Sport Republic appointed a series of under-performing and uninspiring managers.

Jones, Ruben Selles, Ivan Juric and Will Still all failed to get results.

Only Russell Martin, who earned promotion, claimed any credit from his time in charge.

When Still was sacked in November, Sport Republic turned to Tonda Eckert on an interim basis.

The German had only joined Southampton last summer as manager of their under-21 squad.

After picking up 12 points from 15 available, he was handed the first-team job on a three-year contract.

Eckert had no experience as a first-team manager, mainly working within academies, but had been the assistant manager at Barnsley and Genoa.

“I was always unsure about giving somebody – and it’s easy to say in hindsight -that’s not got experience in the game of managing a men’s team,” Sanders added.

“And some fans would say that’s maybe come back to bite them a bit.”

It is going to bite them hard after they lost their appeal against expulsion from the play-offs – and the chance to play for a place in the Premier League.

Sanders says there is no way Eckert can stay at the club – and everyone implicated has to be swept out too.

“Parsons and [owner] Dragan Solak will be fuming, but I think it’s down to them to make huge changes with inside the football club,” Sanders said.

“They will have to make wholesale changes, especially with from the coaching point of view if they want to regain any credibility.

“It’s so important because the whole club is tarnished.

“How’s this has been allowed to allow to happen is just shocking.

“Tonda Eckert will never manage a game for Southampton Football Club ever again.

“Nor should he, and the fans would not allow it.”