It’s been a turbulent time for Southampton since the arrival of The Sport Republic.

Since Dragan Solak took over as chairman of the St Mary’s-based side over five years ago, Saints have suffered two relegations, as well as a promotion and expulsion from the Championship play-off final.

But there is a spirit of unity in his fifth full season owning the club that wasn’t there in the prior four seasons. Solak has put together a side that looks scary at Championship level, backed a head coach that Saints fans admire following his success last year and look like promotion hopefuls once more.

But the last time they were promoted under Russell Martin, Saints came within a whisker of recording the lowest points total in Premier League history, finishing on 12 after 30 defeats in 38 games. If Southampton can be promoted this season that will have to alter.

Southampton’s transfer dealings in 2024/25 did little to give them hope of staying up in the Premier League

The three teams that were recently promoted to the top tier were immediately relegated back down, while Southampton were promoted to the Premier League during the 2023/24 campaign. Luton Town finished 18th with a paltry 26 points. Sheffield United surrendered 104 goals.

This came near the pinnacle of the assumption that Championship sides would struggle immediately and there’s a case to be made that the Saints hierarchy had one eye on being back in the second tier in 12 months and brought in players who could improve their position last season.

The likes of Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Flynn Downes all won promotion under Russell Martin and made permanent moves that summer, while the likes of Cameron Archer, Ben Brereton Diaz and Nathan Wood were all prospective top-end Championship players.

They didn’t sign Aaron Ramsdale until the last day of the transfer window and even he couldn’t prevent the club going under.

In the end, only Mateus Fernandes truly managed to keep his permanent Premier League status after Southampton’s relegation, and Saints were able to get £40 million back for his services.

Southampton fan pundit wants to see club culture improve if they gain promotion this year

FLW’s Southampton fan pundit Louis Harris saw the transfer business in the summer of 2024 as them almost waving the white flag, while in fact the likes of Leeds United, Sunderland, Ipswich Town and Hull City have shown you can attract quality to try and stay in the top flight in your first season back.

Harris hopes the culture can change and Sport Republic can exploit the club’s Premier League standing to lure the best players when they again grace the top level. ““The biggest change I’d make to the way that Southampton is run is that when we got promoted last time we tried to be a bit too clever with signings and it felt as if we were preparing for the worst before the season started,” Louis told FLW.Russell Martin came out and said the players we are getting would be a decent option in the chance we got relegated so I’d like us to maybe shift that thinking a bit.We are one of the longest-serving top-flight clubs in history and I’d like to keep that approach.

Southampton have spent more time in the top flight of the English pyramid than any other tier, and before their relegation in 2022/23 they had spent 11 seasons in a row at that level.

Southampton’s seasons in each level of the pyramid

grade

Seasons: 5

Top tier

47

2nd Division

40

Third Level

12

They can use that stature to go out and pursue top players and not have to take chances with every acquisition that they make, something which he feels the club have done effectively with their business in the Championship since they came back down.He added: “I like the signings now, we are not trying to be too clever or too data specific with it. “But maybe we need a little bit more change in mentality back to being an established Premier League club.

Southampton have been busy in the transfer market since their relegation from the Premier League

Having been relegated from the Premier League before last season, Southampton have made the most of their status and financial power as a parachute payment side.

Especially last year when they managed to sign some of the most creative players from the year before in Finn Azaz and Tom Fellows and lured several from Bundesliga sides in Caspar Jander, Leo Scienza and Damion Downs – with mixed results, however.

There is also the near-£9 million signing of Lewis Dobbin, who thrived at the level the year before for Preston, for example, fending off rival Championship frontrunners for the signing this summer, which is a sign of just great business for the level.

Southampton would be prudent to go after players that they know can make an immediate impact, rather than some who might…but might not if they do go one better than last season and win promotion back up to the Premier League. And that’s what Sport Republic will have to accomplish if they are to get Saints back to being a top-flight side.