Stephens labels reaching Wembley 'highlight' of his Southampton career

The 30 year old labelled the celebrations from his side's 3-1 win over West Brom in the playoff semi-final as the highlight of his Saints career.

Saints take on Leeds United in the final game of the domestic calendar on Sunday, for a place in next season's Premier League.

Stephens looks set to start and make his 26th appearance of the Championship campaign in the club's biggest match for years. 

He spoke to the Daily Echo at Southampton's Staplewood training ground after training on Wednesday afternoon.

Stephens said: "I am more excited than nervous but there's certainly a few nerves in there, you need to have that to drive you to go and do well.

Defender Jack Stephens is likely to start again at Wembley on Sunday

"I'm very excited and looking forward to the challenge. It has been very similar to how we would treat any other league game, to be honest.

"That's what the manager believes works so we won't change. We won't change the way we train. We won't change any of our approach.

"It's worked up to this point and we've had success. How hard do we go in training? I think it's important to go as hard as we have done.

"You need to get to that level on Sunday so if we can do it through the week, hopefully, it'll make Sunday a little bit easier."

Saints supporters produced the best atmosphere ever seen at St Mary's to urge their side over the line against the Baggies last week.

Thousands of fans lined the streets outside the stadium and turned the atmosphere red with smoke bombs and flares as the team bus arrived.

Southampton fans wait for the team bus outside St Mary's (Image: Stuart Martin)

Saints responded on the pitch with a strike from Will Smallbone and an Adam Armstrong brace in a brilliant second half. 

Stephens admitted: "We got wind of something that was going on. We knew the fans were going to give us a welcome.

"We didn't know to what extent that would be and I'd never even imagined it would be as big as it was. It was incredible.

"At some point, we had to stop the bus because the poor driver couldn't see where he was going," the skipper quipped. 

"It made it even better and we were able to enjoy it for longer because a five-minute journey probably took us 15 or 20 minutes.

"I was just completely blown away by the support outside. And then it was the question of, is that going to be it or are they going to bring it into the stadium?

Saints fans celebrated on the pitch at full-time last Friday (Image: Stuart Martin)

"They answered that themselves. It was unbelievable literally from the minute we left the hotel to 90 plus 10 at the end of the night.

"After that, it was an amazing night. Without a doubt, it was the highlight of my Saints career. It was just incredible.

"That's always difficult because you want to enjoy nights like that, and we did enjoy it as a group together in the dressing room afterwards.

"But you also have to get the balance right and remember there's still one more to go, and I think we did that very well.

"We had a good laugh after the game in the dressing room and got ourselves ready for this Sunday." 

Saints are taking 36,900 fans to the capital for the final after selling out an additional allocation released on Wednesday afternoon.

Stephens insists he need not find any extra words to explain his gratitude for the supporters, who've backed the team all season.

Working towards Wembley 🏃‍♂️💨 pic.twitter.com/MyT0xltIkC

— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) May 22, 2024

"They've been incredible. Home and away, they've sold out, I don't know the figures, but it's pretty much every game," he said.

"So I'm not surprised that they've snapped the tickets up that quickly. If they bring half the energy they did on Friday, it's going to be incredible."

While it will be a party atmosphere in the local pubs and the stands, Saints know they have a job to do to make it memorable. 

Stephens insisted: "I think it's a massive game for everyone and obviously, the occasion of a Wembley final is massive.

"We have to deal with that itself and separately from the game, I think. We need to try and get that out of our systems, which I think we've done.

"We are now focused on the game itself and what we're going to bring on the pitch. If we get that right, we're not going to be too far away."