List of Southampton F.C. seasons

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Southampton Football Club, an English association football club based in Southampton, Hampshire, was founded in 1885 as St. Mary's Y.M.A. For almost six years the club took no part in any official competitions at national level, playing only friendlies and local tournaments, including the Hampshire Senior Cup. St Mary's first entered the FA Cup in the 1891–92 season, and in 1894 under the name Southampton St Mary's joined the newly founded Southern Football League.

Contents

Chart of Southampton Performances Southampton FC League Performance.svg
Chart of Southampton Performances

The club changed its name to simply Southampton at the start of the 1896–97 season, and quickly established themselves as the primary force in football in the South of England, winning the Southern League three times in a row. The club also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 1898, losing the replay 2–0 to Nottingham Forest after a 1–1 draw. The Saints continued to dominate the league into the 20th century, claiming the championship again in 1901, 1903 and 1904, before joining the Football League Third Division as a founding member in 1920, following the absorption of the Southern League. Southampton were almost instantly promoted to the Second Division, completing the feat as champions in the 1921–22 season.

Southampton found life in the second flight of English football difficult, as they remained a mid-bottom table side throughout the seasons played before and immediately after the Second World War, before they were ultimately relegated back to the Third Division in 1953. Promoted as champions again in 1960, Southampton performed well in the following ten years, reaching the quarter-final stage in the newly created League Cup in 1961 and earning promotion to Division One in 1966 as division runners-up. The club received its first taste of continental football in the 1969–70 season when they competed in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, although were knocked out in the first round. Despite suffering relegation back to Division Two in 1974, Southampton achieved a surprise victory in the 1976 FA Cup Final against Manchester United to win the trophy for the first and only time in the club's history. This success was topped off two seasons later when the club regained its First Division place.

The 1983–84 season was Southampton's most successful in terms of league position, when the club finished second in the top flight to Liverpool, missing out on the championship by just three points. In the 1990s, the club largely struggled to get out of the bottom third of the table, although they reached the advanced stages of the FA Cup and League Cup on a number of occasions and also played in the Full Members Cup final in 1992. The club became founder members of the Premier League in 1992 but continued their disappointing performances, despite reaching the 2003 FA Cup Final against Arsenal and losing to a single goal. Southampton were relegated to the Championship in the 2004–05 season, and were quickly relegated again following off-the-pitch problems in 2009. In their first season in League One, Southampton won the League Trophy with an emphatic 4–1 win against Carlisle United. The following season, Southampton were promoted to the Championship as runners-up in League One.

As of the end of the 2023–24 season, the club have spent 46 seasons in the top division of English football, 40 in the second, and 11 in the third.

The table details their achievements in all national and international first team competitions, and records their manager, the top goalscorer, the player with the most league appearances and the average home league attendance, for each completed season since their first appearance in the FA Cup in 1891–92.

Competitions

The club has participated in the following leagues:

The club has participated in the following other first-team tournaments:

