This season’s Premier League has a surprise element, an unusual suspect for once. Southampton, my team since 1976, a team usually referred to in mainstream media as ‘lowly’ or ‘struggling’, are currently third.
Yes after 21 games, Saints are sitting in third place and there is plenty to suggest they might just stay there.
You may or may not care too much for Southampton, but if you’re not a fan of one of the ‘Big Five’ – Manchester United, Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool – you should be cheering them on.
If Saints can finish top four and qualify for the Champions League it will show everyone else in the ‘Little 15′ that billionaires and bank-rolls do not make the EPL go around.
The last team to win the EPL outside of the Big 5 was Blackburn Rovers, some 20 seasons ago. Mind you, their sugar-daddy was industrialist Jack Walker, worth 600 million pounds, who plunged millions into his team. Blackburn’s top scorer that season was Alan Shearer, bought by Walker from… Southampton.
Since the EPL had its top four qualify for the Champions League in 2001-2, the Big Five have had stranglehold on these places. Only 3 of the 52 Champions League spots in those 13 seasons have gone outside of the Big Five: to Newcastle, Everton and Tottenham – three clubs who aren’t exactly struggling.
In contrast to those three, Southampton were in League One (the old Third Division) only four seasons ago. Saints had just been through financial administration and the Premier League, let alone the Champions League, looked impossibly distant. Several of Saints’ current squad who were playing Hartlepool and Halifax in front of a couple of thousand those few years ago, were celebrating at Old Trafford on Sunday in front of 72,000 silent Man United fans.
Anyone who supports a ‘small’ club knows how the EPL food chain works. Young talented players, developed by your team, or turned into stars are gobbled up by the Big Five. No one wants to sell their best talent, but when the big clubs and their big money come calling, long-term financial survival will trump short-term success.
Last season Southampton finished a very creditable eighth – our best ever EPL finish, after being as high as third. Come the off season and Adam Lallana (captain), Dejan Lovren and Luke Shaw (two best defenders), Mauricio Pochettino (manager) and several others were all lured by big money.
Most galling of all was the departure of top scorer and talisman Rickie Lambert. The man who took over the number 7 shirt from God (that’s Matt Le Tissier if you’re a Big Fiver still reading), our free-kick specialist, penalty taker and survivor of the League One days, who is now pulling splinters out of his backside at Liverpool.
A month before the season started Saints had no captain, no scorer, no defenders, no manager and little chance of avoiding relegation. To be anywhere near the top half of the table let alone in third is unbelievable and should give hope to every other club who’ve ever waved their best talent goodbye.
The Man United squad that walked off as losers on Sunday cost 239 million pounds more than Southampton’s to assemble.
Recently on The Roar was a piece called ‘Is it time to take Southampton seriously?‘. The answer is yes.
Best defence in the EPL. Recent wins over Arsenal, Everton and Man United (at Old Trafford thank you very much!). Players with a point to prove. A manger in Ronald Koeman yet to put a foot wrong. A list of very winnable fixtures to come. 60 million pounds of profit available from the big sell-off.
We’re now 21 games into the season. Little clubs just do not do this. By now it’s the Big 5 doing what they always do. The EPL is supposed to be exciting and unpredictable, except for who finishes at the top every bloody season.
Anyone who’d love to see things shaken up, any fan of the other 15, anyone who likes a good underdog story, sing it with me, “Oh when the Saints go marching in…”
Bondy
Guest
So far Southampton have earned their stripes their success this year will also largely depend on how deep Arsenal go in the European Cup , but good luck to them.
Radelaide
Guest
Wow! 2 Southampton articles in 1 week, we might have to change this site's name from "the Roar" to "the Dell" :) . What I like most about what Southampton are doing is that RK is changing it up in that he is not afraid to start bigger names on the bench and then bring them on to make an immediate impact (tadic in the Man U game) but he has done it since we had the Burnley loss. He a very good man manager and motivator which is what Fergie was and a nice guy to boot. A friend is over in England atm and she organized with the club to ,meet the players and get photos and autographs before the Arsenal match and from the photos she got to be down the touchline during the warm up and there is such a good feeling around the club.
nickoldschool
Guest
"If Saints can finish top four and qualify for the Champions League it will show everyone else in the ‘Little 15′ that billionaires and bank-rolls do not make the EPL go around." Hmmm I dont think so. Money buys you the best players, the best players win trophies. Its sad but it has been like this for decades. Sure teams like southampton, pompey or everton can occasionally sneak through finish 4th or win a fa cup but overall money talks. Its E same in all leagues, you always have a southampton. Refreshing yes, revolutionary I dont think so.
Matt Horne
Roar Rookie
Even the FA Cup, for so long promoted & venerated for Cinderella stories & upsets has been dominated by the same Big 5. Since the Premier League stated in 1992, only 3 FA Cup winners (Everton, Portsmouth & Wigan) of the previous 22 have come outside of the Big 5.The notion that Saints will "fall away" & miss out is pessimistic & only serves to re-inforce the inevitability of the EPL.
Athos Sirianos
Roar Guru
Hopefully if the Saints can finish in the top four and qualify for Europe, their star players won't be persuaded by other clubs to leave because they want to 'win titles' as many have done previously. It could also mean that more quality players in Europe could look move to Southampton due to them qualifying for Europe. However the problem with teams outside the 'Big Five' qualifying for Europe is that these teams do not have the depth that the richer clubs have.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
No I get the Big-5, and historically Man City has been worth about as much as my jocks draw, along with Chelsea. My point being, the Big-5 could be any combination of ManU, Arsenal and Liverpool + who ever you like in the next 10 years. It just happens to be Chelsea and Man City at this stage, but I doubt either of those two have the staying power for long-term success once their owners get bored or kick-the-bucket.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
I do agree that most "neutrals" are cheering them on. Certainly I am enjoying their ride.
Freycinet1803
Roar Rookie
The Hammers are still playing well this season ... I can't say the same about my poor Villa.
spruce moose
Guest
I don't think you get the concept of big 5. Its not measured through historical success. It's measured through bling bling. The size of the big 5 in terms of financial power combined is greater than the rest of the clubs in the entire professional setup in England I reckon.
Anthony Ferguson
Guest
I was hoping it would be the Hammers up there but hell yes. I hope you win the damn thing.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
'Big-5" I'd hardly call Man City or Chelsea top echelon teams through out the history of top division football in England. Sure they are at present, but for me it has been more like the Big-3. The Saints will probably get gunned down in the back end and I expect them to finish 5th of 6th.
spruce moose
Guest
I'd love to see Southhampton do it... But the non-big 5 have a tendency to fall off the cliff in the last 5-6 rounds of the season. The big 5 seem to have greater stamina to get though a long season. Tottenham always fall away at the end, Everton fell away and even 5-6 years ago Reading when they had a lock on Europa fell away.