Saints FC - Southampton Football Club

 The Saints of St. Mary's

There is a special band of men who control the City of Southampton. These men are not governors, nor entrepreneurs or noble dignitaries. They can't change the weather, yet they can face its worst thrashing. They can't change time but its feels as though they can slow it down. They captivate the hearts and minds of the young and old, uniting the City.

These men do battle with a football, wearing red and white. St Mary's stadium their fortress and their supports forever singing, "Red Army, Red Army, Red Army, Red Army."

Southampton football club is the heart that pumps aspirations, excitement, dedication and desire through the streets of the City. Every city has its team, and every legacy has its beginning.

History

The first footsteps of Southampton Football club can be traced back to 1885. The St. Marys Church Young Men's Association formed the team we know today. The competitive team played their first game against a team from Freemantle and won 5 -1. The games for this youth team were played on the banks of the River Itchen (next to the old Hampshire cricket ground.)

Time was well spent here; a spate of successful seasons in the Southern League saw them conference champions for many years.

The success was becoming too much to fit inside a small pitch by the river so in 1898 ‘The Dell' was built at a cost of £10,000.

The Dell

For over a century the Dell has been the home of Southampton Football Club, an integral part of the team's success.

The first game played in the dell was watched by 6,502 supporters to rapturous delight as they ran out 4 -1 winners over Brighton United on September 3rd 1898.
Winning ways followed as they reached the first of their four FA Cup Finals in 1989. The final main event however eluded the club each time yet the thirst for victory still loomed in the terraces.

The First World War took its toll on the Football Association, as many teams were broken up serving for the country. Southampton managed to stay afloat with the players not needed and made an impact immediately on Division There of the newly formed Football League. A year later the 1920 - 21 season ended on a high note as they were promoted to Division 2 of the same league.
This marked a 31 year professional career for the team, now officially dogged the Saints.

The dream of Division One football was finally realised in 1966 as Ted Bates managed the team to the runner up spot of Division Two, automatic promotion. A day that has befallen the heroes of that team ever since.

A rival to the success of promotion came 12 years later, in 1976 when Lawie McMenemys' team beat the odds on favourites Manchester United for the FA Cup, 1 - 0.

A few years later, after the shock signing of Kevin Keegan and the great Peter Shilton in goal the saints recorded their highest ever premier finish of second place just behind Liverpool. The FA Cup eluded the team however the same year after losing in the semi finals to Everton. This campaign had been one of the best and still today ranks as some of the best football played at the club.

Two decades later, with a range of mid table to near relegation finishes Southampton proudly moved back to their ‘spiritual home' at St Marys' Stadium in 2001. The 32,000 seater stadium sponsored by Friends Provident cost over £32m.

St. Marys

The good omens were all around at the new ground as in only the second season of the Premier League (formerly known as Division One), under Gordon Strachan they finished 8th and had their first taste at international football. The opening game in the UEFA Cup was a hard fought contest against Steaua Bucharest which ultimately saw their European romp cut short.

Gordon Strachan parted company with the team in February 2004, which saw a proverbial hot seat become an actual hot seat as managers stayed for fleeting periods attempting to change the downward spiral the team had started to descend down. The final manager Harry Redknapp was unable to transform the team and after 27 years of top flight football Southampton football club was relegated after finishing bottom of the Premier League.

As expected, on mass players left the club, but a reshuffle was needed to survive the recently formed Coca-Cola Championship (formerly Division Two). George Burley was given the chance to promote the team for the coming season. The first season in he managed a 12th place finishes with his second season roller-coasting into a sixth place spot, securing a playoff position. However losing to Derby after the second leg on penalties meant the team were forced a third season in the Coca Cola Championship. The unfortunate efforts to regain top flight position saw a few high profile players leave and a championship reshuffle once again.

The culmination of the reshuffle, a season on has seen The Chairman, Rupert Lowe reducing costs for survival and a Dutch duo Jon Poortvliet as Head Coach and Mark Wotte coming in as Academy Director.

A Southampton Legend

Matthew Le Tissier became a true fan favourite over the 443 appearance he made for the squad. From 1985 when he first signed for Saints he scored 161 goals up until his testimonial in May 2002. The season 1989 - 90 he received PFA Young Player of the year. A few years later in the 1994 - 95 season he won Club Player of the Year and Match of the Days' Goal of the Season award. Fittingly to end his career Le Tissier scored the last goal at the former ground, The Dell capping off a 3 -2 win over Arsenal, to the delight of the red army.

The Future

The Dutch duo have pledged to play total football, while giving the youth a chance by mixing style with steel. The future looks good for the club with young players such as Bradley Wright-Phillips playing competitive football for the first team. The Saints Academy, headed by Mark Wotte is consistently bringing stronger, faster and more competitive youth players through the ranks. The academy team has consecutively won the last four Academy Division titles. Some ex-players to leave the academy with high recommendations are Gareth Bale, Wayne Bridge and Theo Walcott.

The clubs history is firmly engrained within the city, with the future an apprehensive and exciting prospect for all fans and citizens. Even if football is not your favourite past time and sports teams are not your thing it is undeniable the connection our City has with our team. A bond that has and will stand the test of time.

(c) James Pleass, 2008