Editing Southampton F.C. (section)

===Outside the top flight (2005–2012)===
[[File:Before the Kick-off - geograph.org.uk - 431355.jpg|thumb|right|Southampton players form a huddle before kicking off against Derby in 2007]]
In November 2005, manager Harry Redknapp resigned to rejoin Portsmouth, and was replaced by [[George Burley]]. Rupert Lowe resigned as chairman in June 2006, and Jersey-based businessman [[Michael Wilde]], who had become the club's major shareholder assumed the post. Following a club record £6&nbsp;million being spent on transfers, Polish strikers [[Grzegorz Rasiak]] and [[Marek Saganowski]] performed well and the season saw the introduction of 17-year-old [[Defender (association football)#Full-back|left-back]] [[Gareth Bale]]. Southampton finished in sixth place and lost the play-off semi-final to Derby County on penalties.

The board sought new investment in the club, and in February 2007, Wilde stepped down as chairman to be replaced by local businessman [[Leon Crouch]] as "Acting chairman", a role Crouch retained until 21 July 2007. In the [[2007–08 Southampton F.C. season|2007–08 season]], George Burley said that players such as Bale and [[Kenwyne Jones]] had to be sold to stop the club going into administration and that failing to achieve promotion had put the club in serious financial difficulty.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2007-08-14 |title=Burley in Saints sales admission |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/6945763.stm |access-date=2024-11-14 |language=en-GB}}</ref> Burley left the club in January 2008 to take over as [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]] manager and was replaced by [[Nigel Pearson]] who saved the club from relegation on the final day.

In July 2008, all the board members except one resigned, allowing Lowe and Wilde to return: Wilde as chairman of Southampton FC and Rupert Lowe as chairman of Southampton Leisure Holdings plc. Although Pearson kept the team up, the board did not renew his contract due to financial constraints, and the relatively unknown Dutchman [[Jan Poortvliet]] was appointed manager. Financial troubles continued to mount, resulting in more players being sold or loaned out and parts of St Mary's were closed off to reduce costs. In January 2009, Poortvliet resigned with the club one place from bottom of the Championship, with [[Mark Wotte]] taking over managerial duties.<ref name="Poortvliet resigns">{{cite news|title=Poortvliet resigns as Saints boss|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7848414.stm|work=BBC Sport  |access-date=30 October 2013|date=23 January 2009}}</ref><ref name="Wotte">{{cite web |url=http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/articles/article.php?page_id=11263 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217225957/http://saintsfc.co.uk/articles/article.php?page_id=11263 |archive-date=17 February 2009 |title=Chairman's statement |publisher= Saintsfc.co.uk|date=24 January 2009 |access-date=30 October 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/4073293.Chairman_speaks_about_Jan's_departure/ |title=Chairman speaks about Jan's departure |newspaper=Daily Echo |date=24 January 2009|access-date=30 October 2013}}</ref>

In April 2009, Southampton's parent company was placed in [[Administration (British football)|administration]]. A 10-point penalty was imposed, but as the team was already being relegated due to finishing second from bottom of the [[Football League Championship]] this points deduction had to apply to the 2009–10 season. By the end of May, the club was unable to meet its staff wages and asked employees to work unpaid as a gesture of goodwill. The administrator warned that the club faced imminent bankruptcy unless a buyer was found.<ref>{{cite news |date=28 May 2009 |title=Southampton fails to pay wages |work=[[Zee News]] |url=https://zeenews.india.com/sports/football/southampton-fails-to-pay-wages_535015.html |access-date=28 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724073806/https://zeenews.india.com/sports/football/southampton-fails-to-pay-wages_535015.html |archive-date=24 July 2020}}</ref> In June, administrator Mark Fry confirmed negotiations with two groups of investors, followed by confirmation that the club had been sold to an overseas buyer "owned and controlled by [[Markus Liebherr]]".<ref name = "Hooray">{{cite news|url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/4481187.Swiss_Saints_deal_completed/|title=Swiss Saints deal completed|date=8 July 2009|work=Southern Daily Echo|access-date=27 February 2010}}</ref> Italian businessman [[Nicola Cortese]] was brought in by Liebherr to look after the club's business interests on his behalf. In July 2009, with the club in the control of the new owner, Wotte was sacked as head coach and [[Alan Pardew]] was appointed as the new first team manager.<ref>{{cite news|title=Southampton appoint Alan Pardew as new manager|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/southampton/5849983/Southampton-appoint-Alan-Pardew-as-new-manager.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/southampton/5849983/Southampton-appoint-Alan-Pardew-as-new-manager.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=19 August 2013|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=17 July 2009}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The Saints made their first big signing under Liebherr, striker [[Rickie Lambert]], who was purchased on 10 August from League One side [[Bristol Rovers F.C.|Bristol Rovers]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bristol Rovers striker Rickie Lambert seals £1m move to Southampton|url=http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Bristol-Rovers-striker-Rickie-Lambert-seals-1m-Southampton/story-11246413-detail/story.html|work=Bristol Post|date=10 August 2009|access-date=30 October 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021035122/http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Bristol-Rovers-striker-Rickie-Lambert-seals-1m-Southampton/story-11246413-detail/story.html|archive-date=21 October 2014}}</ref>

