Stephens: We didn't deserve fans' reception
Southampton captain Jack Stephens gave his honest reflection on the club's relegation from the Premier League following defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
A first-half brace from Brennan Johnson, with Mathys Tel adding a third soon after Mateus Fernandes halved the lead, secured the victory for Spurs and confirmed Saints' fate.
Stephens reacted: "I think obviously now it's been confirmed it's really tough for us to take. We're fully aware that we've been nowhere near good enough this season and we're really disappointed in the dressing room that we weren't able to do ourselves justice this season.
"Obviously it's still really fresh. We knew it was a possibility today but we wanted to get a good result, we wanted to win the game and unfortunately we just couldn't do that today. It's really disappointing after the high of last year, of coming back into the Premier League. We had really high expectations, we were very demanding of each other but we've fallen well short of expectations.
"I think it's gutting for us as players but also for the fans. They've stuck with us for the full season, they've been incredible. I said last year how good they were but I think they've been even better this year and especially the last few weeks where, like you say, the writing's been on the wall.
"I've never experienced anything like today. We didn't deserve the reception that we got at the end there. We know how frustrated they will be. We know how disappointed and upset they'll be, like we are, but for them to be so loud, so supportive. That doesn't go unnoticed in the dressing room and I'll be forever grateful for that response from them.
"I think it's important for us to show our gratitude towards them at the end there and go over and applaud them, but I just wasn't expecting that sort of response from them. I'm fully aware they're frustrated, upset, and they have every right to be frustrated with us as a group of players and as a football club. We've come up well short of expectations this season.
"It's going to have to be a fresh start [next season] because, like I say, we've not been good enough this year. We have to understand that this year hasn't been good enough and just because we're going down to the Championship and we came up last year doesn't mean that it's going to happen just by chance, we have to work at it and that has to start now."
