# 2008–09 Southampton F.C. season

The 2008–09 season was Southampton's fourth consecutive season in the Football League and their fourth also in the Championship.

## Season summary

Having narrowly avoided relegation the previous season, Southampton looked to improve their position in the league in 2008–09. The season was even more disappointing, however, as the Saints finished second from bottom to be relegated to League One, which they would start with a ten-point deduction as a result of its parent company, Southampton Leisure Holdings PLC, entering administration. The season was equally unsatisfactory in the cup tournaments, as the club were knocked out of both the FA Cup and the League Cup in the third round, losing 0–3 to Premier League champions Manchester United and 1–3 to League Two side Rotherham United. The season was worsened still by a change in management – head coach Jan Poortvliet resigned from the club on 23 January 2009, and youth academy manager Mark Wotte took over for the remainder of the season.

## Championship

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A | Scorers | Attendance | League position |
| 9 August 2008 | Cardiff City | A | 1–2 Archived 5 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine | McGoldrick 45' | 19,749 | 18th |
| 16 August 2008 | Birmingham City | H | 1–2 Archived 5 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine | Perry 43' | 18,925 | 23rd |
| 23 August 2008 | Derby County | A | 1–0 Archived 5 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine | McGoldrick 58' | 27,032 | 17th |
| 30 August 2008 | Blackpool | H | 0–1 Archived 5 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine | | 15,629 | 20th |
| 14 September 2008 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 1–4 Archived 3 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | Lallana 53' | 13,770 | 23rd |
| 17 September 2008 | Ipswich Town | H | 2–2 Archived 3 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | Surman 12', Pekhart 68' | 14,916 | 22nd |
| 20 September 2008 | Barnsley | H | 0–0 Archived 3 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | | 14,836 | 22nd |
| 27 September 2008 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 2–0 Archived 3 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | Mills 50' (o.g.), Surman 58' (pen.) | 10,867 | 20th |
| 30 September 2008 | Norwich City | H | 2–0 Archived 3 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | Robertson 29', McGoldrick 64' (pen.) | 14,480 | 16th |
| 4 October 2008 | Coventry City | A | 1–4 Archived 3 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | Surman 63' | 15,518 | 20th |
| 18 October 2008 | Watford | H | 0–3 Archived 3 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | | 17,454 | 20th |
| 21 October 2008 | Sheffield United | A | 0–0 Archived 3 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | | 25,642 | 21st |
| 25 October 2008 | Swansea City | A | 0–3 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | | 15,564 | 22nd |
| 28 October 2008 | Coventry City | H | 1–1 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | McGoldrick 68' | 14,226 | 22nd |
| 1 November 2008 | Preston North End | A | 3–2 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | Pearce 64', Surman 69', McGoldrick 90' | 11,508 | 20th |
| 8 November 2008 | Bristol City | H | 0–1 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | | 14,535 | 21st |
| 15 November 2008 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 1–2 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | Pearce 21' | 17,812 | 21st |
| 22 November 2008 | Reading | A | 2–1 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | Wright-Phillips 14', 49' | 23,121 | 20th |
| 25 November 2008 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 0–0 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | | 14,895 | 20th |
| 29 November 2008 | Charlton Athletic | A | 0–0 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | | 20,831 | 19th |
| 6 December 2008 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 1–1 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | Wright-Phillips 14' | 15,440 | 19th |