Southampton started the 2009–10 season in League One, in the third tier of English football for the first time in 50 years and with −10 points. In March 2010, Southampton won their first trophy since 1976 when they defeated [[Carlisle United F.C.|Carlisle United]] 4–1 at [[Wembley Stadium|Wembley]] to claim the [[2010 Football League Trophy final|Football League Trophy]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8583783.stm|title= Carlisle 1&nbsp;– 4 Southampton|last=Shemilt|first=Stephan|date=28 March 2010|work=BBC Sport|access-date=29 March 2010}}</ref> Southampton finished the season in seventh place, seven points from the last play-off position.

A new home shirt was unveiled on 10 June 2010, in celebration of the club's 125th anniversary. The design was based on the original St. Mary's Y.M.A. kit used in 1885; it featured the new anniversary crest and was without a sponsor's logo.<ref name="echo_01">{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/8213663.New_kit_unveiled_by_Saints/ |title=Southampton return to roots with new home kit |access-date=18 June 2010 |publisher=Newsquest Media Group |work=Southern Daily Echo |author=Dan Kerins |date=June 2010}}</ref> On 11 August, it was announced that Liebherr had died; however, the club's future had been assured and planned for before his death.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2119026,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616093727/http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2119026,00.html |archive-date=16 June 2012 |title=Markus Liebherr of Southampton Football Club |publisher= Southampton FC|date=13 August 2010 |access-date=30 October 2013}}</ref><ref name="statement2013">{{cite news |date=18 May 2013 |title=Club Statement: Club owner back's Chairman's ambitious plans |publisher=Southampton F.C. |url=http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/club-statement-827051.aspx |access-date=18 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608012634/http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/club-statement-827051.aspx |archive-date=8 June 2013}}</ref> Pardew was dismissed in August and [[Nigel Adkins]] joined from [[Scunthorpe United F.C.|Scunthorpe United]] as his replacement.<ref name="Adkins">{{cite web |url=http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2152032,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317003820/http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2152032,00.html |archive-date=17 March 2012 |title=New First Team Manager Appointed |publisher= Southampton FC|date=12 September 2010 |access-date=30 October 2013}}</ref> The club was promoted to the Championship in May 2011 as runners-up to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Returning to the Championship for the 2011–12 season, Southampton made their best start to a season for 75 years with a winning run at St. Mary's of 13 league games, setting a new club record and going top of the league. In April 2012, Southampton achieved promotion to the Premier League as runners-up to [[Reading F.C.|Reading]]. The final game of the season set a record attendance at St Mary's Stadium of 32,363. Lambert finished the season as the Championship's top goalscorer with 27 league goals, his third "Golden Boot" in four seasons. He also won the ''Championship Player of the Year'' award. As a result, they became the second team within a year to achieve back-to-back promotions, a feat that [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]] had achieved one year before.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ronay |first=Barney |date=2011-05-02 |title=Paul Lambert hails 'absolute miracle' of Norwich City's promotion |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/may/03/paul-lambert-norwich-city-promotion |access-date=2024-05-04 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref name="28aprbbc">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17795679 |title=Southampton 4–0 Coventry |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=28 April 2012 |access-date=28 April 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-28 |title=The Greatest Season: Relive Saints' 2011/12 promotion with the players and coaches who made it possible |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/20098704.gsjj/ |access-date=2024-05-04 |website=Daily Echo |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Nakrani |first=Sachin |date=2012-04-28 |title=Southampton promoted after Sharp and Fonte lead thumping of Coventry |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2012/apr/28/southampton-coventry-city-championship |access-date=2024-05-04 |work=The Observer |language=en-GB |issn=0029-7712}}</ref>