Southampton Football Club, an English association football club based in Southampton, Hampshire, was founded in 1885 as St. Mary's Y.M.A. For almost six years the club took no part in any official competitions at national level, playing only friendlies and local tournaments, including the Hampshire Senior Cup. St Mary's first entered the FA Cup in the 1891âÂÂ92 season, and in 1894 under the name Southampton St Mary's joined the newly founded Southern Football League.
The club changed its name to simply Southampton at the start of the 1896âÂÂ97 season, and quickly established themselves as the primary force in football in the South of England, winning the Southern League three times in a row. The club also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 1898, losing the replay 2âÂÂ0 to Nottingham Forest after a 1âÂÂ1 draw. The Saints continued to dominate the league into the 20th century, claiming the championship again in 1901, 1903 and 1904, before joining the Football League Third Division as a founding member in 1920, following the absorption of the Southern League. Southampton were almost instantly promoted to the Second Division, completing the feat as champions in the 1921âÂÂ22 season.
Southampton found life in the second flight of English football difficult, as they remained a mid-bottom table side throughout the seasons played before and immediately after the Second World War, before they were ultimately relegated back to the Third Division in 1953. Promoted as champions again in 1960, Southampton performed well in the following ten years, reaching the quarter-final stage in the newly created League Cup in 1961 and earning promotion to Division One in 1966 as division runners-up. The club received its first taste of continental football in the 1969âÂÂ70 season when they competed in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, although were knocked out in the first round. Despite suffering relegation back to Division Two in 1974, Southampton achieved a surprise victory in the 1976 FA Cup final against Manchester United to win the trophy for the first and only time in the club's history. This success was topped off two seasons later when the club regained its First Division place.
The 1983âÂÂ84 season was Southampton's most successful in terms of league position, when the club finished second in the top flight to Liverpool, missing out on the championship by just three points. In the 1990s, the club largely struggled to get out of the bottom third of the table, although they reached the advanced stages of the FA Cup and League Cup on a number of occasions and also played in the Full Members Cup final in 1992. The club became founder members of the Premier League in 1992 but continued their disappointing performances, despite reaching the 2003 FA Cup final against Arsenal and losing to a single goal. Southampton were relegated to the Championship in the 2004âÂÂ05 season, and were relegated again following off-the-pitch problems in 2009. However, Southampton were galvanised when Marcus Liebherr rescued them from administration on 8 July 2009, winning the Johnstone's Paint Trophy with an emphatic 4âÂÂ1 win against Carlisle United. The following season, Southampton were promoted to the Championship as runners-up in League One and finished runners-up again the next season in the Championship to return to the Premier League. The club subsequently enjoyed four consecutive top eight finishes in the top flight, qualifying for the Europa League twice, as well as reaching the 2017 EFL Cup final where they were beaten 3âÂÂ2 by Manchester United. Southampton would then be relegated in 2023, before gaining promotion straight back to the Premier League via the playoffs the following season.
As of the end of the 2024âÂÂ25 season, the club have spent 47 seasons in the top division of English football, 40 in the second, and 11 in the third.
The table details their achievements in all national and international first team competitions, and records their manager, the top goalscorer, the player with the most league appearances and the average home league attendance, for each completed season since their first appearance in the FA Cup in 1891âÂÂ92.
The club has participated in the following leagues:
The club has participated in the following other first-team tournaments: