AT times, a little bit of reflection goes a long way.

So, as Saints fans celebrate a top six top flight finish, try this … Five years ago, in May 2011, Saints were also celebrating.

Celebrating promotion from the third tier of English football.

Celebrating leaving behind games against the likes of Yeovil, Rochdale – who had done the double over Saints in 2010/11 – Exeter, Hartlepool and Walsall.

It is worth repeating, for emphasis alone: Just five years ago, Saints had just completed a second year in League 1.

Within half a decade, the club would be entrenched in the top 10 of the richest football league on planet earth.

Within half a decade, Saints would be shattering their transfer record numerous times – building a team packed full of multi-million pound signings.

Within half a decade, Saints would be regularly dropping icecubes down the vest of the biggest names in English football.

They would be going to Anfield and winning, going to Old Trafford and winning, going to Stamford Bridge and stunning the reigning champions.

They would be putting four past Arsenal at St Mary’s, putting four past Manchester City at St Mary’s.

They would be finishing above Liverpool for the first time in the club’s history.

They would be qualifying for European football, and not for the first time since the 1980s glory days of Lawrie McMenemy.

No, they would be qualifying for European football for the SECOND YEAR RUNNING.

Why not put those three words in capital letters?

It’s a fantastic achievement for a club of Southampton’s size.

A top six finish, for the first time since the old First Division was rebranded into the Premier League.

The rise and rise of Rupert Murdoch’s cash cow has completely altered the English footballing landscape.

For some, it has erased decades of achievement.

I heard on local radio the other day, prior to the game against Crystal Palace, that Saints ‘were aiming for their highest ever league finish’.

No they weren’t. They finished runners-up in 1983/84, just three points behind Liverpool.

Saints were aiming for their highest Premier League finish, which is not the same thing, and they duly achieved it.

A sixth place finish for Southampton Football Club in the Premier League is a fabulous achievement.

No doubt about it.

Yes, they finished second in 1984 but this is a vastly different era.

Back in 1984, the Saints squad did not cost tens of millions less than their other high-fliers.

There was more of a level playing field.

Now Saints must try to compete with mega rich clubs like Manchester City and Chelsea, as well as traditional heavyweights like Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal.

Then there are the likes of Everton, Newcastle, Tottenham – three more clubs historically viewed as bigger than Saints, boasting bigger grounds, bigger histories, and larger spending capacities.

Against the odds, they have done just that.

Against the odds of having the heart of their squad ripped out by Premier League vultures from the north west of England and north London, they have competed.

Against the odds of having to bed together virtually a new team, Saints have achieved what many had considered an impossible dream.

Leicester City winning the title is a truly mind-boggling story, and the Foxes deserve every plaudit handed to them.

But Southampton Football Club’s recent tale is truly amazing too.

Consider the facts.

Summer 2014. The manager leaves, quickly followed by five key players – Adam Lallana (the skipper), Rickie Lambert (talismanic goalscorer), Luke Shaw (outstanding defensive prospect), Dejan Lovren and Callum Chambers.

In addition, Jay Rodriguez, the club’s top scorer in 2013/14 – when they finished a Premier League joint-best eighth under Mauricio Pochettino – suffered a bad knee injury in April 2014 that would rule him out for over a year.

That was scenario Ronald Koeman inherited two summers ago.

From that, he successfully rebuilt the squad to such an extent that in 2014/15 Saints actually improved to finish seventh.

Having sold some of their crown jewels, they ACTUALLY IMPROVED.

Again, that is worth writing in capitals.

They improved, and thanks to Arsenal winning the FA Cup Saints qualified for the Europa League.

Summer 2015. Ahead of the club’s first European campaign since 1984, two more key players – Morgan Schneiderlin and Nathaniel Clyne – were sweet-talked away by the north west vultures.

In addition, Toby Alderweireld – an outstanding loan recruit from Atletico Madrid – decided against a return to St Mary’s and joined Tottenham instead.

The same Tottenham that eventually managed to finish third in what many saw as a two-horse race for the title.

So, quick recap, three more hugely influential names had been lost.

Four, if you include goalkeeper Fraser Forster, who had helped Saints record their best ever defensive record in 2014/15 before suffering a cruel knee injury in March of his debut season.

Well, five actually, if you then consider Rodriguez - the club’s to scorer in 2013/14 - would suffer another long-term injury that would massively curtail his appearances Despite that, despite all those knocks, those injuries, those setbacks, those player sales - despite ALL that - Koeman has done it again.

For the second year running, he has managed to ACTUALLY IMPROVE Saints’ best ever Premier League finish.

Getting bored out of the capital letters yet?

Hopefully not, because the emphasis needs to be there, to illustrate the superb job Koeman has done at St Mary’s.

For only the second time in history, Saints have finished in the top eight in the top flight for the third season running.

Eighth, seventh and sixth in the Premier League. In a row.

Just five years, lest we forget, after leaving the third tier of English football.

Take away Leicester’s title success, and Saints would undoubtedly be the success story of the 2015/16 Premier League season.

As they were in 2013/14, and arguably in 2014/15 as well.

How long can this go on for, this remarkable run of success against the odds.

And don’t be fooled – Saints might not have won a trophy in the last few years, but it’s still been three years of ‘success’.

More success than can ever have been imagined in the dark days of April 2009.

Back then, Saints were relegated to League 1 and the club’s parent company Southampton Leisure Holdings nosedived into administration.

At the same time, Leicester City were winning the third tier title.

So as you can see, therefore, dreams can come true.

Football is the greatest game, because it allows fans to dream.

And for the lucky ones, the chosen few, it turns them into glorious reality.

Saints fans will currently be dreaming.

Dreaming of a good Europa League campaign, to finally draw a line under this season’s anti-climax.

Dreaming of ‘doing a Leicester’ as it will now forever be known.

Not necessarily the title, but Champions League.

Saints were only three points away from the fourth-placed team, Manchester City, in 2015/16.

Yes, despite splashing out over £100m on just two players last summer - Raheem Sterling and Kevin de Bruyne - to go with all their own hugely expensive signings, City finished just three points ahead of Saints.

That is truly remarkable.

Another truly remarkable statistic, in what history will show are days of miracle and wonder.