We are also giving each supporter who went a free ticket to the quarter-final here at Franklin’s Gardens at the beginning of April. I have also written to European Rugby Cup Ltd (ERC). This is a company set up by the unions to administer all European club games. The MD of Church’s & Co, who went with the Saints as our guest, suggested that this actually stood for Everything Resembles Chaos. I won’t go into details but their administration must be improved. However, we all arrived back happy with five points, but tired and minus £20,000 the extra cost of rearranged flights and hotels for the team.

Talking of chaos in Italy neatly brings me on to our guests today, Leeds Tykes. They also had a similar experience. A big welcome here today to the Tykes and all of their supporters. This game is vital to both teams and I’m sure it will be a thrilling encounter. This game being billed as a relegation battle hardly does favours to either side who are both in fine form at the moment. Saints have won six of the last eight games since the beginning of December, losing only away to Leicester and Sale. Leeds narrowly failed to get into the Heineken Cup quarter-finals. Several hundred Saints supporters went to the Perpignan v Leeds game recently. We were all just down the road at Narbonne, who we had played the evening before. Leeds put up a terrific performance in front of a partisan crowd and really should have won. Whoever wins or loses today, I don’t think either will be relegated come the end of the season. However, just to be on the safe side, let’s get behind Saints and shout them on right to the last minute.

Please put an extra fixture into your diary. On Friday, March 24, we are holding a special match here when our Academy play Leicester’s academy. This is to raise finds for Matt Hampson. Matt is the young prop who seriously injured himself here at Franklin’s Gardens while training with the England U21s squad. Ten months later, he still has no movement below the neck and cannot breathe for more than 10 minutes without a respirator. Progress is slow and it is unlikely he will ever regain the use of his limbs. We hope and pray that Matt makes a full recovery and intend, along with all the Premiership clubs, to make a definite attempt to help. I’ll be ashamed if we raise less than £10,000 through this event. And, of course, the sooner we get our players used to regularly beating Leicester, the better!

Most of you will know that it is the 125th anniversary of the club this season. We are holding a gala dinner on Wednesday, March 22. Tickets are £60. Put the date in your diary now.

After today’s game we have five GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP home games left against Saracens, Gloucester, Bath, Leicester and Sale. There are only a few tickets left for any of these games so don’t leave it late. All supporters, even season ticket holders, need to pay for tickets for the European Challenge Cup quarter-final against Worcester here on the April 1 weekend. Again, don’t leave it later. Keep smiling and keep up the faith.