Key

1st or WWinners
2nd or RURunners-up
Promoted
Relegated

Seasons

SeasonLeague record [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] FA Cup [6] EFL Cup [lower-alpha 1] Europe / OtherManager(s)Top goalscorer(s) [lower-alpha 2] Most league
appearances [lower-alpha 3]
Average
attendance [lower-alpha 4]
DivisionPldWDLGFGAPtsPosPlayer(s)GoalsPlayer(s)Apps.
1891–92 N/A2Q [lower-alpha 5] Jock Fleming
Ernie Nicholls
3N/A
1892–93 N/A2Q Cecil Knight Bob Kiddle 3N/A
1893–94 N/A2Q Ernie Nicholls
Ernie Taylor
Herbert Ward
1N/A
1894–95 SL Div 1 [lower-alpha 6] 169253425203rdR1 Charles Baker 12 Alf Littlehales 16
1895–96 1812064423243rdR1 Charles Robson Jack Farrell 14 Charles Baker
Samuel Meston
18
1896–97 2015506318351stR2 Alfred McMinn Jack Farrell 20 Robert Buchanan
George Clawley
Jack Farrell
William McMillan
20
1897–98 2218135318371stSF Ernest Arnfield Robert Buchanan 16 George Clawley
Harry Haynes
Samuel Meston
22
1898–99 2415545424351stR2 Abe Hartley
Harry Wood
16 Jack Robinson
Harry Wood
24
1899–1900 28171107033353rd RU [lower-alpha 7] Alf Milward 28 Alf Milward 28
1900–01 2818555826411stR1 Edgar Chadwick 15 Samuel Meston
Alf Milward
George Molyneux
28
1901–02 3018667128423rd RU [lower-alpha 8] Albert Brown 29 Tommy Bowman
Bert Lee
George Molyneux
27
1902–03 3020828320481stR1 Fred Harrison 17 Bert Lee 29
1903–04 3422667530501stR2 Fred Harrison 27 Tommy Bowman
George Molyneux
34
1904–05 3418795440433rdQF Edgar Bluff 13 Bert Lee 33
1905–06 3419785839452ndQF Harry Brown
Fred Harrison
14 Fred Mouncher 32
1906–07 381391649563511thR2 Fred Harrison 12 George Clawley 37
1907–08 381661651603811thSF Frank Costello 12 Frank Thorpe 35
1908–09 401910116758483rdR1 Arthur Hughes 15 Jack Eastham 37
1909–10 421616106455485thR2 Charlie McGibbon 20 Tom Burrows
Frank Jefferis
41
1910–11 381181942673017thR1 Harry Brown
Martin Dunne
9 Jack Eastham 34
1911–12 3810111746633116thR1 George Swift Henry Hamilton 9 John Denby
Jim McAlpine
33
1912–13 3810111740723116thR1 Ernest Arnfield Percy Prince 11 Sid Ireland 38
1913–14 381571655543711thR1 Arthur Dominy 13 Len Andrews 37
1914–15 38195147874436thR3 Arthur Dominy 30 Arthur Dominy 37
The Southern League and FA Cup were suspended until after the First World War.
1919–20 SL Div 1 42188167263448thR3 Jimmy McIntyre Arthur Dominy 20 Joe Barratt
Arthur Dominy
Jimmy Moore
41
1920–21 Div 3 42191676428542ndR3 Jimmy McIntyre Bill Rawlings 22 Fred Foxall
Jimmy Moore
Bill Turner
42
1921–22 Div 3(S) 4223154682161 1st R2 Bill Rawlings 32 Tommy Allen
Bert Shelley
Fred Titmuss
42
1922–23 Div 2 4214141440404211thQF Arthur Dominy 17 Bert Shelley 42
1923–24 421714115231485thR3 Bill Rawlings 21 Tommy Allen
Bert Shelley
42
1924–25 421318114036447thSF Jimmy McIntyre
George Goss
Bill Rawlings 16 Bill Rawlings
Bert Shelley
41
1925–26 421581963633814thR3 Arthur Chadwick Bill Rawlings 20 Stan Woodhouse 37
1926–27 4215121560624213thSF Bill Rawlings 28 Tommy Allen
Michael Keeping
42
1927–28 421472168773517thR3 Bill Rawlings 21 George Harkus 41
1928–29 421714117460484thR3 Willie Haines 16 Bert Shelley 41
1929–30 421711147776457thR3 Dick Rowley 26 Willie White 40
1930–31 42196177462449thR3 Willie Haines 15 Arthur Bradford
Bert Jepson
39
1931–32 421771866774114thR3 George Kay Johnny Arnold 20 Bill Adams 42
1932–33 421851966664112thR3 Ted Drake 20 Bill Luckett 42
1933–34 421581954583814thR3 Ted Drake 23 Dick Neal 41
1934–35 4211121946753419thR4 Laurie Fishlock 9 Fred Tully 40
1935–36 421491947653717thR3 Vic Watson 14 Charlie Sillett 42
1936–37 4211121953773419thR3 George Goss
Tom Parker
Jimmy Dunne 14 Billy Kingdon
Charlie Sillett
41
1937–38 421591855773915thR3 Tom Parker Harry Osman 22 Harry Osman 40