| 8 December 2008 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–3 Archived 3 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine | | 13,799 | 20th |
| 13 December 2008 | Burnley | A | 2–3 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | Skácel 49', Surman 61' | 11,229 | 21st |
| 20 December 2008 | Nottingham Forest | H | 0–2 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | | 26,580 | 21st |
| 26 December 2008 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–2 Archived 23 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine | | 15,197 | 21st |
| 28 December 2008 | Reading | H | 1–1 | McGoldrick 74' | 20,142 | 23rd |
| 10 January 2009 | Barnsley | A | 1–0 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | McGoldrick 76' | 11,789 | 22nd |
| 17 January 2009 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 1–2 Archived 21 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine | Saganowski 90' | 15,837 | 23rd |
| 27 January 2009 | Norwich City | A | 2–2 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | McLaggon 57', Saganowski 78' | 25,271 | 23rd |
| 31 January 2009 | Swansea City | H | 2–2 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | Saganowski 17', 76' | 17,623 | 23rd |
| 3 February 2009 | Sheffield United | H | 1–2 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | Surman 90' | 13,257 | 23rd |
| 14 February 2009 | Bristol City | A | 0–2 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | | 17,000 | 23rd |
| 21 February 2009 | Preston North End | H | 3–1 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | Surman 19', Saganowski 29', 42' | 14,790 | 23rd |
| 28 February 2009 | Cardiff City | H | 1–0 Archived 3 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine | McGoldrick 11' (pen.) | 18,526 | 22nd |
| 3 March 2009 | Ipswich Town | A | 3–0 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | Euell 30, 85', Paterson 88' | 20,040 | 22nd |
| 7 March 2009 | Birmingham City | A | 0–1 Archived 22 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine | | 16,735 | 22nd |
| 10 March 2009 | Derby County | H | 1–1 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | Perry 59' | 17,567 | 23rd |
| 14 March 2009 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 0–0 Archived 22 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine | | 18,691 | 23rd |
| 21 March 2009 | Blackpool | A | 1–1 Archived 3 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine | McGoldrick 69' | 7,947 | 23rd |
| 4 April 2009 | Charlton Athletic | H | 2–3 Archived 6 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | McGoldrick 17', Wright-Phillips 84' | 27,228 | 23rd |
| 7 April 2009 | Watford | A | 2–2 | Saeijs 13', 89' | 16,066 | 23rd |
| 10 April 2009 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–3 Archived 9 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | | 24,636 | 23rd |
| 13 April 2009 | Crystal Palace | H | 1–0 Archived 25 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine | McGoldrick 67' | 23,220 | 23rd |
| 18 April 2009 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 0–2 Archived 3 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine | | 24,145 | 23rd |
| 25 April 2009 | Burnley | H | 2–2 Archived 3 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine | Wright-Phillips 11', McGoldrick 44' | 23,927 | 23rd |
| 3 May 2009 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–3 Archived 24 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine | Wright-Phillips 16' | 29,008 | 23rd |
| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 |
| Ground | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A |
| Result | L | L | W | L | L | D | D | W | W | L | L | D | L | D | W | L | L | W | D | D | D | L | L | L | L | D | W | L | D | D | L | L | W | W | W | L | D | D | D | L | D | L | W | L | D | L |
| Position | 18 | 23 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 16 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 22 | Norwich City | 46 | 12 | 10 | 24 | 57 | 70 | –13 | 46 |
| 23 | Southampton | 46 | 10 | 15 | 21 | 46 | 69 | –23 | 45 |
| 24 | Charlton Athletic | 46 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 52 | 74 | –22 | 39 |
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

## FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 4 January 2009 | Round 3 | Manchester United | H | 0–3 Archived 9 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | | 31,901 |

## League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 12 August 2008 | Round 1 | Exeter City | A | 3–1 Archived 9 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine | Holmes 29', McGoldrick 77', 90' (pen.) | 6,471 |
| 26 August 2008 | Round 2 | Birmingham City | H | 2–0 Archived 3 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine | Holmes 17', Lallana 86' | 11,331 |
| 23 September 2008 | Round 3 | Rotherham United | A | 1–3 Archived 3 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine | John 61' | 5,147 |

## Squad statistics

| No. | Pos. | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total | Discipline | Discipline |
| No. | Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | | |
| 1 | GK | Kelvin Davis | 46 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | Chris Perry | 38(2) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Wayne Thomas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | FW | Marek Saganowski | 14(5) | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Jan-Paul Saeijs | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | Michael Svensson | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Rudolf Skácel | 28 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| 8 | FW | Bradley Wright-Phillips | 16(17) | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Grzegorz Rasiak | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | Paul Wotton | 18(11) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | Andrew Surman | 44 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 48 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 12 | MF | Lee Holmes | 11 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | GK | Tommy Forecast | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | FW | Stern John | 4(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(3) | 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | FW | Jason Euell | 18(6) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 16 | MF | Romain Gasmi | 0(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | FW | David McGoldrick | 45(1) | 12 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 50 | 14 | 7 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | Nathan Dyer | 1(3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | Morgan Schneiderlin | 23(7) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | Adam Lallana | 34(6) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 43 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | Jamie Hatch | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | Simon Gillett | 23(4) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | Lloyd James | 40(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 45 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | Olly Lancashire | 10(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 25 | GK | Michael Poke | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | Jake Thomson | 6(4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | Kyle Davies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | GK | Bartosz Bialkowski | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | Jeffrey Imudia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | MF | Jack Boyle | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | GK | Andrej Pernecký | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | DF | Joseph Mills | 6(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | FW | Jamie White | 2(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | FW | Matt Paterson | 1(10) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 36 | DF | Michael Byrne | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | MF | Oscar Gobern | 4(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 38 | DF | Jack Saville | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | MF | Ryan Smith | 7(6) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | MF | Anthony Pulis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 41 | DF | Zoltán Lipták | 0(7) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | FW | Kayne McLaggon | 1(6) | 1 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 43 | DF | Lee Molyneux | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 44 | DF | Ben Reeves | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 45 | MF | Callum McNish | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Players who left before the end of the season |||||||||||||
| 5 | DF | Andrew Davies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | Darren Powell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | DF | Jack Cork | 22(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 31 | FW | Tomáš Pekhart | 2(7) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | FW | Jordan Robertson | 8(2) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 41 | DF | Alex Pearce | 6(3) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 |

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Pos. | Name | From | Fee |
| 7 July 2008 | GK | Tommy Forecast | Tottenham Hotspur | Undisclosed |
| 29 August 2008 | MF | Anthony Pulis | Stoke City | Free |
| 1 January 2009 | DF | Lee Molyneux | Everton | Free |
| 1 January 2009 | MF | Ryan Smith | Millwall | Free |

### Out

| Date | Pos. | Name | To | Fee |
| 2 July 2008 | DF | Alexander Östlund | Esbjerg | Released |
| 2 July 2008 | DF | Darren Powell | Unattached | Released |
| 2 July 2008 | MF | Jermaine Wright | Blackpool | Released |
| 2 July 2008 | MF | Mario Lička | Baník Ostrava | Released |
| 2 July 2008 | MF | Iñigo Idiakez | Unattached | Released |
| 2 July 2008 | FW | Cédric Baseya | Lille OSC | Free |
| 7 July 2008 | MF | Youssef Safri | Qatar SC | £275,000 |
| 1 August 2008 | MF | Jhon Viáfara | Once Caldas | Released |
| 19 August 2008 | DF | Andrew Davies | Stoke City | Undisclosed |

### Loan in

| Date from | Date to | Pos. | Name | From |
| 21 August 2008 | 1 January 2009 | DF | Jack Cork | Chelsea |
| 26 August 2008 | 29 December 2008 | FW | Tomáš Pekhart | Tottenham Hotspur |
| 1 September 2008 | End of season | MF | Romain Gasmi | RC Strasbourg |
| 26 September 2008 | 26 December 2008 | FW | Jordan Robertson | Sheffield United |
| 3 October 2008 | 3 January 2009 | MF | Ryan Smith | Millwall |
| 30 October 2008 | 1 January 2009 | DF | Alex Pearce | Reading |
| 9 January 2009 | End of season | DF | Jan-Paul Saeijs | Roda JC |
| 2 February 2009 | End of season | DF | Zoltán Lipták | Újpest |

### Loan out

| Date from | Date to | Pos. | Name | To |
| 18 July 2008 | End of season | GK | Michael Poke | Torquay United |
| 8 August 2008 | 31 December 2008 | FW | Marek Saganowski | Aalborg BK |
| 15 August 2008 | End of season | FW | Grzegorz Rasiak | Watford |
| 26 September 2008 | 26 December 2008 | MF | Nathan Dyer | Sheffield United |
| 24 October 2008 | End of season | FW | Stern John | Bristol City |
| 14 November 2008 | 8 January 2009 | FW | Jamie White | Shrewsbury Town |
| 2 January 2009 | End of season | MF | Nathan Dyer | Swansea City |
| 8 January 2009 | 19 February 2009 | MF | Jake Thomson | AFC Bournemouth |
| 23 February 2009 | End of season | DF | Joseph Mills | Scunthorpe United |
| 18 March 2009 | End of season | GK | Bartosz Białkowski | Ipswich Town |