2011–12 Southampton F.C. Season
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The 2011–12 season was
Southampton F.C. Southampton Football Club is a professional football club based in Southampton, Hampshire, England. The club competes in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. Their home ground since 2001 has been St Mary's Stadium, befor ...
's 72nd and seventh consecutive season in
The Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, it is the oldest football league in the world, and was the top-level football league in England from ...
, and their first in the
Championship In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion. Championship systems Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship. Title match system In this sys ...
since 2009. Having achieved promotion the previous season, the club were looking to retain their place in the second tier of English football and make progress towards their long-term aim of returning to the
Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
. The 2011–12 season was the first with new sponsor aap3, a Southampton-based company providing "business and IT solutions". Southampton began their pre-season preparations in July with a two-game tour of Switzerland, in a similar fashion to the 2010–11 season. Later in the month, the club held the first edition of the Markus Liebherr Memorial Cup, inviting European teams to compete in a tournament in honour of former owner
Markus Liebherr Markus Liebherr (30 March 1948 – 10 August 2010) was a German-born Swiss businessman and a member of one of Europe's top family business dynasties. He was a Switzerland, Swiss entrepreneur and owner of MALI International AG, which he founded in ...
. Additional friendlies followed before the league began on 6 August 2011. Southampton were relatively active in the summer transfer window, purchasing three new players, selling three and releasing five: midfielder
Jack Cork Jack Frank Porteous Cork (born 25 June 1989) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for and captained club Burnley, where he is also employed as the assistant manager of the clubs under-21 team. He played fo ...
, winger Steve De Ridder and defender
Danny Fox Daniel Fox (born 29 May 1986) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for Winsford Town in the Cheshire Football League. He represented England at under-21 international level, has since been selected for Scotland national team ...
made the move to St Mary's for undisclosed fees, while midfielder Oscar Gobern and defender Joseph Mills departed the club, and winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was sold to Arsenal for a club record £15 million in August. In the winter 2012 window, the Saints purchased strikers Tadanari Lee (the club's first Japanese player ever) and
Billy Sharp Billy Louis Sharp (born 5 February 1986) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for club Doncaster Rovers. Sharp has played for Sheffield United, Rushden & Diamonds, Scunthorpe United, Southampton, Nottingham Forest, Re ...
, and made defender Jack Saville's loan move to
Barnet Barnet may refer to: People *Barnet (surname) *Barnet (given name) Places United Kingdom *Chipping Barnet or High Barnet, commonly known as Barnet, one of three focal towns of the borough below. *East Barnet, a district of the borough below; anc ...
final. In April 2012, three Southampton players – goalkeeper Kelvin Davis, midfielder
Adam Lallana Adam David Lallana ( ; born 10 May 1988) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for club Southampton, and is also interim assistant manager at the club. Lallana began his youth career with AFC Bournemouth b ...
, and striker
Rickie Lambert Rickie Lee Lambert (born 16 February 1982) is an English former professional footballer who is currently an Academy Youth Development Coach at Wigan Athletic. A striker, Lambert was known for his large stature and physical performances, drawin ...
– were named in the
PFA Team of the Year The Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year (often called the PFA Team of the Year, or simply the Team of the Year) is an annual award given to a set of 55 footballers across the top four tiers of men's Football in England, En ...
for the Championship. After the last game of the season on 28 April 2012, Southampton achieved Premier League as the runners-up of the Championship, just one point behind champions
Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete ...
. Thus, they repeated the feat that
Norwich City Norwich City Football Club is a professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk, England. The club competes in the Championship, the second tier of English football. The club was founded in 1902. Since 1935, Norwich have played their h ...
had done a year before, achieve back-to-back promotions.


