The big six things Southampton will not miss about the Premier League

VAR

This one is a no-brainer and something that I am sure no supporter inside the grounds will miss that unnecessarily adrenaline-sapping delay of video assistance.

Is it a goal? Is it offside? Why is it taking so long to determine? The answers might be readily available to some at Stockley Park but they have not made their way to the fans.

VAR is probably a good thing in terms of the competitiveness of football but right now it does not eliminate referee mistakes even close to entirely.

It merely delays the processes and means limbs in the home or away ends are all but amputated as supporters wait for the final verdict.

Take Sunday's equaliser at Brighton. Theo Walcott was barely offside but even if he was it should have stood for the noise made by the travelling contingent. 

When something happens in the Championship – rightly or wrongly – you can celebrate or loathe it knowing the decision is not going to be overturned and leave you red-faced.

Being last on Match of the Day

This one is tongue and cheek as unfortunately, the club will not be on BBC One’s Match of the Day at all…

But it is difficult to say we will be too disheartened at waiting until 11:20 for the highlights of a 1-0 defeat at Molineux Stadium to come on – as much as we might love the show.

You cannot always guarantee the one minute of analysis following the highlight clips will even make mention of Saints either – it almost entirely depends on their opposition.

It is a stark reminder of exactly where teams like Saints sit in the priorities of Premier League observers. It is also a reflection of the team's relative quality, admittedly... 

On an unrelated note, does anybody know when and where to watch The Football League Show?

Away fans in the home end

This also works vice versa, with tourists and day-trippers in the away end. However, this is not about alienating would-be supporters – everybody is welcome to follow this club.

But it has been a big problem for a few seasons now with away fans sitting in the home ends of St Mary’s Stadium.

This is a bigger problem when ‘big six’ clubs come to town and you will have regularly seen Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United shirts and Erling Halaand Manchester City jerseys.

I am not sure exactly how many Rotherham fans live in Southampton and will not be able to get a ticket in the away end next season but I imagine it will be much reduced.

The club will probably sell slightly fewer tickets on average and it is another blow to the finances but – for supporters – their match day experience has the potential to be improved.

Getting tonked more times than you don’t

This one speaks for itself and is, admittedly, tinged with a little bit of hope – we do not actually know how next season will go in the Championship.

However, Saints were beaten 8-1 on aggregate by Manchester City this past campaign and lost to Newcastle United successive four times over league and cup competition.

I do not need to make mention of the two big ones. Hopefully, we never see anything like that again. Chelsea smashed Saints 6-0 at St Mary’s in April 2022 and that also should have been more.

Defeats at Anfield often get into three and fours to nil. Saints will not win every game next season but you hope they can go into them all without that dreadful feeling of inevitability.

Feel free to bookmark this one and come back to me next May. I will apologise personally to you if Saints have lost four or more, more than once! 

Having very little opportunity to play youngsters

Dom Ballard and Kami Doyle have excelled at both youth levels this season, reaching the FA Youth Cup semi-final and winning Premier League 2 Division Two.

The season before, the likes of Kazeem Olaigbe was nominated for under-21 player of the year and hatfuls of others went out on loan to seek minutes.

It was a special moment when Lewis Payne, Ballard – who scored – and Diamond Edwards made their first team debuts at Cambridge United in August 2022.

But only Ballard of any youth team touched the turf again – once, for a few minutes against Grimsby Town – for the rest of the campaign.

Ballard and Doyle came on as late substitutes at Amex Stadium and it was a saving Grace on another miserable afternoon - alongside Tino Livramento's return.

The Championship is a tough division but we have seen countless teenagers make their mark there and the hope is that it can be a more suitable step for our best young lads.

‘Big Six’ obsession

Did you see what we did with the article title? You did not? It was not very good, was it? Sorry.

As much as we would all love to be in the Premier League for next season too, it will be refreshing to be in a division without the Sky Sports Six.

Unfortunately, there will probably be as many unwanted kick-off times such as Friday evenings and Sunday mornings in the Championship anyway.

There is not necessarily the advantage of supporters not being messed around for TV coverage as has been the case during this season’s run-in from March onwards.

But Saints are among the leading favourites for promotion and the playoffs in the Championship next season and it will be a different and unusual pressure.

It might be nice to take on some of the attention normally only reserved for those that tried to create a breakaway Super League – as long as the players live up to it, or risk embarrassment.

Have we missed anything? Let us know in the comments below...