Hasenhuttl a true Saint as he is handed a £30m kitty
play 10 versus 10 and have Andy Porter mark Georgi Kinkladze out of the game. But there are no pangs of regret that he will be sitting in the stands today rather than pitting his managerial wits against City boss Pep Guardiola.
Rudge – who counts Sir Alex Ferguson among his confidants – added: “No, this is John Askey’s time now, not mine.
“I’ll do anything to help with contacts, watching players and things like that but this is John’s career.
“I still enjoy it. I’m in at the club nearly every day and it has been a massive part of my life.
“We’ve had some great times in the FA Cup and this will be a great occasion for the club that has created a lot of interest.
“Manchester City are a tremendous football team with fantastic players and there’s a massive difference between the Premier League and the league we play in compared to what it was like when we beat Spurs.
“We’re looking forward to it, knowing full well that it’s not an impossible task but one that will be incredibly difficult for us.”
Sproson scores Vale’s winner against Spurs in 1988 while, below, Vale staffer Sue Brownsword washes the kit before the game and Rudge, right, hails the draw
SOUTHAMPTON have given Ralph Hasenhuttl a £30million transfer kitty – a month after the Austrian was on the verge of the sack.
Hasenhuttl has seen his side turn around their season, with a run of three wins in their past four games.
Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Tottenham took Saints within five points of the top six, having been in the bottom three before Christmas.
Hasenhuttl was battling to save his job after a 9-0 thrashing by Leicester in October and his side won only two of the following eight games.
But Hasenhuttl, right, will get the funds to pursue the three players he wants, with Genk defender Joakim Maehle and
Hull striker Jarrod Bowen top of his list.
The Saints manager has also been told he can spend any money he brings in from sales – with Danish centre-back Jannik Vestergaard and striker Che Adams set to be unloaded.
Former
Saints star Danny
Higginbotham believes his old club did the right thing in standing by their manager. Higginbotham said: “The board believed in what Hasenhuttl was doing and they have backed him. Now things have turned in their favour.
“In the first part of the season there was a lot of chopping and changing going on in the team – now they have stabilised and there is continuity. “Also, in Danny Ings, they have a goalscorer. He has 15 goals now, and in a struggling team that sort of quality is vital.” Southampton entertain Huddersfield in the FA Cup third round tomorrow.