Just two hours were all that separated last season's Player of the Year Kelvin Davis either staying at the club, or moving on to pastures new.

The 32 year-old goalkeeper and captain put pen to paper on a three year contract at Saints following the news of a successful takeover at St. Mary's.

Davis revealed that the deal came in the nick of time having held talks elsewhere, and although his family had their say, it was ultimately down to the former Ipswich stopper himself to have the final say on his destination.

"We probably had a couple of hours left and that was purely down to fate because there was plenty of opportunity to sign the contract before then," he explained. "It was done minus a couple of things that I wasn't totally happy with and within that time the phone call came.

"The first thing I did was ring my wife and said, 'we've got a decision to make,' he continued. "She's followed me around the country many a time and she said that I could do whatever's best for us and it wasn't to be a decision based upon keeping the family happy."

The choice to stay on the south coast was made easier by the progress that Davis made on the pitch last season but even with all that in mind, Saints' no.1 revealed just how close he came to joining Gianfranco Zola's West Ham.

"I know that I probably played the best season of my career last year here so something must have been right.

"I was fully committed to signing for West Ham though and I more or less got to the stage where I was training with them for pre-season, but I felt that I had to put my head there because there didn't look like there was going to be anything here for me.

"The last minute call was the only thing that changed my mind."

Although the opportunity of Premier League football lay at Davis' door, the experienced custodian felt that there was just as an exciting opportunity awaiting him at St. Mary's.

"It all boils down to being a part of something that is going to grow and to have the opportunity of playing first team football week in, week out instead of just a chance of playing Premiership football," he said.

"I went through it in my mind for a long, long time and I spoke to a lot of people, who I trust, including my family and I just felt that in five years time am I going to look back and think what I should have done?

"Time will tell, but in my heart I felt that being back here will give me a chance to enjoy this 'new' football club which is something that I want to do.

"We are now entering into a new era with new leadership and I think that they are very serious about building this club in the right way. I'm sure that every supporter out there wants to have a stable and solid football club, which I hope means that we get the crowds and the attendances that Southampton FC deserves."

A frustrating close season is now behind Saints and Davis now hopes to be part of a bright future on the south coast.

"It's been a long end of season and there are a lot of good people at this club that deserve a smile and long may that continue.

"I believe that we can formulate a team that's capable of getting into the play-offs this season," he added. "Nobody's got a crystal ball, nobody knows whether or not that is possible but I believe that it is if we work hard and apply ourselves there's no reason why we can't."