It was January 2022, and Southampton sat 14th within the Premier League desk, 10 factors away from the relegation zone.
Saints had been within the high flight for 10 seasons, and had stabilised as a mid-table membership beneath coach Ralph Hasenhuttl.
The membership had simply introduced a takeover by Sport Republic, an organization backed by Serb media mogul Dragan Solak.
“It’s a pivotal second in time,” chief govt Martin Semmens informed BBC Radio Solent.
It did turn into pivotal, however not in the best way that they had hoped.
“They’ve made a variety of errors,” BBC fan author Martin Sanders mentioned. “However I believe they’ve stood up they usually’ve admitted a variety of these errors.”
Sanders mentioned that Parsons has made enormous enhancements inside the membership, and his function on the membership ought to be applauded.
“Off the sphere, they’d performed very well in trying to enhance income,” he added.
“They’ve most likely received the most effective fan zones and matchday leisure within the Championship.
“They’ve launched pubs, there is a sport centre. They’re trying to deliver income in, to allow them to compete.”
The notion was that the membership had stalled beneath their former proprietor, Chinese language businessman Gao Jisheng. This was an opportunity for the membership to push on once more.
However Saints endured a dismal finish to the 2021-22 season, shedding 9 of their remaining 12 video games. They only stayed up nevertheless it was an indication of what was to return.
Three months into the brand new season, Hasenhuttl was sacked.
“He’d performed a extremely good job on beneath a decent funds,” Sanders mentioned. “They sacked him on the first alternative, they usually appointed a supervisor [Nathan Jones] who simply wasn’t ok for that degree.”
Saints would go on to complete backside of the desk, 11 factors adrift of security.
Whereas Southampton earned a right away return to the Premier League via the play-offs, the 2024-25 marketing campaign was dismal.
Saints completed on simply 12 factors, narrowly avoiding Derby’s all-time report of 11 for the bottom complete.
“The followers have been disgusted on the final season within the Premier League,” Sanders mentioned. “We virtually went down because the worst workforce ever.”
