Matt Targett has won the Saints official player of the month award for January, a very deserved accolade.

There will be some of us with a wry smile after learning that Matt Targett has pipped James Ward Prowse, Steven Davis and Shane Long to win the vote on Saints official club web site for the January player of the month.

In the opening weeks of the season with Ryan Bertrand out injured and Saints struggling to find form there were those on internet message boards who were quick to criticise Targett and claim that not only was he not up to the job, but he was proof that the youth system was now failing.

Those people claiming that seemed happy to ignore Targett's inexperience in their condemnation along with the fact that he was playing in a completely newback four bar Jose Fonte and with a new goalkeeper.

So it is with pleasure that I read that Targett has won this accolade, it shows that the doom mongerers who are quick to find an individual player as a scapegoat are in a minority and that the majority of Saints supporters are happy with the progress that Saints are making and that this is a long term project and a marathon not a sprint.

Targett revelled in his new role in the side in a more forward position and it enabled him to use his talent for putting in accurate through balls and crosses and having Ryan Bertrand behind him has given him the confidence to shine, as he told the official site.

“I’m over the moon to win the Player of the Month award."

“January was a massive month for us as a team and for me as an individual. I’m really happy to get the award."

“I think being part of the four nominees gave me lots of confidence. I didn’t think I’d actually win it so it has been great."

“I’d just like to say thank you to everyone who has voted and hopefully I can carry on the good form.”

“I’m enjoying it,” he affirmed. “When the manager said he wanted to change formation, he put Ryan at left-sided centre-back and me at wing-back."

“It gave me a lot of confidence and with Ryan behind me it gives me the belief to push on because I know he’s got my back.”

Photo: Action Images

IWOZTHERE added 21:14 - Feb 15 Fair play to the guy,he's 'home grown' and has done really well in his new position.He's learning and hopefully will be an asset for a long time to come. However, as an out and out left back, he was, and still is sometimes exposed when he comes up against a pacy winger (as he was late against Swansea). That's fact. He's therefore (or his selection) has had some criticism but I don't recollect anyone making him out to be a 'scapegoat' for our past problems. Jumping on the bandwagon or what!

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SaintNick added 21:21 - Feb 15 Back in August Targett got a lot of stick at games from a very vocal minority
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1970 added 22:00 - Feb 15 Great news for the lad he has a good future in front of him and hopefully with the Saints, I remember the stick he was getting earlier in the season but I think it was hard to see through Yoshida's mistakes at the time so hopefully the fans will get behind him because suddenly there are a few worried teams above us coyr
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perazi added 22:30 - Feb 15 A really promising player; has a tremendous left foot, determined in the tackle and only a slight lack of pace is the worry for the future. Still Baines is hardly a racehorse and has done ok.
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saintsnutcase added 08:42 - Feb 16 He has been fantastic as a wing back in our new system but wouldn't fit into a flat back four at present. Very happy that he has shown some real talent.
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SaintBrock added 09:57 - Feb 16 Surprised me but there you ago. Does anybody audit the votes or does the Club just make up the result to suit their own agenda and the whole fan voting thing is a sham? Wouldn't be the first time or the last that an all too gullible public had been hoodwinked. Having said that for me Target is going to be much better player than JWP and the Academy's next star.
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stmichael added 11:31 - Feb 16 it also dispels the myth of him not being popular amongst the supporters assuming they do actually vote for this.
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halftimeorange added 13:20 - Feb 16 I'm surprised at this result. Maybe Targett qualifies for Most Promising Young Player but Player of the Month - I don't think so, given the other candidates. There's no doubting his ability to cross from the left but he is patently one-footed - a disadvantage that is not shared by Cedric or, indeed, Bertrand. His pace seems to have improved but I'd like to see Matt take on and beat more players in the way Danny Rose does for Spurs. An improving work in progress I think.

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