£312M: THE COST OF TRYING TO COMPETE

Doomed trio have learned that buying young is buying wrong

- ALAN SMITH

BETWEEN them they have spent £312million on 46 signings.

But as Ipswich and Leicester edge miserably towards joining Southampton on relegation road, all are realising it is impossible to put a price on experience.

The bottom three are on course for a record-low combined points total having accumulated jut 47 so far. The previous low, 66, came last season.

And in his parting comments last week-end, Ivan Juric, sacked by Saints on Monday, said the problem was poor recruitment, specifically the policy of signing youngsters lacking the physical strength needed at Premier League level.

Juric said he had noticed a "completely different physical-ity between us and the other teams," adding: "The same thing happened to Leicester and Ipswich Town."

His 107-day reign may have statistically been the worst in competition history but on this he had a point.