Southampton fans have had precious few moments to be happy about this season as they slumped to a pitiful relegation a full fortnight before Easter.
But their class of 2025 have at least avoided becoming an addition to a pub quiz question after moving past Derby County’s record Premier League low total of 11 points from 2007-08.
Southampton may have been up against it at the end of the 0-0 draw at home to Manchester City but held on to move to 12 points for the season.
Just generationally poor, instead of all-timers.
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, no stranger to a relegation, was quiet for most of the game as Pep Guardiola’s side failed to move out of first gear to worry him.
But as the clock ticked towards added time he was called into action, tipping away a header from Ruben Dias and then beaten by Omar Marmoush’s dipping strike which bounced off the crossbar.
Saints marked the draw with a message to Derby on social media, saying “Sorry if we got your hopes up”.
And Ramsdale added: “Not one person outside our dressing room thought we could do anything today and rightly so. People thought we would get zero points for the rest of the season, it was down to us.
“Everyone knows it’s been a difficult season for us. The sun was shining, Man City threw everything at us. That one was for the fans.
“We’re not happy at all with how the season has gone but we are definitely happy with the fact we have managed to avoid that record.
“We are under no illusion it’s still not a great points tally, but it’s that one off our back.”
Not that City defender Dias was impressed.
“It’s frustrating,” he said. “In a moment like this, every point matters – and it is frustrating to play against a team like this.
“Just wasting time the whole game. They don’t even try anything, they just sit and they don’t even want to win the game. They just want to be there. It is no good for the show and no good for themselves. It is no good for anyone, but it is what it is.”
