The 2010–11 Southampton F.C. season was the club's 71st and sixth consecutive season in The Football League, and their second in League One. Having narrowly missed out on the chance of promotion the previous season, Southampton were again seeking to reclaim their place in The Championship by being promoted in 2011. Before the commencement of the campaign, Southampton were slated as the favourites to win the League One title by a number of bookmakers, commentators and fans.
This season marked the 125th anniversary of the club's formation in November 1885, which was celebrated in a number of ways. Firstly, the four-year sponsorship deal with Flybe ended, with shirts for the anniversary campaign designed without a sponsor; secondly, the new shirts feature a redesigned club crest recognising the 125 years of the club's life; and thirdly, a new home shirt was designed to be reminiscent of the first ever worn by players of the club, being white with a red sash. The club also released a new black away kit, also without a sponsor, designed to be similar to the popular away kit worn in the 2006–07 season.
On 11 August 2010, the season was marked by early tragedy after the death of club owner Markus Liebherr, who had brought Southampton out of administration in July 2009. As a result, the following weekend's match against Milton Keynes Dons was postponed, and there were discussions of plans for a major club tribute to Liebherr. The club also faced major change later in the month, as manager Alan Pardew was sacked shortly after a 4–0 win against Bristol Rovers, a decision which the club deemed "essential" to "achieve its well known targets". On 12 September, after much speculation, the appointment of replacement manager Nigel Adkins was confirmed.
Southampton's promotion hopes were confirmed on the last game of the season on 7 May 2011 against Walsall at home. Having beaten Plymouth Argyle 3–1 earlier in the week, the Saints had all but achieved promotion on level points with Huddersfield Town and with an 18-goal advantage in the table. Southampton beat Walsall by the same scoreline, and Huddersfield failed to win their game against Brentford, drawing 4–4; Southampton were thus promoted to the Championship for the 2011–12 season.
Pre-season friendlies In the team's opening pre-season game, during a two-match friendly tour of Switzerland, Southampton lost 4–2 to home side FC Thun. The Saints were 3–0 down at half-time, with goals coming from Ezequiel Scarione, Muhamed Demiri and Nick Proschwitz, and went another goal down after the break when Milaim Rama beat substitute goalkeeper Tommy Forecast. Southampton finally scored their first goal of the pre-season period halfway through the second half, when Dean Hammond converted a cross from David Connolly, and four minutes later captain José Fonte scored a second consolation goal from a Jason Puncheon corner. The club's tour of Switzerland heralded another unsuccessful game four days later, when French side FC Sochaux-Montbéliard beat Southampton 2–0; both goals came in the second half, from Ryad Boudebouz and Nicolas Maurice-Belay in the 50th and 60th minutes, respectively.
Back in England the club had a relative improvement in fortunes, beating Conference South side Farnborough 1–0 at Cherrywood Road on 21 July thanks to a late goal from striker Lee Barnard. Three days later the club visited Sutton United to compete in a pre-season exhibition tournament for the home side's President's Trophy, fielding a full-strength lineup (with exceptions for injuries) and drawing 1–1 following a poor start and a second half Rickie Lambert strike to share the trophy. Southampton were later criticised, however, after allegedly refusing to remain on the pitch to share the trophy, which was founded in the memory of the club's former president Andrew Letts. The club played League Two side Barnet on 27 July, with a starting lineup consisting of a mix of regular first team players, youth regulars and trialists. After a goalless first half, full back Joseph Mills broke the deadlock for the visitors shortly after the break, and 1–0 was how it remained until full-time to give Southampton another pre-season win.
In the only pre-season game at St Mary's Stadium, Southampton lost 4–2 to Championship side Reading. The visitors went one goal up within 19 minutes thanks to a "one man mission" by Icelandic midfielder Gylfi Sigurðsson, before Lee Barnard levelled for The Saints ten minutes before half-time. The score remained 1–1 at the halfway point, and Southampton restarted strongly with a goal from captain Dean Hammond in the 49th minute. With just over 20 minutes until the end, full back Dan Harding gave away a penalty to Reading, which was converted by striker Simon Church. The game was over for the hosts under ten minutes later, as Church doubled his tally and former Saints loan player Michail Antonio sealed the win for Reading in the 85th minute. In the last pre-season game of the year, just five days before the beginning of the league campaign, The Saints played a young side made up mainly of academy players against local non-league side Eastleigh, with defender Aaron Martin captaining the team against his former club. Southampton broke the initial deadlock, with young striker Sam Hoskins scoring from a low shot in the 20th minute. Many more chances were seen in the remainder of the first half and the second period, but ultimately none were made to count and Southampton finished as 1–0 winners to go into the new league season on a high note.
