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Jose Fonte was a staple of Southampton's rise from League One into the Premier League

There are a lot of fond memories attached to the Southampton squads in the early 2010s, as they bounced up from League One to the Premier League and European football in a matter of years.

One of the linchpins of that side was Jose Fonte, who arrived from a cash-strapped Crystal Palace, weeks before they went into administration, for £1.2 million - a figure rarely seen in the third tier at the time.

The Portuguese centre-back had been a regular in the Championship for the Eagles for two-and-a-half years after his arrival from Benfica, helping them to the play-offs in his first season, too.

That signing followed the £1 million they spent on the previous year's League One Golden Boot winner, Rickie Lambert, the previous summer, and outlined the ambition that the new Southampton ownership had, following their own administration problems the year they were relegated to the third tier.

Ultimately, the 10-point deduction they received for breaking insolvency rules when exiting administration stopped them from securing a top-six place in Fonte's first half-season at the club, but he was part of their EFL Trophy success, beating Carlisle United at Wembley.

From the 2010/11 campaign onwards, he became a true stalwart of the Southampton side.

Jose Fonte was an excellent servant for Southampton

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Someone who had come through the academy ranks at Sporting CP, had been on the books at Benfica and had played regular Championship football for a former Premier League side was arguably a bit too good for League One, and Fonte showcased that in his only full season at the level.

The then-26-year-old scored a remarkable seven times from centre-back during the 2010/11 third-tier campaign, and was named in the League One Team of the Season, alongside winning the club's Player of the Season, too, ahead of the likes of Lambert and Adam Lallana.

Under Nigel Adkins, Southampton then became just the third team since the formation of the Premier League to obtain back-to-back promotions from League One to the top flight, and the first since Manchester City did it over a decade earlier.

Fonte missed just four league games and wore the captain's armband at times, too — a sight that Saints fans got used to seeing over the coming years — helping Southampton finish second and secure their Premier League return.

The Portuguese centre-back remained one of the first names on the team sheet, despite the club now being in the top flight. No matter who was in charge, whether it be Adkins, Mauricio Pochettino or Ronald Koeman, Fonte was a staple of the squad at the time.

Barring an injury in an FA Cup defeat to Chelsea that took him out for a couple of months in his first year in the Premier League, Fonte hardly missed a game. Between 2013/14 and 2015/16, the defender was absent just four times in league action, as Southampton recorded 8th, 7th and 6th-placed finishes, establishing themselves as one of the 'best of the rest.'

He also picked up his second Player of the Year award in the 2014/15 campaign, four years on from winning it for the first time back in League One.

At that time, the likes of Lambert, Lallana and Morgan Schneiderlin had all moved on to traditionally 'bigger' sides, but Fonte remained at St Mary's, and when he left in January 2017 to move on to West Ham, he left as the final remaining name from that double promotion-winning side.

Jose Fonte spoke glowingly about Southampton back in 2024

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With 288 appearances, around 100 of which came as the team captain, a couple of promotions and a top-six finish in the Premier League, leading to playing in European qualifiers, it's understandable why Fonte labelled his decision to join Southampton as the best of his career.

Speaking to the BBC back in 2024, the veteran centre-back said, "To be honest, it's hard to beat my time at the Saints. That's where my life changed for the better.

"When I signed for Southampton, that was the best decision I made in my career because I learned so much, I grew a lot as a person and as a player.

"All I've experienced in the lower divisions and what we achieved in the Premier League and going to Europe, it's very hard to beat. It's eight great seasons I will never forget. The love and connection I had with the supporters and everything we went through, it's unforgettable."

Evidently, Fonte thoroughly enjoyed his eight-year stint at St Mary's and even now, close to a decade on, with the 42-year-old playing up until the end of the 2025/26 campaign, he still reminisces about his time leading the Saints in their European charges.

Southampton fans still think back fondly to those days, too, with more time being spent back in the Championship now than in Europe. Fonte was a main reason for those good times, and at £1.2 million, is another example of the bargain buys the Saints made at that time.