1938–39 421392056823518thR3 Fred Briggs 14 Billy Bevis
Harry Brophy
Sam Warhurst
37
1939–40 Div 2 [lower-alpha 9] 3102562 17th N/AN/AN/A
The Football League and FA Cup were suspended until after the Second World War.
1945–46 The Football League was not resumed in 1945–46 due to planning difficulties from the war.R4 Arthur Dominy
Bill Dodgin
Jack Bradley
Doug McGibbon
2N/AN/A
1946–47 Div 2 421591869763914thR4 Bill Dodgin Jack Bradley
George Lewis
15 Bill Rochford 4116,039
1947–48 422110117153523rdQF Charlie Wayman 19 Alf Ramsey 42
1948–49 42239106936553rdR3 Charlie Wayman 32 Eric Webber 42
1949–50 42191496448524thR3 Sid Cann Charlie Wayman 26 George Curtis
Eric Webber
42
1950–51 4215131466734312thR4 Eddy Brown 22 Joe Mallett 42
1951–52 4215111661734113thR3 Sid Cann
George Roughton
Eddy Brown 12 Eric Day 42
1952–53 42101319688533 21stR5 George Roughton Frank Dudley 15 Eric Day 42
1953–54 Div 3(S) 46227177663516thR1 Eric Day 27 Eric Day 46
1954–55 462411117551593rdR2 Eric Day 29 Tommy Traynor
Len Wilkins
46
1955–56 461882091814414th [lower-alpha 10] R2 Ted Bates Eric Day 29 Eric Day 45
1956–57 462210147652544thR3 Derek Reeves 21 Pat Parker 46
1957–58 4622101411272546thR2 Southern Floodlit Cup R1 Derek Reeves 35 Terry Paine 44
1958–59 Div 3 4617111888804514th [lower-alpha 10] R3 Southern Floodlit Cup R2 Derek Reeves 17 Terry Paine 46
1959–60 46269111067561 1st R4 Southern Floodlit Cup SF Derek Reeves 45 Ron Davies
Terry Paine
Derek Reeves
46
1960–61 Div 2 42188168481448thR4QF George O'Brien 27 Terry Paine 42
1961–62 42189157762456thR3R1 George O'Brien 30 Brian Clifton
Cliff Huxford
Tony Knapp
42
1962–63 421781772674211thSFR2 George O'Brien 30 Tony Knapp
George O'Brien
Terry Paine
42
1963–64 421991410073475thR3R2 Martin Chivers
Terry Paine
22 Cliff Huxford 42
1964–65 421714118363484thR4R3 George O'Brien 37 Terry Paine 42
1965–66 42221010855654 2ndR3R3 Martin Chivers 33 John Sydenham 41
1966–67 Div 1 421462274923419thR4R3 Ron Davies 43 Martin Chivers
Jimmy Melia
Terry Paine
42
1967–68 4213111866833716thR4R2 Ron Davies 28 Terry Paine 41
1968–69 421613135748457thR4QF Ron Davies 24 Terry Paine 42
1969–70 426171946672919thR4R2 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup R3 Mick Channon 21 Mick Channon
Jimmy Gabriel
39
1970–71 421712135644467thR5R2 Ron Davies 21 Mick Channon
Hugh Fisher
Joe Kirkup
Brian O'Neil
42
1971–72 421272352803119thR3R3 UEFA Cup R1 Mick Channon 17 Mick Channon
Eric Martin
42
1972–73 4211181347524013thR3R3 Mick Channon 18 Hugh Fisher
Eric Martin
42
1973–74 42111417476836 20thR5R4 Ted Bates
Lawrie McMenemy
Mick Channon 23 Hugh Fisher 42
1974–75 Div 2 4215111653544113thR3R4 Texaco Cup RU Lawrie McMenemy Mick Channon 24 Mick Channon
Peter Osgood
40
1975–76 42217146650496th W R2 Mick Channon 25 Mick Channon 42
1976–77 42171015726744 9th R5 R2 FA Charity Shield RU Ted MacDougall 26 Mick Channon 40
European Cup Winners' Cup QF
1977–78 4222137703957 2ndR4R3 Phil Boyer 19 Alan Ball
Phil Boyer
Mike Pickering
41
1978–79 Div 1 4212161447534014thQF RU Phil Boyer 16 Alan Ball
Phil Boyer
Malcolm Waldron
42
1979–80 42189156553458thR3R3 Phil Boyer 25 Phil Boyer 42
1980–81 422010127656506thR5R2 Steve Moran 20 Mick Channon
Chris Nicholl
42
1981–82 42199147267667thR3R2 UEFA Cup R2 Kevin Keegan 30 David Armstrong
Kevin Keegan
41
1982–83 4215121554585712thR3R4 UEFA Cup R1 Danny Wallace 13 Chris Nicholl 42
1983–84 42221196638772nd [lower-alpha 11] SFR3 Steve Moran 25 David Armstrong
Nick Holmes
Peter Shilton
42
1984–85 421911125647685thR5R4 UEFA Cup R1 Steve Moran 18 Mick Mills 42
1985–86 4212102051624614thSFR4 Chris Nicholl David Armstrong 15 David Armstrong 41
