Following a mixed season that saw Southampton win the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy before narrowly missing out on the playoffs, the Saints have been installed as red hot favourites with league one betting prices for the League One title.

Starting the new season without the burden of a 10 point deduction, and with the club’s off the field operations improving at a rapid pace, confidence amongst the supporters ahead of the Saints’ 125th anniversary year is high. Given the level of optimism surrounding St Mary’s, it is unsurprising that current season ticket sales for the 2010/11 season have reached over 13,000 in total. This figure puts current sales ahead of the total number of both season, and half season, ticket sales from the previous year.

Whilst the club recently hit the headlines with their decision to ban vuvuzelas from St Mary’s, club officials, players, and fans will be hoping that Southampton’s performances on the pitch this season will be the sole subject hitting the headlines. Manger Alan Pardew has wasted no time in using his pre-season preparations to prevent the Saints from coming unstuck when they travel to some of League One’s less glamorous venues this season by arranging friendly matches against non-league sides Farnborough and Sutton. Pardew believes that these games highlighted for his players the potential pitfalls that he feels could lead to the former Premier League team spending a third consecutive year in League One.

As well as looking to toughen up his ambitious squad ahead of the new season, Pardew is reportedly also seeking to add another experienced attacker, with one target thought to be former England international Darius Vassell, who is currently struggling in the Turkish league with Ankara.

Whatever the outcome of the season on the pitch, Saints fans can at least celebrate the fact that the current ownership is committed to marching the Saints back to their former glory sooner rather than later.

Elsewhere, the latest favourite odds to win league two have Bradford City and Gillingham as the most likely to potentially replace Southampton in League One.