On This Day – 2012: Southampton sealed their return to the Premier League
Football - Southampton v Coventry City npower Football League Championship - St Mary's Stadium - 28/4/12 Jos Hooiveld (C) celebrates with team mates after scoring Southampton's third goal Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Andrew Couldridge Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or live services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
Looking back and reminiscing footballing history is a personal favourite of Shoot!‘s, so what memorable moment happened On This Day?
Well, five years ago today, on April 28, Southampton beat Coventry City 4-0 at St Mary’s Stadium to seal promotion back to the Premier League.
The Saints, who currently sit ninth in the top-flight standings this term and are preparing to face Hull City on Saturday, finished second in the 2011-12 Championship season, just one point behind champions Reading.
#OnThisDay five years ago… pic.twitter.com/9j6hNW7ZBL
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) April 28, 2017
Nevertheless, Nigel Adkins’ side sealed automatic promotion in front of their home fans after hammering The Sky Blues 4-0 on the south coast, after Billy Sharp opened the scoring after 16 minutes.
Just moments later, defender Jose Fonte doubled Southampton’s lead, before second-half strikes from Jos Hooiveld and Adam Lallana saw the hosts run out 4-0 winners to end their seven-year absence from the Premier League.
Adkins led The Saints to back-to-back promotions, after finishing as runners-up in League One the previous term.