Pre-season

Southampton's first pre-season game was at Swiss club
Biel-Bienne Biel/Bienne (official bilingual wording; German language, German: ''Biel'' ; French language, French: ''Bienne'' ; Bernese German, locally ; ; ; ) is a bilingual city in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. With over 55,000 residents, it is the ...
on 13 July. The visitors quickly built a two-goal advantage following a pair of
David Connolly David James Connolly (born 6 June 1977) is a former professional footballer who played as a striker. He played for various clubs including Feyenoord and Excelsior in the Netherlands as well as Wigan Athletic and Sunderland in the Premier League ...
headers, but the home side drew level shortly after half-time and took the lead in the last ten minutes. The Saints managed to equalise a minute later though, with winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scoring the final goal of the match to make the score 3–3. In the second match of their Swiss tour, Southampton lost 1–0 to St. Gallen, following a second half goal from Kristian Nushi. On 23 July 2011, Southampton competed in the inaugural Markus Liebherr Memorial Cup, a friendly tournament established in honour of former club owner
Markus Liebherr Markus Liebherr (30 March 1948 – 10 August 2010) was a German-born Swiss businessman and a member of one of Europe's top family business dynasties. He was a Switzerland, Swiss entrepreneur and owner of MALI International AG, which he founded in ...
. The other participants in the Memorial Cup were Spanish club
Athletic Bilbao Athletic Club (; ), commonly known as Athletic Bilbao (), or simply Athletic, is a professional Football club (association football), football club based in the city of Bilbao in the Southern Basque Country, Basque Country, Spain. They are known ...
and German club
Werder Bremen Sportverein Werder Bremen von 1899 e. V. (), commonly known as Werder Bremen, Werder or simply Bremen, is a German professional sports club based in Bremen. Founded on 4 February 1899, Werder are best known for their professional association foo ...
. Described as a "unique triangular cup competition", each club played one another and points determined the winners of the tournament. Southampton won their first match conclusively, beating Bremen 3–0 with goals from David Connolly, Guly do Prado and
Adam Lallana Adam David Lallana ( ; born 10 May 1988) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for club Southampton, and is also interim assistant manager at the club. Lallana began his youth career with AFC Bournemouth b ...
in the first half. Bilbao also beat Bremen, with a 2–1 scoreline, and managed to beat the host club in the deciding match by two goals, preventing the Saints from winning the first edition of the Memorial Cup. Back in England, the Saints played their first full friendly of the season at St Mary's against
Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
club
West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich Albion Football Club (), commonly known as West Brom or The Albion, is a professional association football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the Englis ...
. The game ended in a 2–2 draw, after a double from Albion striker Simon Cox was matched by goals from midfielder
Jack Cork Jack Frank Porteous Cork (born 25 June 1989) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for and captained club Burnley, where he is also employed as the assistant manager of the clubs under-21 team. He played fo ...
and striker
Rickie Lambert Rickie Lee Lambert (born 16 February 1982) is an English former professional footballer who is currently an Academy Youth Development Coach at Wigan Athletic. A striker, Lambert was known for his large stature and physical performances, drawin ...
in the second half. Southampton's final pre-season game of the season three days later ended in the same scoreline, with the Saints and
Yeovil Town Yeovil Town may refer to: * Yeovil, a town in Somerset, England, with a council named Yeovil Town * Yeovil Town F.C., an English football team based in Yeovil, Somerset * Yeovil Town W.F.C., an English women's football team affiliated with Yeovil T ...
sharing four goals equally. David Connolly put the visitors 1–0 up just before half-time, but in the second period Yeovil equalised with a penalty from former Southampton player
Paul Wotton Paul Anthony Wotton (born 17 August 1977) is an English former professional footballer who is the manager of Torquay United. Having begun his career with his home-town side, Wotton went on to become the club's most successful captain as they ...
. Saints striker
Jonathan Forte Jonathan Ronald James Forte (born 25 July 1986) is a former professional footballer who played as a striker. Born in Sheffield, he represented Barbados at international level. Forte's first professional contract came with his home town club ...
scored an impressive solo goal later on, but this was again cancelled out by the home side thanks to a goal from
Andy Williams Howard Andrew Williams (December 3, 1927 – September 25, 2012) was an American singer. He recorded 43 albums in his career, of which 15 have been gold certified and three platinum certified. He was also nominated for six Grammy Awards. He hos ...
.


