The 2008–09 season was Southampton's fourth consecutive season in the Football League and their fourth also in the Championship.

Season summary Having narrowly avoided relegation the previous season, Southampton looked to improve their position in the league in 2008–09. The season was even more disappointing, however, as the Saints finished second from bottom to be relegated to League One, which they would start with a ten-point deduction as a result of its parent company, Southampton Leisure Holdings PLC, entering administration. The season was equally unsatisfactory in the cup tournaments, as the club were knocked out of both the FA Cup and the League Cup in the third round, losing 0–3 to Premier League champions Manchester United and 1–3 to League Two side Rotherham United. The season was worsened still by a change in management – head coach Jan Poortvliet resigned from the club on 23 January 2009, and youth academy manager Mark Wotte took over for the remainder of the season.

Championship DateOpponentsH / AResultF – AScorersAttendanceLeagueposition9 August 2008Cardiff CityA1–2 McGoldrick 45'19,74918th16 August 2008Birmingham CityH1–2 Perry 43'18,92523rd23 August 2008Derby CountyA1–0 McGoldrick 58'27,03217th30 August 2008BlackpoolH0–1 15,62920th14 September 2008Queens Park RangersA1–4 Lallana 53'13,77023rd17 September 2008Ipswich TownH2–2 Surman 12', Pekhart 68'14,91622nd20 September 2008BarnsleyH0–0 14,83622nd27 September 2008Doncaster RoversA2–0 Mills 50' (o.g.), Surman 58' (pen.)10,86720th30 September 2008Norwich CityH2–0 Robertson 29', McGoldrick 64' (pen.)14,48016th4 October 2008Coventry CityA1–4 Surman 63'15,51820th18 October 2008WatfordH0–3 17,45420th21 October 2008Sheffield UnitedA0–0 25,64221st25 October 2008Swansea CityA0–3 15,56422nd28 October 2008Coventry CityH1–1 McGoldrick 68'14,22622nd1 November 2008Preston North EndA3–2 Pearce 64', Surman 69', McGoldrick 90'11,50820th8 November 2008Bristol CityH0–1 14,53521st15 November 2008Wolverhampton WanderersH1–2 Pearce 21'17,81221st22 November 2008ReadingA2–1 Wright-Phillips 14', 49'23,12120th25 November 2008Plymouth ArgyleH0–0 14,89520th29 November 2008Charlton AthleticA0–0 20,83119th6 December 2008Sheffield WednesdayH1–1 Wright-Phillips 14'15,44019th8 December 2008Crystal PalaceA0–3 13,79920th13 December 2008BurnleyA2–3 Skácel 49', Surman 61'11,22921st20 December 2008Nottingham ForestH0–2 26,58021st26 December 2008Plymouth ArgyleA0–2 15,19721st28 December 2008ReadingH1–1McGoldrick 74'20,14223rd10 January 2009BarnsleyA1–0 McGoldrick 76'11,78922nd17 January 2009Doncaster RoversH1–2 Saganowski 90'15,83723rd27 January 2009Norwich CityA2–2 McLaggon 57', Saganowski 78'25,27123rd31 January 2009Swansea CityH2–2 Saganowski 17', 76'17,62323rd3 February 2009Sheffield UnitedH1–2 Surman 90'13,25723rd14 February 2009Bristol CityA0–2 17,00023rd21 February 2009Preston North EndH3–1 Surman 19', Saganowski 29', 42'14,79023rd28 February 2009Cardiff CityH1–0 McGoldrick 11' (pen.)18,52622nd3 March 2009Ipswich TownA3–0 Euell 30, 85', Paterson 88'20,04022nd7 March 2009Birmingham CityA0–1 16,73522nd10 March 2009Derby CountyH1–1 Perry 59'17,56723rd14 March 2009Queens Park RangersH0–0 18,69123rd21 March 2009BlackpoolA1–1 McGoldrick 69'7,94723rd4 April 2009Charlton AthleticH2–3 McGoldrick 17', Wright-Phillips 84'27,22823rd7 April 2009WatfordA2–2Saeijs 13', 89'16,06623rd10 April 2009Wolverhampton WanderersA0–3 24,63623rd13 April 2009Crystal PalaceH1–0 McGoldrick 67'23,22023rd18 April 2009Sheffield WednesdayA0–2 24,14523rd25 April 2009BurnleyH2–2 Wright-Phillips 11', McGoldrick 44'23,92723rd3 May 2009Nottingham ForestA1–3 Wright-Phillips 16'29,00823rd

Club22Norwich City461210245770–134623Southampton461015214669–234524Charlton Athletic46815235274–2239 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 DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance4 January 2009Round 3Manchester UnitedH0–3 31,901

League Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance12 August 2008Round 1Exeter CityA3–1 Holmes 29', McGoldrick 77', 90' (pen.)6,47126 August 2008Round 2Birmingham CityH2–0 Holmes 17', Lallana 86'11,33123 September 2008Round 3Rotherham UnitedA1–3 John 61'5,147

Squad statistics No.Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GK Kelvin Davis4601000470002DF Chris Perry38(2)21020432603DF Wayne Thomas00001010004FW Marek Saganowski14(5)60000196205DF Jan-Paul Saeijs2020000202506DF Michael Svensson40001050007MF Rudolf Skácel2811000291708FW Bradley Wright-Phillips16(17)60010346109FW Grzegorz Rasiak000000000010MF Paul Wotton18(11)000303304011MF Andrew Surman44710304877012MF Lee Holmes1100(1)0221420013GK Tommy Forecast000000000014FW Stern John4(3)0000(3)11010015FW Jason Euell18(6)200002422116MF Romain Gasmi0(4)00000400017FW David McGoldrick45(1)12103250147018MF Nathan Dyer1(3)0000(1)0500019MF Morgan Schneiderlin23(7)00(1)0203306020MF Adam Lallana34(6)100314322021DF Jamie Hatch000000000022MF Simon Gillett23(4)010203005023DF Lloyd James40(1)0103045011024DF Olly Lancashire10(1)000101203225GK Michael Poke000000000026MF Jake Thomson6(4)000101100027DF Kyle Davies000000000028GK Bartosz Bialkowski000030300029DF Jeffrey Imudia000000000030MF Jack Boyle000000000032GK Andrej Pernecký000000000033DF Joseph Mills6(2)0001(1)01000034FW Jamie White2(1)00000300035FW Matt Paterson1(10)110001210136DF Michael Byrne000000000037MF Oscar Gobern4(2)01000701038DF Jack Saville000000000039MF Ryan Smith7(6)010001400040MF Anthony Pulis000000000041DF Zoltán Lipták0(7)00000700042FW Kayne McLaggon1(6)10(1)000810043DF Lee Molyneux400000402144DF Ben Reeves000000000045MF Callum McNish0000000000Players who left before the end of the season5DF Andrew Davies00000000006DF Darren Powell000000000030DF Jack Cork22(1)000202503031FW Tomáš Pekhart2(7)1000(1)01010038FW Jordan Robertson8(2)100001011041DF Alex Pearce6(3)200009210

Transfers

In DatePos.NameFromFee7 July 2008GK Tommy Forecast Tottenham HotspurUndisclosed29 August 2008MF Anthony Pulis Stoke CityFree1 January 2009DF Lee Molyneux EvertonFree1 January 2009MF Ryan Smith MillwallFree

Out DatePos.NameToFee2 July 2008DF Alexander Östlund EsbjergReleased2 July 2008DF Darren PowellUnattachedReleased2 July 2008MF Jermaine Wright BlackpoolReleased2 July 2008MF Mario Lička Baník OstravaReleased2 July 2008MF Iñigo IdiakezUnattachedReleased2 July 2008FW Cédric Baseya Lille OSCFree7 July 2008MF Youssef Safri Qatar SC£275,0001 August 2008MF Jhon Viáfara Once CaldasReleased19 August 2008DF Andrew Davies Stoke CityUndisclosed

Loan in Date fromDate toPos.NameFrom21 August 20081 January 2009DF Jack Cork Chelsea26 August 200829 December 2008FW Tomáš Pekhart Tottenham Hotspur1 September 2008End of seasonMF Romain Gasmi RC Strasbourg26 September 200826 December 2008FW Jordan Robertson Sheffield United3 October 20083 January 2009MF Ryan Smith Millwall30 October 20081 January 2009DF Alex Pearce Reading9 January 2009End of seasonDF Jan-Paul Saeijs Roda JC2 February 2009End of seasonDF Zoltán Lipták Újpest

Loan out Date fromDate toPos.NameTo18 July 2008End of seasonGK Michael Poke Torquay United8 August 200831 December 2008FW Marek Saganowski Aalborg BK15 August 2008End of seasonFW Grzegorz Rasiak Watford26 September 200826 December 2008MF Nathan Dyer Sheffield United24 October 2008End of seasonFW Stern John Bristol City14 November 20088 January 2009FW Jamie White Shrewsbury Town2 January 2009End of seasonMF Nathan Dyer Swansea City8 January 200919 February 2009MF Jake Thomson AFC Bournemouth23 February 2009End of seasonDF Joseph Mills Scunthorpe United18 March 2009End of seasonGK Bartosz Białkowski Ipswich Town

References