NATHAN Redmond believes there’s been a ‘monumental’ shift in terms of raising awareness for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Games throughout Project Restart saw players take the knee before kick-off to show solidarity in trying to expel racism from society.

It was inspired by George Floyd’s death in America, where a police officer kneeled on his neck for seven minutes and 46 seconds as he laid there defenceless.

This led to worldwide protests, with people from all walks of life showing unity and saying enough is enough.

Asked whether the Premier League 2019/20 campaign should be remembered for players coming together in support of Black Lives Matter, Redmond told the Daily Echo: “I don’t think the season should be remembered for this specific thing.

“I just think this moment in time is something that everybody will probably remember as one of the things in their life which they have been able to be a part of.

“Whether that’s raising awareness, helping to make a change or educating yourself or somebody else.

“I don’t think it’s something that should be remembered for solely that matter because there’s a lot that’s gone on in the world.

“This year we’ve had the fires in Australia and now the virus.

“There has been so much that’s happened this year which makes it hard to pinpoint just one instance.

“I feel like it would be unfair to a lot of teams and players if this was the only thing the season is remembered by.

“But I do think as a whole, including football, that it’s probably been a monumental year thus far.”

The enforced lockdown prior to Project Restart afforded Redmond the time to recover from the injury he suffered in February.

He’d just started showing signs that he was rediscovering the form that led to him being crowed Saints Player of the Year in 2018/19.

It was his second notable injury of the season after he was forced off early when Saints visited Fulham last August for a Carabao Cup tie.

Assessing his hampered season, the 26-year-old said: “It’s been a bit frustrating because the moment I thought I’d hit some form I got injured again.

“It’s a difficult one. I feel like I’ve tried to give 100 per cent every time I go out there and injuries are part of the game.

“In the season before, I looked after myself really well and I’d like to think I’ve looked after myself this season.

“It kind of reiterates that I should be doing more and that I can be doing more.

“If you get injured in a game then you accept it if it’s a tackle or a bit of fatigue but when it’s in training doing a simple drill that you do every single day, they are the frustrating ones.

“It can go from being something small to then almost taking two months to recover, so it’s difficult.

“But it provides a different challenge and it’s about getting yourself right, fitter, faster and stronger.”

By his own admission, he is yet to find a level of consistency that would propel him to the next level and turn him into one of the Premier League’s best attackers.

But, aged just 26, Redmond knows the best years of his career are still ahead of him.

The former Birmingham and Norwich player also believes he’s now learning more about football than ever before.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s attention to detail is there for all to see and the Austrian has managed to direct Saints on an upward trajectory with his coaching.

“Lockdown made me more motivated if I’m being honest,” Redmond added.

“It gave me the focus to continue to do what I had been doing whilst sticking to the guidelines which were out at that time.

“I still feel like I’ve had good seasons and good moments, but I feel like I’m coming into the years where I’m learning a lot more and gaining a lot more knowledge.

“I’m storing it better at the moment and I’ll forever be open-minded because the minute you stop learning is the moment you shouldn’t be playing.

“I never get tired of watching football, it doesn’t matter what standard it is because I can still learn something from the games.”