Southampton struck gold in 2010 - big breakthrough sparked memorable journey | OneFootball

The appointment of Nigel Adkins in September 2010 was a masterstroke by Southampton

Southampton didn’t look anywhere close to a Premier League return when Nigel Adkins was appointed in September 2010, but they reached the top flight by 2012 under his management.

The Saints had come seventh in League One in the prior campaign under Alan Pardew, missing out on a play-off place by seven points, with a 10 point deduction penalty proving costly.

It was their first year in the third tier since 1960, marking a real low point for the Hampshire outfit, with financial issues plaguing the club behind the scenes.

Adkins’ previous coaching experience was four years with Scunthorpe United, where he guided the team to promotion to the Championship in 2007 before they were then relegated in 2008.

Promotion again in 2009 ultimately led to the club remaining in the second division with a 20th place finish, which earned him the move to Southampton following Pardew’s abrupt exit.

Nigel Adkins’ immediate impact at Southampton

Adkins was appointed on 12 September, with the Saints failing to win any of their first seven league games.

But Southampton claimed all three points on 19 September with a 2-0 win over Yeovil Town.

Adkins’ side ultimately earned 92 points by the end of the campaign to seal automatic promotion back to the Championship, vindicating his decision to make the move to St. Mary’s, with Scunthorpe suffering relegation with a 24th place finish in the Championship.

With Southampton back in the second division in 2011, it had been six years since they were last in the top flight and not many people were expecting them to make such a swift return as the one they made under Adkins.

The Englishman oversaw another second place finish, earning 88 points in a remarkable campaign that led to the club earning a place in the top flight.

Only one manager has since repeated that feat, with Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich Town side earning back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League from 2023 to 2024.

Southampton struck gold with the appointment of Adkins, and it was his work that laid the foundation for one of the most successful periods in the club’s recent history.

The Saints spent over a decade in the top flight, and even earned a place in the EFL Cup final, as well as the Europa League during that period.

Players that went on to win league titles and major honours elsewhere, like Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mané, Adam Lallana and Luke Shaw, all came through St. Mary’s off the back of this success under Adkins.

Nigel Adkins’ Southampton departure was harsh but crucial to Premier League golden age

Adkins had the team competing in the Premier League in 2012 with a young side filled with exciting talent like Morgan Schneiderlin, Jay Rodriguez and Nathaniel Clyne, led by the experienced Rickie Lambert up top.

Their opening game against the champions, Manchester City, set the tone for that first campaign, as they fought valiantly to a 3-2 loss, before suffering that same scoreline to eventual league winners Manchester United just a couple of weeks later.

Adkins’ final game in charge was a 2-2 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge that looked to be a turning point for the team.

His dismissal came as a surprise to many at the time, with Mauricio Pochettino brought in to replace him.

Southampton were criticised for the decision to part ways with a coach who had overseen back-to-back promotions, and had the side on 22 points from 22 fixtures and were actually unbeaten in their last five league games at that stage.

The Hampshire outfit were 15th in the table following the draw against the Blues, and three points clear of the relegation zone, but the appointment of the Argentine proved an inspired decision.

Pochettino oversaw a 14th place finish, earning 19 points from the next 16 games, with Southampton coming an impressive eighth the following year.

While Adkins didn’t get to enjoy the best of Southampton’s time in the Premier League, his appointment in September 2010 was key to their impressive journey back to the top flight.