• EVERTON paid Saints £5million to take manager Ronald Koeman away from St Mary’s to Goodison Park.

He claimed he would have been happy to see out the final year of his contract at Southampton but the club maintained it was in negotiations with him to extend his deal for another two years when he decided to leave for the Merseyside club.

Former Nice manager Claude Puel emerged as the frontrunner for the vacant Saints job and was unveiled by the club as Koeman’s successor at the end of the month.

  • VETERAN rocker Rod Stewart celebrated his knighthood with a storming concert at the Ageas Bowl.

Around 27,000 fans sang along to his hits such as Maggie May and The First Cut Is The Deepest at the home of Hampshire cricket.

Meanwhile 50,000 music fans paid tribute to David Bowie at the Isle of Wight Festival.

Queen, The Who, Iggy Pop and Status Quo were among the headline acts over the weekend.

  • THE Daily Echo revealed that Morrisons had pulled out of opening a supermarket in the £500million Centenary Quay development in Woolston, Southampton. It would have provided jobs for 200 people.

It was the second time the company had pulled out of plans for a supermarket in Southampton within a year.

In 2015 Morrisons had backtracked on plans for a store on the site of the former East Street Shopping Centre in the city centre.

  • HAMPSHIRE politicians spoke of their shock at the killing of Labour MP Jo Cox, shot and stabbed on the streets of her constituency.

MPs such as Caroline Nokes and Mims Davies described the mum-of-two’s death as “horrifying” and “utterly incomprehensible” while Southampton city councillor Satvir Kaur said it was “a sad day for democracy”.

The killing shocked Westminster and led to a suspension of campaigning in the EU referendum.

  • BILLY Midmore and his brother Geoffrey were jailed for a total of 24 years at Southampton Crown Court for throwing acid over Carla Whitlock outside Turtle Bay restaurant in Southampton’s Guildhall Square leaving her scarred and half blinded.

Billy was sentenced to 15 years behind bars and Geoffrey nine for causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Billy was found guilty by a jury while Geoffrey admitted the charge. Judge Peter Ralls described the attack as “barbaric” as he jailed the brothers.

  • SCHOOLS were flooded and families left homeless after storms battered the south.

Thornhill Primary School in Southampton and Durley Primary School were among those hit and at least 10 families were forced into emergency accommodation because of flash floods after drains failed to cope with heavy overnight rain.

  • HAMPSHIRE voters played a crucial role as Britain voted for Brexit in the EU referendum.

Only Winchester, East Hampshire and Hart backed Remain as the rest of the county – including Southampton and Portsmouth – voted to Leave.

The national result of 51.9% for Leave and 48.1% for Remain saw Prime Minister David Cameron resign, triggering a Conservative leadership campaign.

Hampshire MPs called for people across the county to unite in the wake of the bitter campaign.

  • HUNDREDS gathered in Romsey to see the marriage of Alexandra Knatchbull, the daughter of Lord and Lady Brabourne, to her fiancé Thomas Hooper.

The Queen, Prince Philip, Princess Anne, Prince Charles and members of royal families from around the world were among the congregation at Romsey Abbey.