FOOTBALL FORMATIONS

About this formation

Southampton are back in the Premier League for the first time since 2005. Since between 15 May 2005 (when they lost to Manchester United to ensure relegation) and 28 April 2012 (when they clinched promotion with a 4-0 thrashing of already-relegated Coventry City), Southampton have endured hurt. But at last they are back into the top-flight, led by Nigel Adkins.

Southampton finished 12th in their first season back in the English second tier of football since 1978, in 2005-06. They got to the play-offs in 2006-07, only to lose out to Derby County, and they had a troubled 2007-08, finishing 20th. They were then relegated in 2009, back into the third tier of English football for 50 years. They started off the 2009-10 season deducted with 10 points, but fought well, only to miss out on a place in the play-offs (had the Saints not been deducted points they may have been in the play-offs). However, they won promotion from League One in 2011, finishing second to Brighton, and a year later they took the second automatic spot in the Championship behind Reading. What a remarkable turnaround, considering they were bottom of League One back on the opening day of the 2009-10 season.

Let's hope Nigel Adkins can keep the Saints up in the Premier League next season, and hopefully spring some shocks against the big boys like Mancini, Ferguson, Wenger etc. Let's also hope Southampton can hopefully defy the bigger teams and show that they deserve to be in the top-flight by making some decent buys in the transfer window this summer, and hope goals from players like Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Billy Sharp, can show they are capable of shocks on their day. Stoke got into this division after a 23-year pause back in 2008, and since then, they haven't been seriously threatened with relegation.

Good luck in the Premier League next season, Southampton!