Championship


August–September 2011

In their first game of the season on 6 August 2011, Southampton beat
Leeds United Leeds United Football Club is a professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The team compete in the Premier League, the top tier of the English football league system. Leeds United have won the League Championship th ...
3–1. The home side opened the scoring after ten minutes, with captain
Dean Hammond Dean John Hammond (born 7 March 1983) is an English former professional footballer and is a coach at National League South club Worthing. He previously played in the Football League for Brighton & Hove Albion, Leyton Orient, Colchester United, ...
scoring a solo goal; this lead was doubled just 15 minutes later by
Adam Lallana Adam David Lallana ( ; born 10 May 1988) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for club Southampton, and is also interim assistant manager at the club. Lallana began his youth career with AFC Bournemouth b ...
, converting an assist from striker
Rickie Lambert Rickie Lee Lambert (born 16 February 1982) is an English former professional footballer who is currently an Academy Youth Development Coach at Wigan Athletic. A striker, Lambert was known for his large stature and physical performances, drawin ...
. Shortly after the break,
David Connolly David James Connolly (born 6 June 1977) is a former professional footballer who played as a striker. He played for various clubs including Feyenoord and Excelsior in the Netherlands as well as Wigan Athletic and Sunderland in the Premier League ...
scored the Saints' third, but the clean sheet was denied in the very last minute of play when
Max Gradel Max-Alain Gradel (born 30 November 1987) is an Ivorian professional Association football, footballer who plays as a winger (association football), winger. Gradel received his first call-up to the Ivory Coast national team in November 2010. He ma ...
scored a
penalty Penalty, The Penalty, Penalization, Penalisation, Penalize or Penalise may refer to: Sports * Foul (sports) ** Penalty (golf) ** Penalty (gridiron football) ** Penalty (ice hockey) ** Penalty (rugby) ** Penalty (rugby union) ** Penalty kick (assoc ...
following a handball by defender Aaron Martin. Southampton made it two wins out of two a week later, as they beat
Barnsley Barnsley () is a market town in South Yorkshire, England. It is the main settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley and the fourth largest settlement in South Yorkshire. The town's population was 71,422 in 2021, while the wider boroug ...
by a solitary goal in their first away game of the season. The visitors took the lead after half an hour, as David Connolly scored for the second game running after a defensive error by the hosts. The Saints were dominant for most of the rest of the game, but could only hold on with one goal for the win, which was slightly soured by the dismissal of midfielder
Richard Chaplow Richard David Chaplow (born 2 February 1985) is an English retired professional footballer and coach who was most recently the head coach of USL Championship side Orange County SC. He is a former England under-21 international. Club career Bu ...
, who had only been on the pitch for 15 minutes. Following the win, Southampton moved from second to first in the Championship league table. Southampton travelled to
Portman Road Portman Road is a association football, football stadium in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, which has been the home ground of Ipswich Town F.C., Ipswich Town since 1884. The stadium has also hosted many England youth international matches, and one E ...
later in the week, beating
Ipswich Town Ipswich Town Football Club is a professional football club based in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. The club currently competes in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. Ipswich Town were founded in 1878 but did not turn ...
5–2. Rickie Lambert opened the scoring with two goals in the first 11 minutes of the match, and David Connolly made it three before the break. Ipswich returned after half time with two goals in quick succession, but the Saints were able to secure the win with two goals from
Adam Lallana Adam David Lallana ( ; born 10 May 1988) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for club Southampton, and is also interim assistant manager at the club. Lallana began his youth career with AFC Bournemouth b ...
to return to the top of the table. Back at St Mary's on 20 August, Southampton made it four wins out of four by beating
Millwall Millwall is a district on the western and southern side of the Isle of Dogs, in east London, England, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It lies to the immediate south of Canary Wharf and Poplar, north of Greenwich and Deptford, east of ...
1–0. Winger
Guilherme do Prado Guilherme "Guly" do Prado Raymundo (born 31 December 1981) is a retired Brazilian professional footballer who played as a striker. Club career Early career and Italy Do Prado started his career at Portuguesa Santista. He was later signed b ...
scored the only goal of the match in the 18th minute, and the team held on for the rest of the match despite second-half Millwall pressure to pick up another three points. This marks the first time in the club's history that Southampton have won all four of their opening league matches. The club's winning run finally came to an end on 27 August, when they lost 3–2 to
Leicester City Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area, and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest city in the East Midlands with a popula ...
at the
King Power Stadium King Power Stadium is a football stadium in the city of Leicester, East Midlands, England, and the home of Leicester City. The stadium opened in 2002 as the Walkers Stadium and has a capacity of 32,259. The club attracted worldwide attenti ...
. Leicester broke the deadlock after only three minutes with a goal from
Darius Vassell Darius Markus Vassell (born 13 June 1980) is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward for Aston Villa, Manchester City, Ankaragücü and Leicester City. Vassell began his career at his home town club Aston Villa in ...
, and quickly made it two with a
Richie Wellens Richard Paul Wellens (born 26 March 1980) is an English professional football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. He is currently head coach of EFL League One club Leyton Orient. Wellens began his career at Manchester United be ...
effort. Saints full back
Dan Harding Daniel Andrew Harding (born 23 December 1983) is an English former professional footballer who played as a defender. Harding began his career with Brighton & Hove Albion and has also played for Leeds United, Ipswich Town, Southend United, Re ...
pulled one back for the visitors just before the half-hour mark, heading in an Adam Lallana cross, but on the stroke of half-time the hosts forced an
own goal An own goal occurs in sports when a player performs actions that result in scoring points for the opposition, such as when a Association football, footballer puts a ball into their own net. In some parts of the world, the term has become a met ...
out of Rickie Lambert to retain their two-goal advantage going into the second half. David Connolly scored in the 53rd minute, but despite overall dominance in the second half Southampton were unable to turn the tables, thanks largely to a string of saves by
Kasper Schmeichel Kasper Peter Schmeichel (born 5 November 1986) is a Danish professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper for Scottish Premiership club Celtic F.C., Celtic and the Denmark national footb ...
in the last ten minutes. After a two-week break, Southampton returned to winning ways by beating
Nottingham Forest Nottingham Forest Football Club is a professional association football club based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Founde ...
3–2 at St Mary's in a closely contested match.
Matt Derbyshire Matthew Anthony Derbyshire (born 14 April 1986) is an English footballer who plays as a striker for club Matlock Town. He began his career with non-League side Great Harwood Town before earning himself a move to local Premier League team ...
opened the scoring for Forest in the seventh minute, but Southampton striker Rickie Lambert cancelled out the goal just a minute later. Lambert scored a second for the Saints when he headed in a David Connolly assist on 24 minutes, but the visitors levelled the scoreline just before the break. After periods of domination for both sides, Southampton finally scored a winner in the 82nd minute when Lambert completed his hat-trick from a
Danny Fox Daniel Fox (born 29 May 1986) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for Winsford Town in the Cheshire Football League. He represented England at under-21 international level, has since been selected for Scotland national team ...
free kick. The following week Southampton hosted former
Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
side
Birmingham City Birmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, it was renamed Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham in 1905, and Birmingham City in 1943. The team compete in the ...
, winning the match by an assertive scoreline of 4–1. The first goal of the match came in the eleventh minute from top scorer Rickie Lambert, who converted a
penalty kick A penalty shot or penalty kick is a play used in several sports whereby a goal is attempted during untimed play. Depending on the sport, when a player commits certain types of penalties, the opposition is awarded a penalty shot or kick attempt. ...
given when he was fouled in the box. The tally was quickly doubled, as Guly do Prado converted a Frazer Richardson cross into a second, and a third was scored by Adam Lallana ten minutes before half-time to make it 3–0 at the break. Birmingham got a goal back early in the second half, but substitute Richard Chaplow sealed the win in the 78th minute with Southampton's fourth. Southampton's brilliant form (six wins and one loss) began to crumble when the team visited
Turf Moor Turf Moor is an association football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire, England, which has been the home of Burnley F.C., Burnley Football Club since 1883. This unbroken service makes Turf Moor the second-longest continuously used ground in Footbal ...
to face
Burnley Burnley () is a town and the administrative centre of the wider Borough of Burnley in Lancashire, England, with a 2021 population of 78,266. It is north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River B ...
on 24 September, though. The first half of the match was largely balanced as both sides failed to break the deadlock and went into the break goalless. Burnley piled on the pressure after the break, and finally scored the first goal of the game in the 53rd minute courtesy of Charlie Austin. With Southampton constantly looking for an equaliser, the home side remained vigilant in defence and kept the league-toppers out until ten minutes before time, when substitute
Morgan Schneiderlin Morgan Fernand Gérard Schneiderlin (; born 8 November 1989) is a French former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. Schneiderlin began his career with Strasbourg, before moving to England to join Southampton in June 20 ...
scored his first goal of the season, finishing Danny Fox's assist to give the Saints a point and keep them at the top of the Championship table. Southampton's luck only grew worse in midweek, however, when a visit to
Cardiff City Cardiff City Football Club () is a professional association football club based in Cardiff, Wales. It currently competes in , the third tier of the English football league system in the 2025–26 season following relegation. Founded in 1899 a ...
resulted in only their second loss of the campaign so far. The first half was largely a success for the visitors, as Southampton made a number of breaks but could not finish off their attacking moves. It was the hosts who came out stronger in the second period though, as
Kenny Miller Kenneth Miller (born 23 December 1979) is a Scottish professional football coach and former player, and is currently the assistant coach of Major League Soccer club Atlanta United. Miller, who played as a striker, is one of only five post-war ...
headed in a long ball to open the scoring for the Bluebirds. Steve De Ridder was brought on, but it wasn't enough as Miller doubled his tally just seven minutes later when he calmly slot the ball past Kelvin Davis. The Saints battled on, but all they could achieve was a consolation goal in injury time courtesy of a neat finish from substitute De Ridder; Southampton remained top of the league however, due to draws at
Middlesbrough Middlesbrough ( ), colloquially known as Boro, is a port town in the Borough of Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England. Lying to the south of the River Tees, Middlesbrough forms part of the Teesside Built up area, built-up area and the Tees Va ...
and
Derby County Derby County Football Club () is a professional association football club in Derby, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English football league system. One of the 12 founder members of the English Football ...
.


October–November 2011

On 1 October, Southampton returned to winning ways and extended their lead at the top of the Championship to two points by beating
Watford Watford () is a town and non-metropolitan district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Hertfordshire, England, northwest of Central London, on the banks of the River Colne, Hertfordshire, River Colne. Initially a smal ...
4–0. The Saints opened the scoring when winger Steve De Ridder was brought down in the box and Rickie Lambert converted the penalty in the 22nd minute. Southampton cruised to half-time, and were awarded a second penalty ten minutes after the break, which Lambert again scored to put the hosts two up. A passage of play between Adam Lallana and Guly do Prado saw the Brazilian score his third of the season on 70 minutes, before substitute Lee Holmes – in his first appearance of the season and just two minutes after coming on – latched onto Morgan Schneiderlin's long ball to make it four. On 15 October Southampton visited
Derby County Derby County Football Club () is a professional association football club in Derby, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English football league system. One of the 12 founder members of the English Football ...
, drawing 1–1 at
Pride Park Stadium Pride Park Stadium is an all-seater football stadium in Derby, England, which is the home ground of English Football League club Derby County. With a capacity of 33,597, it is the 16th-largest football ground in England. Pride Park is a bus ...
. Derby opened the scoring in the first half courtesy of a Theo Robinson strike, and held the lead until midway into the second half. Rickie Lambert scored his ninth league goal of the season after 61 minutes, after an assist from David Connolly. The game ended as a draw, with Southampton remaining at the top of the table. Southampton extended their lead at the top to five points when they faced second-place
West Ham United West Ham United Football Club is a professional Association football, football club based in Stratford, London, Stratford, East London, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English f ...
in midweek, winning by a single goal to nil. Saints loanee defender
Jos Hooiveld Jos Hooiveld (; born 22 April 1983) is a Dutch retired footballer. Hooiveld is known for his strong physical performances. Born in Zeijen, Drenthe, he started his career with Eredivisie club Heerenveen in 2003, before moving to Eerste Divisi ...
scored the only goal of the match on the cusp of half-time, heading in a corner from left back Danny Fox. The match was marked by a relatively high amount of disciplinary action, with both sides picking up three cautions each. Southampton's lead dropped to three points on 22 October, when they drew 1–1 with
Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete ...
. The Saints played at a largely mediocre level, with goalkeeper Kelvin Davis keeping the hosts from scoring on many occasions in the first half. Reading finally made the break in the 71st minute when Antiguan midfielder Mikele Leigertwood scored from inside the penalty area to put pressure on Southampton. The pressure was increased a few minutes later, when captain Dean Hammond was sent off for a second bookable offence, but winger Steve De Ridder made sure Saints got a point ten minutes from time when he completed a Guly do Prado setup. On 29 October, Southampton picked up their 18th consecutive home win, against third-placed
Middlesbrough Middlesbrough ( ), colloquially known as Boro, is a port town in the Borough of Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England. Lying to the south of the River Tees, Middlesbrough forms part of the Teesside Built up area, built-up area and the Tees Va ...
, winning the match 3–0. Guly do Prado opened the scoring after 15 minutes, heading in an assist from full-back
Danny Butterfield Daniel Paul Butterfield (born 21 November 1979) is an English former professional footballer and coach who is currently assistant manager at National League club Eastleigh. Butterfield was born in Boston, Lincolnshire and played between 1997 ...
who was making his first league appearance of the season. Guly doubled his and the team's tally under 15 minutes later, scoring another header this time from a Rickie Lambert setup. The Saints had to wait until ten minutes from time to secure the win, when substitute David Connolly finished off a long team move to put the club three points ahead at the top of the table. On 1 November the Saints extended their lead at the top to five points against fellow promotees
Peterborough United Peterborough United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England. The team compete in League One, the third level of the English football league system. Peterborough United formed in ...
. The team won 2–1 at home, with both goals coming within the first 20 minutes of the match: midfielder Richard Chaplow scored his second of the season in the 14th minute from a Guly do Prado setup, and defender Jos Hooiveld also scored his second courtesy of do Prado just three minutes later. Peterborough went down to ten men in the first half when
Lee Frecklington Lee Craig Frecklington (born 8 September 1985) is a former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Frecklington's came through the youth academy at home town club Lincoln City, he spent time on loan with Lincoln United and Stamfor ...
fouled Morgan Schneiderlin and was sent off in the 35th minute, and Southampton held on despite a Peterborough consolation in the 76th minute, while second-placed West Ham drew to increase the gap between themselves and the lead. Southampton remained at the top of the Championship when they beat
Coventry City Coventry City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Coventry, West Midlands. The club plays in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. The club is nicknamed The Sky Blues after the sky blue colou ...
4–2 on 5 November. The Saints went two goals up in the first half, courtesy of strikes from Richard Chaplow and Adam Lallana, before the home side equalised in the second half. Guly do Prado and Steve De Ridder scored a second brace of goals for the visitors, giving Southampton their third league win in a row. After a two-week break, Southampton upheld their 100% home win record with a 3–0 win over
Brighton & Hove Albion Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club, commonly referred to as Brighton, is a professional football club based in Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. Their home gr ...
. All three goals came within 20 minutes of each other in the second-half, all courtesy of Rickie Lambert. In the 49th minute Lambert headed in a Frazer Richardson cross; in the 58th minute he scored a penalty, after
Mauricio Taricco Mauricio Ricardo Taricco (born 10 March 1973) is an Argentine professional football coach and former player who is currently the assistant coach of K League 1 side Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. Taricco, whose father was Italian and hailed from Sardi ...
was sent off; and in the 69th minute he scored a second penalty following a booking for
Iñigo Calderón Íñigo Calderón Zapatería (born 4 January 1982) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a right-back, currently a manager. He played for Alicante and Alavés in Spain, joining Brighton & Hove Albion in 2010 and going on t ...
. The Saints picked up their first loss in two months the following week, when they lost at
Bristol City Bristol City Football Club is a professional football club based in Bristol, England. The team compete in the , the second level of the English football league system. Founded in 1894, the club competed in the Southern League and Western L ...
due to second half goals from Albert Adomah and
Nicky Maynard Nicholas David Maynard (born 11 December 1986) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. He began his career at Crewe Alexandra, following over a decade in the club's Academy, and scored on his senior debut in Apr ...
. Later in the week Southampton hosted
Hull City Hull City Association Football Club is a professional association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. They compete in the , the second level of the English football league system. They play their home ...
, and after going a goal down at the end of the first period were able to claw back the three points in the second half. Guly do Prado scored the first shortly after the break, converting a Rickie Lambert setup, and Adam Lallana headed in a Frazer Richardson cross just a few minutes later to win the match. The game was made slightly easier to ride out later in the match as Hull went down to ten men with the dismissal of winger
Robbie Brady Robert Brady (born 14 January 1992) is an Irish professional association football, footballer who plays as a left winger, left-back or left wing-back for club Preston North End F.C., Preston North End and the Republic of Ireland national footba ...
.


December 2011

December didn't start off well for the Saints, as they lost their fourth game of the season against bottom-placed
Doncaster Rovers Doncaster Rovers Football Club is a professional association football club based in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. The team currently competes in EFL League One, the third level of the English football league system after winning the 202 ...
by a solitary goal. A largely equal encounter, Southampton conceded the only goal of the match in the 60th minute, when striker
Billy Sharp Billy Louis Sharp (born 5 February 1986) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for club Doncaster Rovers. Sharp has played for Sheffield United, Rushden & Diamonds, Scunthorpe United, Southampton, Nottingham Forest, Re ...
scored from a lay-off courtesy of fellow striker
Marc-Antoine Fortuné Marc-Antoine Martinien Fortuné (born 2 July 1981) is a French professional football manager and former player who played as a striker. Fortuné started his professional career at Angoulême in 1998, switching to Lille in 2002. He spent the 2 ...
. Misfortune continued for the Hampshire club when they hosted Premier League relegation victims
Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside town in Lancashire, England. It is located on the Irish Sea coast of the Fylde peninsula, approximately north of Liverpool and west of Preston, Lancashire, Preston. It is the main settlement in the Borough of Blackpool ...
the following week. The home side struck first, when striker Rickie Lambert converted a Jack Cork assist from the edge of the penalty area in the 30th minute, but the lead was short-lived as
Chris Basham Christopher Paul Basham (born 20 July 1988) is an English former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder or centre back. He spent the majority of his professional career at Sheffield United where he became best known as a pi ...
scored just six minutes later. The teams went into half time level, and Blackpool broke the deadlock shortly after the break courtesy of a long-range effort from Callum McManaman. The game looked lost for Southampton but a period of high pressure from the hosts culminated in a winning goal from a Lambert header in the third of five minutes of injury time. On 18 December the Saints travelled to
Fratton Park Fratton Park is a association football, football ground in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, and is the home of Portsmouth F.C., Portsmouth Football Club. Fratton Park's location on Portsea Island is unique in English professional football, as it ...
for the first of two matches against local rivals
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
in the South Coast derby. Southampton went into the match top of the table still, but only on goal difference due to a positive result for second-placed West Ham United the previous day. After a relatively tame and equal first half, in which Southampton arguably came closest to scoring through Guly do Prado and Rickie Lambert chances, Lambert opened the scoring shortly after the hour mark with a header from a Frazer Richardson cross. Later into the game, Portsmouth increased their pressure on the Championship leaders and it eventually culminated in an equalising goal for Joel Ward, who headed in a scrappy chance to take the game to a draw. Southampton continued their unbeaten home run when they beat
Crystal Palace Crystal Palace may refer to: Places Canada * Crystal Palace Complex (Dieppe), a former amusement park now a shopping complex in Dieppe, New Brunswick * Crystal Palace Barracks, London, Ontario * Crystal Palace (Montreal), an exhibition buildin ...
2–0 at St Mary's on Boxing Day. Both goals came courtesy of midfielder Guly do Prado, who headed in a Steve De Ridder cross in the 33rd minute and a Frazer Richardson assist in the 76th. Southampton's 23-game unbeaten home run ended on 30 December, the final game of the year, when they lost 1–0 to
Bristol City Bristol City Football Club is a professional football club based in Bristol, England. The team compete in the , the second level of the English football league system. Founded in 1894, the club competed in the Southern League and Western L ...
, thanks to a second-half goal from loanee midfielder
Stephen Pearson Stephen Paul Pearson (born 2 October 1982) is a Scottish former professional association football, footballer who played as a midfielder. He began his career at Motherwell F.C., Motherwell and joined Celtic F.C., Celtic in 2004, where he won do ...
. Due to the results of Middlesbrough and West Ham United, Southampton remained top of the table by two points going into 2012.


