1995–96 Southampton F.C. season
# 1995–96 Southampton F.C. season

During the 1995–96 English football season, Southampton Football Club competed in the FA Premier League.

## Season summary

Amidst rumours of lack of support from the board, Alan Ball was lured to Manchester City in the summer of 1995 and Southampton turned to long-serving coach David Merrington to take charge of the team in 1995–96. Southampton finished 17th with 38 league points, avoiding relegation on goal difference. Two important wins during the final weeks of the season did much to ensure that Saints achieved Premiership survival and relegating Manchester City. First came a 3–1 home win over eventual double winners Manchester United, then came a 1–0 away win over relegated Bolton Wanderers. Despite achieving survival, Merrington was then sacked as manager after just one season and replaced by Graeme Souness, who had won silverware earlier in his managerial career with Rangers and Liverpool.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 15 | Sheffield Wednesday | 38 | 10 | 10 | 18 | 48 | 61 | −13 | 40 | |
| 16 | Coventry City | 38 | 8 | 14 | 16 | 42 | 60 | −18 | 38 | |
| 17 | Southampton | 38 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 34 | 52 | −18 | 38 | |
| 18 | Manchester City (R) | 38 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 33 | 58 | −25 | 38 | Relegation to the Football League First Division |
| 19 | Queens Park Rangers (R) | 38 | 9 | 6 | 23 | 38 | 57 | −19 | 33 | Relegation to the Football League First Division |

## Results

Southampton's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| - | - | - |

### FA Premier League

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 19 August 1995 | Nottingham Forest | H | 3–4 | 15,164 | Le Tissier (3, 2 pens) |
| 26 August 1995 | Everton | A | 0–2 | 33,668 | |
| 30 August 1995 | Leeds United | H | 1–1 | 15,212 | Widdrington |
| 9 September 1995 | Newcastle United | H | 1–0 | 15,237 | Magilton |
| 12 September 1995 | Middlesbrough | A | 0–0 | 29,181 | |
| 16 September 1995 | Chelsea | A | 0–3 | 26,237 | |
| 23 September 1995 | Arsenal | A | 2–4 | 38,136 | Watson, Monkou |
| 2 October 1995 | West Ham United | H | 0–0 | 13,568 | |
| 14 October 1995 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 1–2 | 26,780 | Maddison |
| 22 October 1995 | Liverpool | H | 1–3 | 15,245 | Watson |
| 28 October 1995 | Wimbledon | A | 2–1 | 7,982 | Shipperley (2) |
| 4 November 1995 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2–0 | 15,137 | Dodd, Le Tissier |
| 18 November 1995 | Manchester United | A | 1–4 | 39,301 | Shipperley |
| 20 November 1995 | Aston Villa | H | 0–1 | 13,582 | |
| 25 November 1995 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 1–0 | 14,404 | Hughes |
| 2 December 1995 | Liverpool | A | 1–1 | 38,007 | Shipperley |
| 9 December 1995 | Arsenal | H | 0–0 | 15,238 | |
| 16 December 1995 | West Ham United | A | 1–2 | 18,501 | Bishop (own goal) |
| 23 December 1995 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 2–2 | 25,115 | Heaney, Magilton (pen) |
| 26 December 1995 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 0–0 | 15,238 | |
| 1 January 1996 | Coventry City | A | 1–1 | 16,818 | Heaney |
| 13 January 1996 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0–1 | 23,321 | |
| 20 January 1996 | Middlesbrough | H | 2–1 | 15,151 | Shipperley, Hall |
| 31 January 1996 | Manchester City | H | 1–1 | 15,172 | Shipperley |
| 3 February 1996 | Everton | H | 2–2 | 15,136 | Watson, Magilton |
| 24 February 1996 | Chelsea | H | 2–3 | 15,226 | Widdrington, Clarke (own goal) |
| 2 March 1996 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–1 | 26,320 | |
| 16 March 1996 | Manchester City | A | 1–2 | 29,550 | Tisdale |
| 20 March 1996 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 0–1 | 13,216 | |
| 25 March 1996 | Coventry City | H | 1–0 | 14,461 | Dodd |
| 30 March 1996 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 0–3 | 17,615 | |
| 3 April 1996 | Leeds United | A | 0–1 | 26,077 | |
| 6 April 1996 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 1–0 | 14,793 | Le Tissier (pen) |
| 8 April 1996 | Aston Villa | A | 0–3 | 34,059 | |
| 13 April 1996 | Manchester United | H | 3–1 | 15,262 | Monkou, Shipperley, Le Tissier |
| 17 April 1996 | Newcastle United | A | 0–1 | 36,554 | |
| 27 April 1996 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 1–0 | 18,795 | Le Tissier |
| 5 May 1996 | Wimbledon | H | 0–0 | 15,172 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| R3 | 7 January 1996 | Portsmouth | H | 3–0 | 15,236 | Magilton (2), Shipperley |
| R4 | 7 February 1996 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 1–1 | 13,736 | Le Tissier |
| R4R | 13 February 1996 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 3–2 | 5,579 | Shipperley, Hall, Dodd |
| R5 | 17 February 1996 | Swindon Town | A | 1–1 | 15,035 | Watson |
| R5R | 28 February 1996 | Swindon Town | H | 2–0 | 13,962 | Oakley, Shipperley |
| QF | 11 March 1996 | Manchester United | A | 0–2 | 45,446 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| R2 1st Leg | 19 September 1995 | Cardiff City | A | 3–0 | 9,041 | Le Tissier (2), Shipperley |
| R2 2nd Leg | 4 October 1995 | Cardiff City | H | 2–1 (won 5–1 on agg) | 12,709 | Watson, Hall |
| R3 | 25 October 1995 | West Ham United | H | 2–1 | 11,059 | Watson, Shipperley |
| R4 | 28 November 1995 | Reading | A | 1–2 | 13,742 | Monkou |

## Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | GK | ZIM | Bruce Grobbelaar |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Jason Dodd |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Francis Benali |
| 4 | MF | NIR | Jim Magilton |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Richard Hall |
| 6 | DF | SUR | Ken Monkou |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Matt Le Tissier (captain) |
| 8 | FW | ENG | Gordon Watson |
| 8 | FW | ENG | Neil Shipperley |
| 10 | MF | ENG | Neil Maddison |
| 11 | MF | ENG | Neil Heaney |
| 12 | MF | ENG | Tommy Widdrington |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Dave Beasant |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 14 | DF | ENG | Simon Charlton |
| 15 | DF | WAL | Alan Neilson |
| 16 | MF | WAL | David Hughes |
| 17 | MF | ENG | Paul Tisdale |
| 19 | MF | ENG | Mark Walters |
| 21 | FW | ENG | Frankie Bennett |
| 22 | DF | ENG | Barry Venison |
| 23 | GK | ENG | Darryl Flahavan |
| 24 | MF | ENG | Christer Warren |
| 25 | MF | SCO | Paul Sheerin |
| 26 | DF | ENG | Matthew Robinson |
| 27 | MF | ENG | Matt Oakley |

### Left club during the season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| 19 | MF | ENG | Paul Allen (to Swindon Town) |
| 22 | DF | ENG | Peter Whiston (to Shrewsbury Town) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 20 | DF | SCO | Paul McDonald (to Brighton & Hove Albion) |
| 18 | FW | ENG | Craig Maskell (to Brighton & Hove Albion) |

### Reserve squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| — | GK | ENG | Neil Moss |

## Transfers

### In

| Date | Pos | Name | From | Fee |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 June 1995 | DF | Alan Neilson | Newcastle United | £750,000 |
| 20 December 1995 | GK | Neil Moss | Bournemouth | £250,000 |
| 18 January 1996 | MF | Mark Walters | Liverpool | Free transfer |

### Out

| Date | Pos | Name | To | Fee |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 11 October 1995 | MF | Paul Allen | Swindon Town | Free transfer |
| 24 October 1995 | DF | Peter Whiston | Shrewsbury Town | £50,000 |
| 16 February 1996 | DF | Paul McDonald | Brighton & Hove Albion | £25,000 |
| 1 March 1996 | FW | Craig Maskell | Brighton & Hove Albion | £40,000 |

    Transfers in: £1,000,000
    Transfers out: £115,000
    Total spending: £885,000
