Sweaty Goal Everything about Football
Southampton Football Club is a professional football club based in Southampton, England. The club was founded in 1885 and is one of the oldest football clubs in England. Football Club has a rich history, which spans over 136 years.
| Club Name: | Southampton Football Club |
| Founded: | 21 November 1885 |
| Home Ground: | St Mary’s Stadium |
| Capacity: | 32,383 |
| League: | Premier League |
| President: | Sport Republic |
| Manager: | Rubén Sellés |
Southampton Football Club History and Birth
Southampton Football Club was formed in November 1885 by members of the St. Mary’s Church of England Young Men’s Association. Club’s first match was played on November 21, 1885, against local rivals Freemantle. The club played its early matches on the Common until they secured the Antelope Cricket Ground in 1887 as their first permanent home.
In 1896, the club moved to the newly-built Dell Stadium, which would remain their home for the next 103 years. During this time, the club’s fortunes fluctuated, with several promotions and relegations between the Southern League and the Western League.
Joining the Football League
In 1920, Southampton Football Club became a founding member of the Football League Third Division. The club had moderate success in the league, finishing in the top half of the table on several occasions. However, they struggled to mount a promotion challenge until 1959, when they finished as runners-up in the Third Division.
1960s were a successful period for Southampton, and they were promoted to the Second Division in 1960. Club’s progress continued, and they were promoted to the First Division in 1966, for the first time in their history.
Ups and Downs
Southampton’s success in the First Division was short-lived, as they were relegated after just one season. However, they bounced back and were promoted again in 1978, this time achieving their highest-ever league finish of second place in 1984.
The 1980s were a difficult period for Southampton, and they were relegated to the Second Division in 1982. However, the club bounced back and were promoted to the First Division in 1988. In the 1990-91 season, Southampton reached the final of the FA Cup, where they were beaten 1-0 by Tottenham Hotspur.
Southampton Football Club In Premier League
In 1992, Southampton became one of the founding members of the Premier League. The club had a successful period in the Premier League in the 1990s, finishing in the top half of the table on several occasions. During this time, the club also reached the final of the League Cup in 1992 and 1997, although they were beaten on both occasions.
However, in 2005, Southampton were relegated to the Championship. The club struggled in the Championship and were relegated again to League One in 2009. Southampton Football Club was on the verge of bankruptcy in 2009, but Markus Liebherr, a Swiss businessman, bought the club and saved it from going into administration.
Comeback
Southampton was able to stabilize their finances and win promotion back to the Championship in 2011. In the following season, the club achieved a second successive promotion back to the Premier League, finishing in second place behind champions Reading.
In the 2012-13 season, Southampton finished in 14th place, securing their Premier League status for another season. The club’s progress continued, and they finished in eighth place in the 2013-14 season, their highest finish in the Premier League since 2002.