January–February 2012

Southampton's first game of 2012 was a disaster: the side lost 3–0 to Brighton & Hove Albion – their worst result of the season, and the inverse of the season's first meeting of the teams – and striker Rickie Lambert was sent off for violent conduct. Tensions were high in the first half, when defender Dan Harding was taken off by Nigel Adkins for fear of him getting sent off; but going into half-time the match was goalless. Early in the second half, referee Andy D'Urso showed Rickie Lambert a red card after violent conduct between the striker and Brighton defender
Adam El-Abd Adam Mohamad El-Abd (; born 11 September 1984) is a retired professional footballer who played as a defender. El-Abd made over 500 first team appearances in his professional career and also played for the Egypt national team. Early and perso ...
. With ten men, Southampton conceded three goals in the remaining match time, one from youngster
Jake Forster-Caskey Jake Dane Forster-Caskey (born 25 April 1994) is an English professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for club Stevenage. He will become a free agent on 30 June 2025. He is the son of former professional player Darren Caskey an ...
and two from midfielder Matt Sparrow. In the last five minutes, Brighton also lost a player when captain Gordon Greer was dismissed for a foul on striker Jonathan Forte, but Southampton were unable to change the result. The Saints bounced back in their next game, winning 3–0 away against Nottingham Forest. Guly do Prado kicked off the scoring in the 27th minute, and made it two courtesy of David Connolly in the second half after Forest went down to ten men shortly after the break. Morgan Schneiderlin finished off the game with a long-range effort to secure Southampton's place at the top of the table. Southampton dropped to second in the table for the first time since September when they lost 2–0 to Leicester City on 23 January. Both goals were scored early in the first half, in the 15th minute by
David Nugent David James Nugent (born 2 May 1985) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. He started his career in 2002 when he signed his first professional contract with Bury. He left the club in 2005, when he joined Pres ...
and in the 26th minute by captain Matt Mills, and due to West Ham United's win over Nottingham Forest the Saints dropped to second place in the Championship table. Against Cardiff City the Saints began to gain points again, drawing at home 1–1. After being down a goal at half-time, Rickie Lambert scored from the penalty spot just before the hour mark to give Southampton a much-needed point. On 4 February, the team travelled to face Birmingham City, with the match ending in a goalless draw. The game was marked by a red card for full back Danny Fox, who was dismissed in the second half due to persistent fouling. Southampton won their first game in almost a month the following week, when they beat Burnley 2–0. Adam Lallana broke the deadlock in the eighth minute with a close-range header set up by Frazer Richardson, and new signing
Billy Sharp Billy Louis Sharp (born 5 February 1986) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for club Doncaster Rovers. Sharp has played for Sheffield United, Rushden & Diamonds, Scunthorpe United, Southampton, Nottingham Forest, Re ...
scored on his first start for the club 25 minutes later, latching onto a Lambert pass to double the home side's lead. Due to a postponement in the West Ham game, the result meant Southampton closed the gap at the top to just one point. In a top-of-the-table match against West Ham on 14 February, Southampton scored late to secure a point and remain one behind the league leaders. Controversy began early when Saints striker Billy Sharp gave away a penalty, receiving a booking in the process, and became involved in an altercation with West Ham midfielder Matthew Taylor, who was sent off for the incident.
Mark Noble Mark James Noble (born 8 May 1987) is an English former professional Association football, footballer who played as a midfielder. He is currently the sporting director of Premier League club West Ham United F.C., West Ham United. A fan of the c ...
scored the spot kick, putting the hosts a goal up after just 20 minutes. More cautions for both sides followed in the first and second halves, and after much pressure Southampton finally scored courtesy of a Jos Hooiveld effort in the 75th minute to leave them at the same disadvantage in the table as before the match. Southampton returned to winning ways later in the week, thrashing Derby County 4–0. A close range goal from Jos Hooiveld gave the Saints a one-goal lead at half time, and in the second half the home side added a further three goals courtesy of defender Aaron Martin, winger Adam Lallana and Japanese striker Tadanari Lee, sending the club back to the top of the table. Travelling away the following week, the Saints kept their second clean sheet in a row by beating Watford 3–0. All three goals came from striker Rickie Lambert, who put the Saints up by two goals within 21 minutes and scored a penalty in the 72nd minute to extend Southampton's unbeaten run to six matches.


