Pahars was upbeat about his slow return to fitness: "The knee is not 100 per cent yet and it could still be painful for a few weeks or even months. But I have played through pain before and know all about that so I just have to get on with it.
"It is just a matter of time before it settles completely. I am training all the time now and it was good to get an hour last night. My fitness is getting there and if the manager needs me then I am ready."
With a reported player plus cash deal falling through for Robert Earnshaw, Saints could do with a return to fitness for their former top scorer. However, with so many false dawns, Burley is making the hunt for a new striker a top priority. Saints were today linked with a move for Leicester target man Mark de Vries and a loan move for Man Utd youngster Rossi.
Also in impressive form was new signing Polish boy mountain Bialkowski keeping Saints in the game against a well drilled West Ham side, with a string of acrobatic saves. At just 18 he is still very young for a keeper, but if he can keep up this level of performance, then he will be putting pressure on Paul Smith for his new found number one spot.