JWP can picture winning the Cup .. and staying up

SOUTHAMPTON recently presented James Ward-prowse with a photo album containing snaps of some of the highs and lows he has experienced to mark his 200th game for the club.

And the England midfielder is confident that Saints can defy the odds to enjoy a picture perfect finish to their rollercoaster campaign.

The 23-year-old poster boy for Saints’ famed academy hopes that from a daunting position they can celebrate Premier League survival and FA Cup glory – rather than ’doing a Wigan’.

Five years ago the Latics beat Southampton en route to winning the Cup, only to drop out of the top flight days after their shock Wembley win over Manchester City

The Saints have a semifinal against Chelsea to look forward to tomorrow as they take a break from an ever-more desperate fight against relegation.

Ward-prowse said: “It’s a very tough situation. Not many teams have probably been in it. We all want to be playing in the Premier League next season but equally if we can lift an FA Cup, it’s a great choice as well.

“Hopefully we can have the best of both worlds.

“It is a strange sort of feeling having a semi-final now, but it’s a great opportunity to get to another final and it might be a nice distraction from the league.”

Portsmouth-born Ward-prowse joined bitter local rivals Southampton aged eight in 2003, the year the club last reached the FA Cup final. He was rising through the ranks while Saints were recovering from administration and climbing up the Football League.

And he has helped them re-establish themselves in the Premier League and reach the Europa League and the EFL Cup final along the way.

Ward-prowse can’t put his finger on why things have gone wrong this year.

He said: “I wouldn’t say it was complacency. The club has wanted to develop year on year, but it hasn’t this year.

“We just have to finish the season strong, make sure we remain a Premier League club and then reassess from there.”