Southampton FC was formed in 1885 by St. Mary’s church members, which gave rise to the nickname “The Saints,” which is associated with the club today. The club was initially called The St Mary’s Young Men’s Association upon being founded. However, after winning the Southern League in 1897, it was renamed Southampton FC. The following year, The Saints moved to the Dell stadium, which became their permanent home ground for a century. Since 2001, they now play their home matches at St Mary’s Stadium.
Exploits, Achievements, and Trophies
The Saints followed up their 1987 Southern League win with consecutive titles until 1904, except for 1902. During that period, they reached two FA Cup finals against Bury and Sheffield United, although both ended in defeat. The Saints eventually joined the Third Division in 1920, advancing to the Second Division the following year.
The club’s first appearance in the first division came in 1966, with an eight-year stay in the top division following. During this period, they experienced their first taste of European football with unsuccessful exploits in the UEFA Cup and Inter-Cities Fair Cup. The first major Trophy came in 1976, two years after their first relegation from the First Division, beating Manchester United against all odds to claim the FA Cup title.
Southampton FC returned to the top of English competition two years after the great FA Cup win, posting a longer stint until a second relegation in 2005. They most notably came second in the 1984 season to Liverpool FC. This period gave rise to Southampton’s most iconic player, Matt Le Tissier, who spent his entire career with the club, scoring 161 goals in 456 matches.
This iconic football club is also credited as being the first English club to go on a South American tour. They started with a succession of games against Argentina, which they won by an aggregate of 29-4. The resounding win was followed by a match against Uruguay best 11, which ended 8-1 in favor of The Saints, capping off a successful tour.
Modern-Day Club
The Saints experienced a difficult financial period after successive relegation from 2005 to League One in 2009. This led to the sale of the club to business mogul Marcus Liebherr in 2010. The change of fortune led to back-to-back promotions and a return to the Premier League two years later. The club is owned by Sport Republic Limited and Katherina Liebherr, daughter of the now-deceased owner.
Southampton FC were briefly relegated in the 2022-23 season. However, they made a swift return and are primed to feature once more in the top competition of English football. The Saints will return to the top flight with matches away to Newcastle United on August 17th and their first home game of the season against Nottingham Forest on August 24th. Picks and predictions for these and other Southampton matches are available On SportyTrader. You’ll also get insights on the top places to get the best odds.
Southampton FC is one of the more famous names in English football. The South East London team is steeped in history dating back to the early days of competitive football in England. They have been a main feature in the top division of English football over the years, with legendary players like Kevin Kegan and Matt Le Tissier donning the red and white stripe jersey.
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