1981-82. Went top on 20 January after beating Middlesbrough 1-0, stayed top until 20 March, briefly regained the top spot a week later, then things went tits up and we finished 7th. Funnily enough I don’t think we ever went top in 83-84, despite finishing 2nd.
Saints win on Friday, then the season is aborted due to COVID and the team at the top of the league at the time is declared Champions.
Hopefully Longy will be brought back in for this game, and he can show Ings a thing or two about real attacking play.
McCarthy; KWP, Bedderz, Vestergaard, Bertrand; JWP, Romeu; Armstrong, Redmond; Adams, Walcott. Forster, Salisu, Vokins, Diallo, Djenepo, Long, Nlundulu.
This was the closest I believe... "In his first six Premier League games in charge of the club, Koeman managed four wins, a draw and a defeat, propelling Southampton to second place in the league standings and resulting in Koeman being named Premier League Manager of the Month for September."
I remember the Echo front page headline that Saints had signed a World Cup Striker prompting dreams of Lineker, Voller, Papin or maybe Rummenigge...turn to the back page and it turns out to be Norn Ireland's Colin Clarke !...
Referee: Peter Bankes. Assistants: Neil Davies, James Mainwaring. Fourth official: Graham Scott. VAR: Chris Kavanagh. Assistant VAR: Sian Massey-Ellis.