Southampton Football Club is a club that has recently made unwanted history. Their fate was sealed as they made Premier League history by becoming the first side to be relegated with seven matches remaining in the season. The club languished at the bottom for most of the 2023-2024 season. Their abysmal showing forced them to an attack of dispirited defeats that all but doomed them to relegation. With only five points from 16 home games, the team faces an uphill battle to recover from this unprecedented downturn.
Enforcement action triggered this decline to spiral out of control on April 6. Southampton’s 25th league defeat was against league leaders Tottenham Hotspur. Not only is this defeat a laugher, it is another important first for the club. It marks their lowest ever points tally for a single season and a new record for most losses ever in the top four divisions of English football.
A Season of Record-Breaking Defeats
Southampton’s campaign has been dogged by an incredible run of defeats. Following their defeat to Tottenham, they succumbed to a 3-0 loss against Aston Villa at St Mary’s Stadium on April 12. This match marked another low point in a campaign characterized by dismal results, with the club recording 25 defeats in just 31 matches.
The team then went on to set a disappointing milestone of their own. They are the third team ever not to win any of their first 31 league matches in a top-flight season. Their current goal difference is a stunning minus 54. This counting stat only reinforces the defensive struggles that they have faced all season long.
Southampton’s record-breaking misfortunes do not stop with their total losses. From March 12, 2023, until November 2, 2024, they set a new club record for futility with a painstaking 22 game winless streak. This streak is now the third-longest in Premier League history. This streak shatters the club’s previous record of 20 games and has taken a devastating toll on the team’s morale and place in the standings.
Home Struggles and Historical Context
And of all the hosts’ various home parks, none has seen Southampton perform so atrociously. The club has incredibly lost 13 matches at home so far this season. That’s right, they only recorded one victory during the stretch, roundly defeating Everton 4-0 at home on November 2. This recent lack of success at home has had supporters dumbfounded and optimistic, and time will tell which way the club is heading in.
With the season in contention, Southampton finds itself nearing an important milestone. They need just two more points from their last six matches to break the record for most points ever earned in a Premier League campaign. Current projections have them on pace to end the season with a measly 12 points. This forecast is based on their new projected points-per-game pace of 0.31.
After heavy financial problems during the 2004-2005 season, the club was invited to merge with FC St. And yet, through it all, they achieved remarkable success in maintaining their major-league standing. The mood is something altogether different as they steel themselves for life after the Premier League.
Looking Ahead
Though they have been relegated, the decision-making personnel at Southampton have big choices to make about the direction of the club. Rebuilding and regrouping after a long season will be key for them too. They are highly motivated to make an immediate return to Premier League.
The team’s rich history features an equally rich winless streak that dates back to September 22, 2007. That streak came to an end after 32 games. More than that, it reminds us all how swiftly fortunes can change in football.
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