Stephens: We won't settle for less than promotion
Jack Stephens believes the last two seasons will give the Southampton squad all the motivation they need to mount another promotion charge in 2025/26.
The long-serving Saints skipper, signed from Plymouth in 2011, has put pen to paper on a new deal to keep him at the club until 2028.
Stephens, 31, feels the experience of gaining promotion in 2023/24 will inspire his teammates to repeat the feat, as well as an inner drive to right the wrongs of last season’s relegation.
“It’s been plenty of ups and downs, some absolutely amazing memories along the way,” Stephens said, reflecting on his Saints career to date.
“I’m just really excited for what’s to come under the new regime, the season that’s coming is definitely going to be exciting. It’s one we want to be very successful in.
“The most recent one, winning at Wembley to get back to the Premier League, was an incredible day for everyone associated with the club.
“For me to have been at the club for so long and be the one that actually lifts the trophy was incredible for me. Obviously last season was not how we wanted it to go, so that’s definitely in the front of our minds, and we want to put that right this year and obviously next year as well, hopefully being back in the Premier League.”
Saints were promoted at the first attempt in their last Championship campaign, but Stephens wants to go one better by finishing in the top two this time around.
“I think we’ve got a lot of experience in the squad from that season – a lot of the same players, which is a massive positive for us. We’ve been through it together and we know what it takes,” he added.
“We don’t want to settle for anything other than promotion, and we want to go one step further than we did two years ago by winning at Wembley, and get promoted automatically – not go through that stressful situation for the play-offs.”
Will Still’s arrival as Saints’ new Men’s First Team Manager represents a significant change, and Stephens has been encouraged by the first impression made by the new boss.
“It’s been a really good first week,” he said. “It’s always interesting when a new manager comes in. It’s always going to be a lot of learning, getting used to how he wants us to play, and obviously him getting used to the players as well.
“We had a conversation over the summer and it was a really easy conversation to have. We were both on the same page, really clear on what we wanted to do, where we want the football club to be, and it just made everything very, very easy for me. I’m just very, very excited for the season, and hopefully it can be a successful one.”
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