Welcome to the end of season one. It’s been a long journey but we really are in a promising position, Top of the league by 9 points with a play-off place guaranteed and in the final of the Johnstones Paint Trophy. And it’s in that Final we shall begin.
Peterborough United Vs Southampton
Date: 03.04.2011
Competition: Johnstones Paint Trophy
Round: Final
Location: Wembley, London
Line Up: Davis, Richardson, DeMerit, Fonte, Dickson, Dabo, Livermore, Puncheon, Baxter, Lallana (Dorado 78), Barnard (Lambert 90)
So it all came down to this. Peterborough looked strong but I had faith in my boys. We started out on top and took the lead on 14 minutes through Jason Puncheon. The winger thumping home a Lee Barnard cross. We continued to Push but found Joe Lewis in outstanding form. This continued into the second half. We kept pushing for the second goal but it wouldn’t come, but we knew we were shutting Peterborough out of the game. When the final whistle went there was jubilation all round. I had my first taste of silverware.
Final Score: Peterborough United 0 – 1 Southampton
Bristol Rovers Vs Southampton
Date: 06.04.2011
Competition: npower league 1
Match Day: 41
Location: The Memorial Stadium, Bristol
Line Up: Davis, Richardson (Geary 69), DeMerit, Fonte, Dickson, Dabo (Baxter 87), Schneiderlin, Dossevi, Dorado (Barnard 69), Puncheon, Lambert
Next it was an away trip to Bristol Rovers who had been up and down all year. We were told before hand that 9 points more would give us the league. We managed to take the lead on 18 minutes through Rickie Lambert. We continued to push for a second but we couldn’t find it. After the break Rovers came at us and Jo Kuffour scored twice to put Bristol in charge. One of his goals was truly astounding, he took it past 3 players before slotting home. Staring another defeat in the face we owed Derek Geary for getting us a point with an absolutely cracking volley. Not a bad goal for a full back.
Final Score: Bristol Rovers 2 – 2 Southampton
8 POINTS NEEDED TO WIN LEAGUE
Yeovil Town Vs Southampton
Date: 09.04.2011
Competition: npower league 1
Match Day: 42
Location: Huish Park, Yeovil
Line Up: Davis, Richardson, DeMerit (Fonte 34), Jaidi, Harding, Dossevi (Puncheon 81), Baxter, Dorado, Basturk, Lallana, Barnard *MOM* (Lambert 71)
We were hoping to move 3 points closer to the league against bottom placed Yeovil Town. And a quickfire double definitely made that likely, Lee Barnard capitalising on a defensive error and Jose Baxter finishing from close range. And while we should have had more I will take 3 points over anything. And luckily for us our closest rivals Swindon and Peteborough both drew, dropping 2 points and taking us closer to that Title.
Final Score: Yeovil Town 0 – 2 Southampton
3 POINTS NEEDED TO WIN LEAGUE
Southampton Vs Notts County
Date: 16.04.2011
Competition: npower league 1
Match Day: 43
Location: St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton
Line Up: Davis, Richardson, DeMerit Fonte, Harding *MOM*, Livermore, Dabo, Dossevi (Puncheon 75), Baxter (Seuntjens 75), Lallana (Dorado 86), Barnard
Knowing a win would seal us the table. We welcomed Notts County who still harboured slim hopes of a play off position. The first half was a bit dull but just after the break a Dan Harding cross was headed home by Lee Barnard and we had the breakthrough. We kept pushing for more but we were happy with one. We had the 3 points we needed and the full time whistle was met with rapturous applause and cheering. We had done it. We had won the league with 3 games to go.
Final Score: Southampton 1 – 0 Notts County
SOUTHAMPTON WIN THE NPOWER LEAGUE 1
The rest of the games aren’t worth talking about as they were just played out with reserve players.