1986–87 4214101869685212thR3SF Colin Clarke 22 Glenn Cockerill 42
1987–88 4012141449535012thR4R2 Colin Clarke 17 Colin Clarke 40
1988–89 3810151352664513thR3QF Rod Wallace 14 Rod Wallace 38
1989–90 381510137163557thR5QF Matthew Le Tissier 24 Rod Wallace 38
1990–91 381291758694514thR5QF Matthew Le Tissier 23 Barry Horne 3815,413
1991–92 4214101839555216thQFR4 Full Members Cup RU Ian Branfoot Alan Shearer 18 Tim Flowers
Alan Shearer
4114,070
1992–93 Premier League 4213111854615018thR3R3 Matthew Le Tissier 18 Tim Flowers 4215,148
1993–94 421272349664318thR3R2 Ian Branfoot
Alan Ball
Matthew Le Tissier 25 Jeff Kenna
Neil Maddison
4114,751
1994–95 4212181261635410thR5R3 Alan Ball Matthew Le Tissier 29 Jim Magilton 4214,685
1995–96 389111834523817thQFR4 Dave Merrington Neil Shipperley 12 Jason Dodd
Neil Shipperley
3714,820
1996–97 3810111750564116thR3QF Graeme Souness Matthew Le Tissier 17 Jim Magilton 3715,099
1997–98 381461850554812thR3R4 Dave Jones Matthew Le Tissier 14 Paul Jones 3815,159
1998–99 381181937644117thR3R2 Egil Østenstad 8 James Beattie 3515,140
1999–2000 381281845624415thR4R4 Dave Jones
Glenn Hoddle
Marian Pahars 13 Dean Richards 3515,132
2000–01 3814101440485210thR5R3 Glenn Hoddle James Beattie 12 Wayne Bridge
Claus Lundekvam
3815,115
2001–02 381291746544511thR3R3 Stuart Gray
Gordon Strachan
Marian Pahars 16 Wayne Bridge 3830,633 [lower-alpha 12]
2002–03 381313124346528th RU R3 Gordon Strachan James Beattie 24 James Beattie 3830,680
2003–04 3812111544454712thR3QF UEFA Cup R1 Gordon Strachan
Paul Sturrock
James Beattie 17 James Beattie
Paul Telfer
3731,716
2004–05 3861418456632 20thQFR4 Paul Sturrock
Steve Wigley
Harry Redknapp
Peter Crouch 16 Rory Delap 3730,609
2005–06 Champ 4613191449505812thR5R4 Harry Redknapp
George Burley
Ricardo Fuller 9 Danny Higginbotham 3723,613
2006–07 462112137753756thR4R3 George Burley Grzegorz Rasiak 21 Chris Baird 4423,556
2007–08 4613151856725420thR5R1 George Burley
Nigel Pearson
Stern John 19 Stern John
Andrew Surman
4021,081
2008–09 46101521466945 23rdR3R3 Jan Poortvliet
Mark Wotte
David McGoldrick 14 Kelvin Davis
David McGoldrick
4618,149
2009–10 League 1 46231498547737thR5R2 Football League Trophy W Alan Pardew Rickie Lambert 36 Rickie Lambert 4520,108
2010–11 4628810863892 2ndR4R2 Football League Trophy R1 Alan Pardew
Dean Wilkins
Nigel Adkins
Rickie Lambert 21 Kelvin Davis 4621,726
2011–12 Champ 46261010854688 2ndR4R4 Nigel Adkins Rickie Lambert 31 Jack Cork 4626,420
2012–13 Premier League 389141549604114thR3R4 Nigel Adkins
Mauricio Pochettino
Rickie Lambert 15 Rickie Lambert 3830,874
2013–14 381511125446568thR5R4 Mauricio Pochettino Jay Rodriguez 17 Adam Lallana 3830,211
2014–15 38186145433607thR4QF Ronald Koeman Graziano Pellè 16 Graziano Pellè 3830,652
2015–16 38189115941636thR3R5 Europa League PO Sadio Mané 15 José Fonte 3730,750
2016–17 381210164148468th R4 RU Europa League GS Claude Puel Charlie Austin 9 Fraser Forster 3830,936
2017–18 387151637563617th SF R2 Mauricio Pellegrino
Mark Hughes
Charlie Austin
Dušan Tadić
7 Dušan Tadić 3630,793
2018–19 389121745653916th R3 R4 Mark Hughes
Ralph Hasenhüttl
Nathan Redmond 9 Nathan Redmond 3829,365
2019–20 381571651605211th R4 R4 Ralph Hasenhüttl Danny Ings 25 Danny Ings
James Ward-Prowse
3829,500
2020–21 381271947684315th SF R2 Danny Ings 13 James Ward-Prowse 38N/A [lower-alpha 13]
2021–22 389131643674015th QF R4 James Ward-Prowse 10 James Ward-Prowse
Oriol Romeu
3629,884
2022–23 386725367325 20th R5 SF Ralph Hasenhüttl
Nathan Jones
Rubén Sellés
James Ward-Prowse 9 James Ward-Prowse 3828,283
2023–24 Champ 4626911876387 4th [lower-alpha 14] R5 R1 Russell Martin Adam Armstrong 21 Adam Armstrong 4628,642