March–April 2012

It was Lambert who again won three points for Southampton in the club's first match in March, when the team travelled to
Elland Road Elland Road, or Elland Road Stadium, is a football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, which has been the Home (sports), home of Leeds United F.C., Leeds United since the club's formation in 1919. The stadium is the List of foot ...
to face Leeds United. The goal came after just quarter of an hour, when the season's top scorer volleyed in a Jack Cork cross, extending Southampton's lead at the top of the table to four points. The next match against Ipswich Town dealt Southampton's Championship-winning hopes a slight blow, as the match ended a three-win streak with a 1–1 draw at St Mary's. After a match largely dominated by Southampton, Rickie Lambert opened the scoring in the 74th minute before
Jason Scotland Jason Kelvin Scotland CM (born 18 February 1979) is a Trinidadian former professional footballer and current coach of Larkhall Thistle who last played for Scottish team Hamilton Academical. Scotland started his footballing career in his nativ ...
equalised just before full-time to leave the match in a deadlock. The Saints faced Barnley later in the week, winning 2–0 thanks to two goals from Adam Lallana. The following week, the Saints faced Millwall at
The Den The Den (previously The New Den) is a football stadium in Bermondsey, south-east London, and the home of Millwall Football Club. The Den is adjacent to the South London railway originating at , and a quarter-of-a-mile from the Old Den, whic ...
in a match decided in the last five minutes. Rickie Lambert scored in the 16th minute, before a José Fonte own goal equalised the match for Millwall. A second goal for the home side put the Saints behind before half time, and it took until the 85th minute for Southampton to equalise with a penalty from Lambert; Lambert completed his hat trick in the 88th minute, extending Southampton's unbeaten run to ten games and retaining their place at the top of the Championship table. On 20 March Southampton won their third game in a row when they visited Hull City, despite Hull enjoying the best periods of the game. The opening goal came in the 14th minute, when Hull defender and captain
Jack Hobbs Sir John Berry Hobbs (16 December 1882 – 21 December 1963) was an English professional cricketer who played for Surrey from 1905 to 1934 and for England in 61 Test matches between 1908 and 1930. Known as "The Master", he is widely regarded ...
turned an Adam Lallana cross into his own goal. Hull held off until the second half, when defender Jos Hooiveld finished off a Frazer Richardson assist to make it 2–0 to the Saints. The winning run continued later in the week, when Southampton hosted Doncaster Rovers and picked up another 2–0 win. The home side dominated most of the match, but it took until the second half for the deadlock to be broken; both goals were scored by former Doncaster striker Billy Sharp, who turned in a Danny Fox corner in the 58th minute and later scored a close-range goal in the 75th minute to keep the Saints at the top of the table. Southampton lost their first game in over two months on the last day of March, as Blackpool hosted the Championship leaders and won 3–0. Billy Sharp had a penalty saved before two goals were scored in the first half, both by
Stephen Dobbie Stephen Dobbie (born 5 December 1982) is a Scottish former professional footballer. He is a first-team coach at Blackpool. Dobbie is Queen of the South's second-highest goalscorer of all time (166 goals) and the club's record scorer for a sing ...
and one of which was a penalty for a foul by Morgan Schneiderlin, and the third came just after the break when Ian Evatt headed in a corner to secure the win for Blackpool. In their first match of April, Southampton hosted relegation potentials Portsmouth in the second South Coast derby of the season. The match was appropriately competitive given the occasion, and was opened by Saints striker Billy Sharp after 27 minutes who scored from close range. Portsmouth levelled less than ten minutes later, when
Chris Maguire Christopher Patrick Joseph Maguire (born 16 January 1989) is a Scottish professional footballer who last played as a striker for club Eastleigh. He made two international appearances for Scotland in 2011. Club career Aberdeen Maguire made h ...
scored from the edge of the penalty area, leaving the score at 1–1 going into the break. The second half offered few opportunities to either side, and it took until the final minute of normal time for the deadlock to finally be broken, when Sharp scored his second of the match to put the Saints ahead, despite strong calls from Portsmouth for offside. Despite this apparent winner, the controversy continued when midfielder David Norris scored a second equaliser for the visitors, ending the match 2–2. Despite the result, Southampton remained top of the table ahead of Reading on goal difference. Two days later the Saints travelled to face Crystal Palace, and secured their place at the top of the table with another win. Both goals came courtesy of top scorer Rickie Lambert, one a headed effort from a Danny Butterfield cross before half time and the second a mid-range low strike in the second period. On 13 April Southampton hosted second-placed Reading, in a match deemed to be extremely important to the potential final make-up of the Championship table; with St Mary's almost sold out, Southampton dropped crucial points in the title race by losing to their closest rivals 3–1 as Reading all but secured their own promotion. Reading opened the scoring after 19 minutes with a Jason Roberts header, and it took until early in the second half for Rickie Lambert to score the Saints' equaliser. The match remained in a deadlock for almost half an hour, only for the visitors to take the victory with two late goals, both coming from striker
Adam Le Fondre Glenville Adam James Le Fondre (born 2 December 1986) is an English professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Forward (association football), striker for Northern Premier League club F.C. United of Manchester, FC United of Man ...
, putting Reading three points ahead at the top of the table. Southampton bounced back later in the week, beating Peterborough United by the same scoreline. Southampton took an early lead with a goal from Jos Hooiveld after just five minutes, and a mere five minutes later the scoreline was doubled when Billy Sharp also converted. Sharp then scored his second of the game in the second half, converting an Adam Lallana setup to make it 3–0 to the Saints, although Peterborough did manage a consolation goal in the final five minutes of the match. Southampton missed their final chance to win the Championship in their penultimate game of the season, when their trip to Middlesbrough ended in a 2–1 defeat; Reading drew their game, making it impossible for Southampton to catch up and crowning them the champions of the league. Southampton started off the game perfectly, when Billy Sharp scored after just 40 seconds to put the visitors up by a goal early on. Unfortunately the title hopes of Southampton were dented late in the match: Nicky Bailey equalised at the very end of the first half, before Merouane Zemmama scored a winner to keep Middlesbrough's play-off hopes alive. The club was promoted to the Premier League for the first time in seven years on the final day of the Championship season when they beat Coventry City (who had already been relegated) 4–0. The Saints opened the scoring just after the quarter-hour mark, as striker Billy Sharp touched in Adam Lallana's volley, and the lead was doubled just three minutes later when defender José Fonte headed in his only goal of the season from another Lallana setup. In the second half, defender Jos Hooiveld made it three for the home side with a close range effort, before Adam Lallana finally sealed the victory with a goal of his own just four minutes later. Southampton were thus promoted as runners-up of the Championship, one point behind Reading (who lost their last game of the season) and two points ahead of West Ham United (who won their last two games of the season).


