Southampton fans weren't the only ones to celebrate the south coast football club's FA Cup semi-final victory over Watford.

Staff at the Southern Daily Echo were also raising a glass after 48,000 copies of the following day's paper were snapped up.

The figure, revealed this week, was almost 15 per cent up on the same day the previous year.

It was just reward for the hard work of staff from the news, sport, photographic and subbing departments.

From the moment the final whistle was blown at 6.15pm on the matchday, a Sunday, they put together more than 20 pages of reports, reaction and pictures.

In addition to reporters and photographers in the stadium covering the match, Echo journalists joined fans on two of the 110 supporters' coaches for the 135-mile trip to Villa Park in Birmingham while others enjoyed the 2-1 victory alongside those who couldn't travel in some of the city's pubs.

'The Saints' will now play FA Cup holders and current Premiership champions Arsenal in the final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Saturday, May 17.

Plans are already being made for special souvenir supplements to commemorate the occasion, which is the first time Saints have reached the final since 1976 when they beat Manchester United 1-0.

Editor Ian Murray said: "It was a fantastic performance by both Saints and the Daily Echo.

"We're looking forward to doing even better when Saints beat Arsenal in the final next month."

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