Overall (since 1920–21)

Notes

  1. The EFL Cup competition started in the 1960–61 season.
  2. Includes goals scored in the Southern League, The Football League and the Premier League and the other first-team tournaments as listed above.
  3. Includes substitute appearances. Bold indicates "ever-present".
  4. League matches only (including Southern League, Football League and Premier League).
  5. Reached Second qualifying round, where they defeated Reading 7–0 but were disqualified for fielding ineligible players.
  6. Founder member of the Southern League.
  7. Southampton's first appearance in the Cup Final, a 4–0 defeat to First Division side Bury.
  8. Southampton's second appearance in the Cup Final, a 2–1 replay defeat to First Division side Sheffield United.
  9. The 1939–40 season was abandoned in early September and all results annulled.
  10. 1 2 Lowest League finish.
  11. Highest League finish.
  12. 2001–02 season was the inaugural season at St Mary's Stadium.
  13. All league fixtures bar one of the 2020–21 season were played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.
  14. Won in the play-off final to Leeds United, 1–0

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References

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  2. "Southampton". Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 14 June 2008. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  3. "Southampton History 1918 to 1945". statto.com. Archived from the original on 27 March 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  4. "Southampton History 1945 to 1975". statto.com. Archived from the original on 1 March 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  5. "Southampton History 1975 to date". statto.com. Archived from the original on 1 March 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  6. "The FA Cup Archive". The Football Association . Retrieved 18 November 2012. Individual seasons accessed via dropdown menu.