Pearson - Credit to players

Pearson: Happy to stay up

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Nigel Pearson admitted to a 'big day' emotionally after Southampton avoided relegation from the Championship with a 3-2 win over Sheffield United.

Saints came from behind to secure victory at St Mary's and also played the final 10 minutes a man down after two-goal hero Stern John was sent off.

With Leicester City only drawing at promoted Stoke City, Saints boss Pearson was left to reflect on the achievement of staying up.

"Emotionally today, it's been a big day," Pearson told Sky Sports News. "It's never easy when the situation's out of your hands to a certain extent.

Difficult day

"We had to win our game, which we've done - just. It was a really good game, with two sides who were very committed to their own success, but ultimately it was a difficult day for us.

"To come out of it with the right result and staying up is a credit to the players."

Pearson acknowledged that celebrating survival on the final day of the season would not have been a scenario the club would have been predicting at the start of the campaign.

"It means I don't have the mantle of the manager who takes this club down into League One," said Pearson, who replaced George Burley as manager in February.

Proud man

"I'm a proud man, like the players are and the staff are, and it means a lot.

"Ultimately it's not about any selfish incentives or motivation, it's about what is really important today that we kept the club up.

"At the start of the year it would be terrible to say that would be an achievement, but it is today based on the circumstances when we went into today's game."