Mark Hughes thanked the Southampton fans for their unwavering support after seeing the club take a giant leap towards safety with victory at Swansea.
The travelling army packed out the away end at the Liberty Stadium, selling the full 2,000 allocation, and were rewarded with a moment to savour as Manolo Gabbiadini struck a priceless winner 18 minutes from time.
Hughes inherited a difficult position when appointed as manager only eight weeks ago, but says he has never detected any negativity from the stands.
“We were in a situation of our own making in terms of this season, but I have to say the fans stuck with us,” he said.
“Since I’ve been here they’ve been fantastic. I haven’t seen any negativity and tonight they were magnificent.
“Once again, they’ve got us over the line. Thank you very much.”
Speaking after the win, Hughes was quick to share the praise around the club.
“It’s a huge display of resilience, character… all those traits you associate with a team that’s got a real feeling for the club,” he added.
“I’m pleased for everybody – not just the players but the support staff as well, because they get forgotten sometimes in terms of their input and impact on what we’re trying to do.
“It’s up to us to make sure we get the job done on Sunday and make sure we’re in the Premier League again.”