 Saints battled hard in 70/71 to finish seventh and enter the new UEFA Cup. Once again, and for no real reason, a season in Europe would affect the club's league position and they finished fourth from bottom. Saints fans are constantly reminded about the televised 7-0 hammering at the hands of Leeds. Davies, Hollywood and Gabriel left but Saints finished mid table. In 73/74 Bates handed over the manager's job to Lawrie McMenemy. McMenemy had been at the club, learning the ropes and Bates left him a team in fifth place. Saints still managed to get relegated, despite the arrival of Peach and Osgood. Saints failed to bounce back into the first division and Mcmenemy ended up building a new side.  Saints famous 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the 1976 FA Cup final certainly showed fans what the side were capable of.
Promotion was achieved in 77/78 with the likes of Ball, Nicholl, Williams, MacDougall and Boyer in the side. Saints settled into the first division easily enough and managed to reach the League Cup final in 1979, where they lost to Nottingham forest. Mick Cannon returned to the team and helped Saints move into the top eight. | 