Exeter City 1 – 0 Southampton
Southampton 0 – 1 Swindon Town
Leyton Orient 0 – 2 Southampton
April & May review:
League position: 1st
Month Form: W D W W L L W
Top Goal scorer: Lee Barnard (24)
Highest Average: Jay DeMerit (7.51)
warren
22 ноября, 2010 at 15:51
Wow you really are posting quickly.
Well done on winning the league and the jp trophy. Good luck for next season in the championship
JonnySniper
22 ноября, 2010 at 16:15
I wanted to get them all done. Aha. Thank you Warren.
Laxeyman
22 ноября, 2010 at 16:15
Hi Johnny, wow a lot of posts today, I’ve just read them and you had a brilliant second half of the season, well done! Congratulations on your promotion which is thoroughly deserved, and also on winning the JPT. A great season for you and hopefully we can see more of the same next year.
JonnySniper
22 ноября, 2010 at 16:18
Thank you Laxeyman. :)
Sam'Muel'Jordan
22 ноября, 2010 at 16:49
Really suprised how you powered through this today…
Honestly takes me probably two or three days to do 3-5 games! But still impressive with what you have delivered. I have a sneeky feeling one may find it slightly harder the Championship but never the less! Well done!
JonnySniper
22 ноября, 2010 at 17:06
I agree, but I still fancy promotion in 2 seasons. :P Thanks Sam.
Ana Garcia
22 ноября, 2010 at 17:25
Congrats on promotion!
Probably would have been easier to post all the updates together in and end of season type post, but good luck for next year!
How do you rate your squad? Good enough to survive next year?
Congrats on the cup win too! :)
JonnySniper
22 ноября, 2010 at 17:35
Thanks Ana. I would have done but it would have been far too long. I definitely think my squad is good enough. Just need some luck. I’m aiming for the play-offs. :P
garryduncan
22 ноября, 2010 at 17:59
awesome job…i have now started a southampton game aswell because it looks like a good game to do…i have a 5year plan to win the premiership lol…i would love to be able to write for this site…let people see what they think of my story…i have started my southampton game won first 6 league games
JonnySniper
22 ноября, 2010 at 20:43
Thanks Garry. Good luck with your game. :)
hils
22 ноября, 2010 at 18:54
Hi Jonny,congrats on winning the league!!!!!!! Unlucky on the loss to exeter!!!!!!!!!! It certainly told them why their not in the team!!!!!!!!! Good luck!!!!!!!!
JonnySniper
22 ноября, 2010 at 20:44
Thanks hils. :)
Johnny Karp
22 ноября, 2010 at 19:53
Congrats mate! You pulled off a quickfire promotion here or maybe a quickfire double since you also won the JPT. Great job, looking forward to the Championship season!
JonnySniper
22 ноября, 2010 at 20:45
Me too Johnny, although contending with the teams just down from the Premier league in the Transfer Market is proving tricky. They have millions when I have just £7k in the transfer kitty. :(
garryduncan
22 ноября, 2010 at 22:36
thats tough…how much did u get to spend?
JonnySniper
23 ноября, 2010 at 09:51
That’s all I’ve been given for this season. I got £600k last season.
Kevin
23 ноября, 2010 at 00:17
Hello JonnySniper
Congratulations on winning promotion and by a good number of points too. Well done mate!
JonnySniper
23 ноября, 2010 at 09:51
Cheers Kev. :)
Lye
23 ноября, 2010 at 00:21
Hi Jonny,
After you start leading the table, there was no doubt you will get promoted to the Championship. Congratulations. See you in Championship.
JonnySniper
23 ноября, 2010 at 09:52
Thank you Lye. :)
Rob_Stokie01
23 ноября, 2010 at 19:15
Jonny, glad to see you getting on so well mate, a very good season all round and hopefully you’ll carry that on in the Championship.
Try for the loan signings, have a little look at teams such as Stoke, Wolves, Birmingham and West Brom for players, Blackburn also might be a good shout and all.
JonnySniper
24 ноября, 2010 at 01:15
Well Rob, I would, but Stoke & Birmingham got Relegated so I doubt they’d want to give me their players. :P