Seven Years in Tibet

On Sunday 15th May 2005 I sat in a pub in a Wigan and watched the entire world fall apart.  Southampton, having made a bright start, saw it all turn to ruins in the space of a minute, and the 2-1 home defeat to Manchester United sealed their fate.  Relegated to the Championship for the first time in my life, it is not a memory that I look back on fondly.

In the subsequent years, Saints have been to the absolute brink.  One decent year in the Championship, falling only on penalties to Derby County in the play off semi finals, proved to be a false dawn and in 2009 Southampton were placed into administration, and suffered the pain of a second relegation.  That summer, the search for salvation seemed fruitless and by all accounts the club were staring ever further down the barrel of liquidation.  The thought of not even having a club to support was equal parts bemusing, anger-inducing, and downright sad.  Being honest, the thought of playing in the third tier of English football was not much better.

Then things changed.

Markus Liebherr, the Swiss businessman behind Liebherr construction (next time you walk past a building site look for the name on the big cranes, may well be Liebherr) purchased the club, saving it from the imminent death that seemed so likely.  Markus, along with his Chairman Nicola Cortese, set out an ambitious plan for the club, initially to sort out the business side of things but also to provide the modest investment (but significant at that level) to bolster the playing side of things as well.

Saints had struggled by with a constantly transitional squad of loanees, youth team products and journeymen but were now able to set to building a squad with one goal: promotion.  The ten point deduction took it's toll but also it seemed to be a while before Saints were able to adjust to life in League One.  We finished that season just outside the play-offs, but with the huge consolation of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.  Mickey Mouse, sure, but it gave 45'000 Saints fans (and one Swiss businessman) a fantastic day out at Wembley, and a reason to celebrate.  The cathartic feeling I remember from that day was one that seemed to suggest that we were heading in the right direction, the dark days were behind us, and better times were coming.

The following season proved this to be true.  Hit by the shattering blow of Markus Liebherr's sad and untimely death just before the start of the season, Saints seemed to be galvanised and driven to realise the dream that Liebherr and Cortese had set out to achieve.  Nigel Adkins was brought in as manager after a disappointing start, and immediately the results improved.  From 22nd in September, Saints roared up the table and by the half way mark were looking a good bet for promotion.  An incredible run of 13 wins in their last 15 games of the season saw the Saints finish narrow runners up behind Brighton, but crucially they had ticked off the first part of the plan.

This season in the Championship has been just unreal.  From the opening day, with an energetic and positive display to defeat Leeds United, Saints have been excellent.  Literally never outside the top two for the entire season, and having scored more goals than any other side, no-one can deny that Southampton deserve this remarkable achievement of two successive promotions.  Eventually we have finished just a point behind Reading, but their form since Christmas has been out of this world, and they deserve to be Champions.  The main thing was always to achieve promotion and the fact that Southampton have done this at the first time of asking is phenomenal for everyone involved.

From a fan's point of view I feel I've learned a lot through the last 7 years.

First thing: there is life outside the Premier League, and it's not all bad.  I don't think I have ever enjoyed a season as much as I have this one - 2002/03 was exceptional but to look at a league table and see Southampton at the top is something we just won't get in the big league.

In the lower leagues it's true that you get less of the histrionics and, frankly, bullshit that is all too prevalent in the Prem.  Granted, the football is of much lower quality, but it does tend to feel more like real football.  Turning up on the day, paying at the gate, visiting crappy old grounds that you previously would have struggled to name - there is for sure a certain charm about the football league.

All of that being said however, there is no doubt in my mind that the Premier League is the place to be.  It's started to sink in that we are back, being able to plan trips to Old Trafford, Anfield and the like - not just to go to the stadium but actually to watch the team, my team competing as equals.  Being on Match of the Day rather than the well-intentioned but blatantly inferior Football League show.  Being in the Merlin sticker book (presume they stopped making them many years ago?) Yep we may well struggle, certainly we're going to have to learn a few lessons and I fully expect we'll take a few batterings...but this is where we belong.

Last night my main emotions were joy, sure, but also massive amounts of relief.  It's a unique type of pressure, having led for so long and then looking like we might be able to throw it away - the result was emphatic however and gave plenty of time to reflect on what an incredible season it has been.

The last 7 years spent in exile have been one hell of a roller coaster.  Taken down to the very depths of despair; watching us lose at home to Rochdale in the league in a half empty stadium with players I could barely name...through to playing some of the best football I've ever seen, going almost a year winning every game at home, topping the table for probably 85% of the season.  There is a little part of me however that thinks this was all worth it, in a 'learning to appreciate the good things' kind of a way.  Next season will be a challenge, but for now it's just exciting.

To Rickie Lambert, Kelvin Davis, Adam Lallana, Billy Sharp, and every single player who has contributed over these last couple of years.  To Nigel Adkins and his entire staff.  To Nicola Cortese; and most of all to Markus Liebherr: thank you.

Thank you for what you have worked so hard to achieve, thank you for getting our club back to where it belongs, and thank you for two and a half years of great times.  Now, bring on the big time!