Saints captain Jack Stephens issues rallying cry following Spygate

SAINTS captain Jack Stephens has insisted that he and his teammates are determined to achieve what they "deserved" to achieve last season - promotion to the Premier League.

The skipper spoke publicly for the first time since the end of last campaign, which saw Saints expelled from the play-off final for spying.

Saints will also start the new Championship campaign on minus four points and are still awaiting a final decision on the punishment to be handed to head coach Tonda Eckert, who took responsibility for authorising the spying missions.

"It was very well documented what went on at the end of last season," Stephens told club media.

"So it was always going to be a lot of eyes on us and question marks, I guess.

"From mine and the players' points of view, it has just been business as usual.

"It's been absolutely spot on. I've got absolutely no complaints from anyone in the squad.

"It's actually been really impressive to see how the group has grown together over the summer and come back with a real positive mindset and determination to achieve what we want to achieve and probably should have achieved last year.

"To be honest, it was a really difficult situation to go through," the captain continued.

"I didn't have many answers myself at the time.

"It was a really unfortunate position that we were put in as players and as a football club but these are the type of things that you have to bounce back from.

"As I say, the players have been absolutely magnificent.

"The support from the support staff and all the staff around the football club has been exceptional.

"The owner, the way he spoke over the summer...from my point of view, it's great to see the owner speaking publicly because it allows everyone to see what sort of guy he is and that's just how we know him.

"He's unbelievably supportive. He loves the football club. So I'm grateful that he was able to speak and that the fans who have gone through so much and suffered with us as well have been able to see.

(Image: Matt Watson/Southampton FC)

"We feel their support every day. All through last season, they were with us the whole way and ever since we've come back we feel that again."

Saints have just one final friendly of pre-season before they kick off their new campaign with a trip to League Two Colchester United in the Carabao Cup first round next Saturday.

The Championship season starts the following weekend with a trip to Watford on Sunday, August 16.

That league opener at Watford has been selected for coverage on Sky Sports with the focus expected to be on Saints and the manner in which last season ended.

"I can't wait," Stephens declared.

"I've just spoken about how enjoyable pre-season is, but I can't wait for the league games to start.

"It's always the exciting part where you want to get off to a good start, and obviously for us this year it's even more important to start well.

(Image: Southampton FC/Matt Watson)

"We've spoken about that as a group and we know the importance of it and we're just desperate to carry on where we left off last season.

"I think it's going to be a slightly different feeling when we go to away grounds. We're probably going to be the villains and a lot of people are going to be against us.

"I think it's vitally important that we stick together as a whole club.

"We have to start well. With the points deduction, it's going to be difficult because of that.

"We've gone through things as a group and we understand the importance of it and we know that if we start well we can really build momentum like we did last year.

"We're confident that we can achieve what we deserved to achieve last year."

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Orijinal haber: https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/26423264.southampton-fcs-stephens-issues-rallying-cry-following-spygate/