Saints XI While the first team were located at their Swiss training camp, a team dubbed as the "Saints XI" comprising reserve and youth players contested a number of friendlies back in Hampshire. In their first game, a side including four trial players beat Winchester City 4–1 at the Denplan City Ground, with trialists Harlee Dean and Scott Shutton scoring in the process. In the second game, Southampton lost 2–1 to Havant & Waterlooville, after a home goal within two minutes and a 2–0 deficit at half-time meant Jordace Holder-Spooner's second goal in as many games was little more than a consolation for the Saints. On 17 July the young side played Basingstoke Town at The Camrose, losing 2–1 after a Basingstoke opener in the second half, an equalising header by in-form striker Sam Hoskins and a Stuart Lake winner for the home team.
League One The fixtures for the 2010–11 League One season were published on 17 June 2010, giving Southampton an opening day home tie against Championship relegation victims Plymouth Argyle on 7 August 2010. The Saints' final game of the season will be against Walsall (whom they beat 3–1 and 5–1 in the previous season) at home on 7 May 2011; their first away game was scheduled to be against Milton Keynes Dons on 14 August but was postponed following the death of Markus Liebherr; and the local derby with AFC Bournemouth was scheduled for 2 October 2010 and 12 March 2011.
August–September 2010 The season got off to a disappointing start for Southampton, who lost 1–0 to Plymouth Argyle in the opening game of the season on 7 August 2010. Despite dominating the first half, it was the visiting side who broke the deadlock when Luke Summerfield scored within two minutes of the beginning of the second half. Substitute Adam Lallana was the first to test Argyle goalkeeper David Button in the last quarter of the game, but the home side failed to regain their early momentum to slip to a defeat in their first game of the campaign despite a number of late chances. The club were due to play Milton Keynes Dons at Stadium:mk on 14 August, but due to the death of Markus Liebherr the match was rescheduled for 15 September. On 21 August Southampton picked up their first league point of the season against Leyton Orient, drawing 1–1 at St Mary's. On his return to the team following injury, Rickie Lambert scored a free kick early in the game to put the Saints ahead, only for Terrell Forbes to equalise two minutes later with a headed goal. Momentum changed hands throughout the remainder of the game, and a number of chances were created but missed by Southampton players, not least Lee Barnard, but the game ended level to leave the Saints in the bottom quarter of the table. The following week the club recorded their first win of the season, with an emphatic 4–0 away victory over Bristol Rovers. The game saw defender José Fonte score his debut for the club, as well as goals from Adam Lallana and a penalty from Rickie Lambert, ending in the final minute with Lee Barnard's first goal of the season. Despite this impressive win, it was the last game for manager Alan Pardew, who was sacked just days later.
Assistant manager Dean Wilkins took over as caretaker manager following Pardew's sacking, and his first league game in charge was at home against recently promoted Rochdale on 4 September. The first period was largely dictated by the Saints, but a goal from Chris O'Grady on the stroke of half time broke up the home side's momentum and they went into the second half trailing. The game continued in the visitors' favour and Rochdale doubled their lead just after the hour mark courtesy of a volley from Gary Jones, leaving the Saints in a precarious position leading up to the imminent appointment of a new manager. Saints, still without a replacement manager, played Swindon Town on 11 September after losing 3–0 to the club in the League Trophy less than two weeks before. The game was yet another disappointment for Dean Wilkins's side, who lost 1–0 courtesy of a 65th-minute goal from Charlie Austin, despite hitting the frame of the goal twice and having an effort cleared off the line during the game.
Following the appointment of Nigel Adkins as the club's new first team manager, the Saints played Milton Keynes Dons at Stadium:mk on 15 September, the game having been postponed following the death of Markuss Liebherr. Adkins began his time on the South Coast poorly, leading Southampton to their fourth consecutive goalless defeat at the hands of the Dons. The first half ended goalless, with goalkeepers David Martin and Kelvin Davis impressing with saves from Rickie Lambert and Lewis Guy respectively, but two goals in the last 20 minutes from Angelo Balanta and Peter Leven left the visitors in the relegation zone with their game in hand played. The club's disappointing run of results continued on 18 September with a goalless draw against Colchester United, leaving them in the relegation zone. The game itself was arguably evenly spread between Southampton and Colchester, with the home side said to be edging ahead in the second half culminating in three consecutive chances for Rickie Lambert in injury time at the end of the game. On 25 September Southampton earned their first win in six games by beating Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough Stadium. Lee Barnard scored his second league goal of the season (and the first under manager Nigel Adkins) to end the club's 510-minute goal drought to help them out of the relegation zone. The game was largely dominant for the Saints, although for short periods of time throughout the game Wednesday looked to be on top of proceedings. Other chances came from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Rickie Lambert, and at the very end of the game goalkeeper Kelvin Davis pulled off a string of impressive saves to hold on to the 1–0 for Southampton. In the final game of the month on 28 September, Southampton were unable to build on the previous weekend's win, drawing 1–1 at Yeovil Town. Brazilian loan signing Guilherme do Prado, who came on as a substitute for the second half, scored his first goal of the season for the Saints just before the hour mark, only to be cancelled out by an Adam Virgo penalty less than ten minutes later. Guly almost won the game for the visiting side late on in the match, but was denied a second goal by Yeovil's post, leaving both sides to pick up a point from the match.