Stephens: Southampton fell ´way short of expectations´ after relegation confirmed

Jack Stephens conceded Southampton person “fallen mode abbreviated of expectations” aft their relegation from the Premier League was confirmed aft decision to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Saints are the archetypal broadside successful the division’s past to beryllium relegated with 7 games inactive to play, arsenic a 3-1 nonaccomplishment astatine the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium consigned Ivan Juric’s broadside to an contiguous instrumentality to the Championship.

Having lone been relegated 2 times successful their archetypal 45 seasons successful the English apical flight, Southampton person present been relegated successful 2 successive Premier League campaigns.

They are besides the 3rd squad to suffer arsenic galore arsenic 25 of their archetypal 31 games of a top-flight season, aft Sunderland successful 2005-06 and Sheffield United successful 2020-21 (both besides 25).

Nevertheless, the visiting players received a tremendous reception from their travelling supporters aft the last whistle, albeit Saints skipper Stephens feels it was unjustified.

“I’ve ne'er experienced thing similar today. We didn’t merit the reception that we got astatine the extremity there,” helium told the club’s authoritative website.

“We cognize however frustrated they volition be. We cognize however disappointed and upset they’ll be, similar we are, but for them to beryllium truthful loud, truthful supportive.

“That doesn’t spell unnoticed successful the dressing room, and I’ll beryllium everlastingly grateful for that effect from them.

Today’s effect confirms our spot successful the Championship adjacent season. pic.twitter.com/Dt3NqqkoIt

— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) April 6, 2025

“Obviously, present it’s been confirmed, it’s truly pugnacious for america to take. We’re afloat alert that we’ve been obscurity adjacent bully capable this season, and we’re truly disappointed successful the dressing country that we weren’t capable to bash ourselves justness this season.

“We had truly precocious expectations, we were precise demanding of each other, but we’ve fallen good abbreviated of expectations.”

Ivan Juric besides saluted Southampton’s fans for their “exceptional” enactment during a hard campaign.

The caput manager believes the players tin usage their backing arsenic information to unafraid an contiguous instrumentality to the Premier League adjacent season.

“We cognize it’s a pugnacious moment, a atrocious moment,” helium said. “But successful different way, I deliberation the aboriginal of Southampton volition beryllium great, with the fans.

“All this play – a atrocious play – they were exceptional. “We are relegated, but they person shown a batch to their club, to the players they have.

“I deliberation it has to beryllium truly motivating for everybody to make thing truly good; overmuch stronger than we created this year.

“We are disappointed. What went wrong? Did we springiness everything that we tin successful this 1 year, oregon tin we bash immoderate things better? It has to beryllium a large schoolhouse for everybody.”