Results and statistics

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points


FA Cup

Southampton played their first match of the
2011–12 FA Cup The 2011–12 FA Cup (also known as The FA Cup with Budweiser for sponsorship reasons) was the 131st season of the world's oldest football knock-out competition, the FA Cup. The closing date for applications was 1 April 2011, and saw 825 clubs ap ...
on 7 January 2012 against
Coventry City Coventry City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Coventry, West Midlands. The club plays in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. The club is nicknamed The Sky Blues after the sky blue colou ...
, winning 2–1. The match started poorly for the Saints, as winger
Gary McSheffrey Gary McSheffrey (born 13 August 1982) is an English football manager and former player who is U-21 head coach at Sheffield United. As a player he was a striker and left winger who made more than 450 appearances in the Football League and Pr ...
scored for the home side in the fifth minute. The match was relatively uneventful until Southampton equalised in the 64th minute, when midfielder
James Ward-Prowse James Michael Edward Ward-Prowse (born 1 November 1994) is an English professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for club West Ham United. Originally a member of Southampton's youth teams, Ward-Prowse made his first-team debut ...
scored his first goal for the club. Defender Aaron Martin also scored his first goal for the club, winning the match for the visiting team in the last ten minutes. In the fourth round, Southampton faced
Millwall Millwall is a district on the western and southern side of the Isle of Dogs, in east London, England, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It lies to the immediate south of Canary Wharf and Poplar, north of Greenwich and Deptford, east of ...
on 28 January 2012. The match ended in a 1–1 draw, meaning a replay will be scheduled. Millwall dominated the majority of the match, but Southampton led for most of it after Rickie Lambert scored from a Dan Harding setup in the 31st minute. Millwall drew level just before the final whistle courtesy of
Darius Henderson Darius Alexis Henderson (born 7 September 1981) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. Born in Sutton, England, (although he is often mistakenly cited as being born in Doncaster, where he moved at a young age and ...
. In the replay ten days later at St Mary's, Millwall knocked Southampton out of the tournament with a dramatic injury time winner courtesy of
Liam Feeney Liam Michael Feeney-Howard (born 21 January 1987) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder. Career Early career Feeney joined League One side Southend United on loan until 3 January 2009 in November 2008. He made his debut af ...
. The visitors went one up within 20 minutes, but Adam Lallana quickly equalised 15 minutes later with a close-range effort. It took until late in the second half for the next goal to come, with the hosts switching play with a 77th-minute strike from Rickie Lambert, although the lead was short-lived as former Saints loanee winger
Dany N'Guessan Djombo Dany-Gael N'Guessan (born 11 August 1987) is a French former professional footballer who played as a left winger or forward A graduate of the Auxerre Academy, he left France for Scotland when he signed with Rangers in July 2005. He ...
equalled again for Millwall. Feeney's long-range effort ensured that the game did not go to extra time or penalties, progressing Millwall into the fifth round and knocking the Saints out of the FA Cup for another year.


League Cup

Southampton won their first-round match against
Torquay United Torquay United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Torquay, Devon, England. The team currently compete in the National League South, the sixth level of the English football league system. They have played their ho ...
4–1 on 9 August, advancing to the second round of the League Cup. The Saints started the game well, with new signing Steve De Ridder scoring on his full debut for the club in the 16th minute, but this was cancelled out less than a minute later by Torquay midfielder
Lee Mansell Lee Richard Samuel Mansell (born 23 September 1982) is an English former professional Association football, footballer who played for Luton Town F.C., Luton Town, Nuneaton Town F.C., Nuneaton Borough, Oxford United F.C., Oxford United, Torquay U ...
.
Rickie Lambert Rickie Lee Lambert (born 16 February 1982) is an English former professional footballer who is currently an Academy Youth Development Coach at Wigan Athletic. A striker, Lambert was known for his large stature and physical performances, drawin ...
scored Southampton's second ten minutes later, putting the hosts ahead going into half time. Southampton eventually sealed the win, but it took until the 81st minute for
Richard Chaplow Richard David Chaplow (born 2 February 1985) is an English retired professional footballer and coach who was most recently the head coach of USL Championship side Orange County SC. He is a former England under-21 international. Club career Bu ...
to score the third goal and injury time for
Jonathan Forte Jonathan Ronald James Forte (born 25 July 1986) is a former professional footballer who played as a striker. Born in Sheffield, he represented Barbados at international level. Forte's first professional contract came with his home town club ...
to confirm the win with the Saints' fourth of the match. In the second round, Southampton beat
Swindon Town Swindon Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. The team, known as the "Robins", currently compete in , the fourth level of the English football league system. Founded as Swindon A ...
3–1 at the County Ground on 30 August. Guly do Prado opened the scoring after 17 minutes, before Jonathan Forte scored his second in the competition to double the scoreline. Mehdi Kerrouche pulled one back for the home side late in the game, but substitute Rickie Lambert made sure that the Saints were to progress to the next round with a last minute winner. Southampton hosted
Preston North End Preston North End Football Club, commonly referred to as Preston, North End or PNE, is a professional association football club in Preston, Lancashire, England. They currently play in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English footbal ...
in the third round, winning the match 2–1 with goals from
Jos Hooiveld Jos Hooiveld (; born 22 April 1983) is a Dutch retired footballer. Hooiveld is known for his strong physical performances. Born in Zeijen, Drenthe, he started his career with Eredivisie club Heerenveen in 2003, before moving to Eerste Divisi ...
and substitute Adam Lallana. In the fourth round Southampton lost to
Crystal Palace Crystal Palace may refer to: Places Canada * Crystal Palace Complex (Dieppe), a former amusement park now a shopping complex in Dieppe, New Brunswick * Crystal Palace Barracks, London, Ontario * Crystal Palace (Montreal), an exhibition buildin ...
2–0, with goals coming late in the second half from
Darren Ambrose Darren Paul Francis Ambrose (born 29 February 1984) is an English retired professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Ambrose began his career with Ipswich Town when he joined the club's Academy at the age of eleven. He broke through to ...
and a Jermaine Easter penalty.


Squad statistics


Transfers


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2011-12 Southampton F.C. season Southampton F.C. seasons
Southampton Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...