DEFENDER James Bree believes he can call on his Championship experience next season and has not been disheartened by a disrupted start to life at Saints.

The 25 year old wants to stay at St Mary’s despite enduring a difficult spell since arriving from Luton Town in the January transfer window.

Bree was signed to play under manager Nathan Jones but after starting all three of the next three games his former Hatters boss was sacked – back in February.

His next start in the league came only last weekend in the 3-1 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion, having been called off the bench only once under Ruben Selles.

READ MORE: Selles explains why Bree deserves more Southampton chances

Bree has excelled in 187 appearances in the Championship and is expected to compete with Tino Livramento for a starting place next season.

Daily Echo: James Bree

Asked by the Daily Echo about his time at Saints following Jones’s departure, Bree admitted: “It's just football really.

"I came in under Nathan and the situation he was in at the moment, they were struggling at the time and it's just something that I knew could happen.

“I was willing to come in and give it my best shot. I wanted to play in the Premier League and I've come and done that, not as much as I would have liked but it's what's happened," he added.

“It's been quite strange, personally, but obviously with the situations he (Ruben Selles) was in I think it was just one of those things where the manager had to pick the team he thought was going to win and get us out of that situation.

“So I've just been plugging away the last couple of months, keeping fit and obviously preparing myself for a moment if it ever came.”

Although the former Aston Villa and Barnsley right-back has only made five appearances for the club since joining, he could prove to be good transfer business.

Bree cost the club a mere six-figure fee to acquire from Luton with his contract winding down to its final months.

Daily Echo:

Saints will be relegated to the Championship next season – at least three points adrift of 19th but likely six - and Bree is hopeful he can nail down a starting role.

“The aim is to stay here and obviously play next season. I've played the last four or five years in the Championship,” he said.

“I’ve done really well there so I can bring my experience to that and I think if we can keep some of the team together, I feel we have a really good shot of getting straight back up here next season.

“I've played most of my career in the Championship and I feel like I'm ready to test myself for the next level, so hopefully we can get down there next year and come straight back up and then we can all play in the Premier League again.”

Bree has also been getting closer to his teammates and credited three young players who made substitute appearances at Amex Stadium.

“It's nice to get out there and play after a tough couple of months and obviously for Kami and Dom it's a really good opportunity for them to get out there,” Bree insisted.

“Obviously for Tino, it's great for him to get back and get some minutes after a year or whatever it's been out injured.”