the game."

Strachan does not see today's game with Manchester City, the last match ever at Maine Road, as a distraction. "I want a performance," he said, promising Southampton would field their strongest side after injuries had been taken into account. "But we will be watching for strains after people have played two games in five days." In addition to what he termed "the usual group" of long-term absentees like Jason Dodd, Rory Delap, Marian Pahars and Agustin Delgado, Strachan will be without Chris Marsden because of knee problems. At 34, the much-travelled midfielder has been the epitome of the Strachan work ethic and the efforts to get him fit for the final will be intense.

It is injuries, combined with the smallness of his squad, which have blighted an otherwise outstanding season for Strachan. "No doubt about it, it is nearly impossible for us to fight on two fronts, to get into Europe through the league and win the Cup with so many injuries. Arsène Wenger has just lost the league and he brings up injuries. But they showed they can deal with injuries because they still have a fantastic squad. Our squad is not of the same quality and when we dip, we really dip."

Someone who is convinced Southampton will not dip on Saturday is Peter Osgood, a member of that 1976 Cup- winning team. Osgood, who also won the Cup with Chelsea six years earlier, now works on Southampton's hospitality staff and calls that 1976 occasion "a special, special time". "United were favourites but we fancied ourselves big time. We had a group of experienced players like Mick Channon, Peter Rodrigues, Jim McCalliog and myself, plus a group of great youngsters. We didn't feel we were underdogs, to be honest.

"I think Southampton can win it again because they have played excellent football this season. If, on the day, these lads play the way they can play, it will be a great game. Strachan has instilled confidence. Look what he's done for Marsden. I never rated Chris, but he has come on in leaps and bounds, played out of his skin.

"And when you think young Beattie has matched two of the top strikers in the world, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Thierry Henry, goal for goal over the season, no wonder he fancies his chances of scoring in the final. He doesn't just score, he makes the goals happen for him."

What has happened for Southampton has been remarkable under the skills of Strachan. "When you start off the season, you want to achieve things," said the manager. "We have achieved getting into Europe, we have achieved the Cup final, we have achieved more points than we did last year, our crowds are above 30,000 every week, Wayne Bridge is a regular in the England squad and Beattie has been top goalscorer for 90 per cent of the season. To me, that's achievement."

In search of the ultimate achievement, Strachan will remove his players from the city on Thursday to a secret location. "It will be a bit hectic here," he forecast. "Arsenal and people like that can lose themselves in big cities and have been used to Cup finals, but here people will be getting excited, so we will enjoy things here for a wee while and then get away from it." It could work. And if it does, even Marsden's unfulfilled ambition ("I would have loved to have met Elvis") may not seem beyond reach.

Class of '76 Where are they now?

The surviving members of Southampton's 1976 FA Cup-winning side, and their wives, will be guests of the club in Cardiff on Saturday. So what do they do now?

Goalkeeper: Ian Turner works on an oil rig.
Full-backs: Peter Rodrigues has retired to Spain.
David Peach is foreman for a Hampshire building firm.
Half-backs: Nick Holmes is manager of Salisbury City.
Mel Blyth is a schools football coach.
Jim Steele is a publican.
Forwards: Paul Gilchrist works for BMW.
Mick Channon is a highly successful racehorse trainer.
Peter Osgood works for Southampton FC hospitality.
Jim McCalliog is a publican.
Bobby Stokes (scorer of the winning goal) died of pneumonia in 1995, aged 43.
Substitute: Hugh Fisher is a brewery rep in Hampshire.
Manager: Lawrie McMenemy is a media pundit.

Route to the final

Arsenal

Third round: v Oxford United (h). Won 2-0 (Bergkamp, McNiven og; half-time 1-0)

Fourth round: v Farnborough (h). Won 5-1 (Jeffers 2, Campbell, Bergkamp, Lauren; h-t 2-0)

Fifth round: v Manchester United (a). Won 2-0
(Edu, Wiltord; h-t 1-0)

Quarter-final: v Chelsea (h) Drew 2-2
(Jeffers, Henry; h-t 2-1). Won replay 3-1
(Terry og, Wiltord, Lauren; h-t 2-0)

Semi-final: v Sheffield Utd (neutral). Won 1-0.
(Ljungberg; h-t 1-0)

Southampton

Third round: v Tottenham (h). Won 4-0. (M and A Svensson, Tessem, Beattie; h-t 1-0)

Fourth round: v Millwall (h). Drew 1-1
(Davies; h-t 0-1). Replay (a) Won 2-1 after extra-time (Oakley 2).

Fifth round: v Norwich City (h). Won 2-0
(A Svensson, Tessem; h-t 0-0)

Quarter-final: v Wolves (h). Won 2-0
(Marsden, Butler og; h-t 0-0)

Semi-final: v Watford (neutral). Won 2-1
(Ormerod, Robinson og; h-t 1-0)