Southampton CEO Phil Parsons has praised the club's supporters for their loyalty in the wake of the Spygate scandal, with more than 15,000 fans renewing season tickets for the new campaign. The club faces a decisive Football Association hearing this week into the incident that saw them expelled from last season's Championship play-off final.
Parsons acknowledged a difficult period for everyone connected with Southampton. "It's been a tough summer, let's not pretend this has been an easy situation to get through," he said. He highlighted the wider impact, noting it was not only about the club but the fans, the community, and local businesses.
Fan support remains strong
More than 15,000 supporters had already renewed their season tickets for the 2026-27 season. Chief revenue officer Greg Baker described the response as fantastic and a real reflection of the passion and loyalty of the fanbase. That support is visible at St Mary's, where the average attendance across the opening four home league games is 28,945, a slight increase on last season's figure.
On the pitch, Southampton have started the new season solidly, sitting 13th in the Championship with 10 points from eight matches. Their recent form reads two wins, two draws and one defeat.
Owner's backing for Eckert
The FA hearing centres on head coach Tonda Eckert, who was charged with misconduct in July after Southampton admitted spying on three rival clubs during the 2025-26 season. The club and Eckert have both apologised for the incident, which also led to a four-point deduction for this season imposed by an EFL panel.
Parsons stated that owner Dragan Solak's commitment to the club will not be affected by the hearing's outcome. Solak publicly backed Eckert in the summer, insisting he would not sack the manager and that he deserved a second chance. Parsons said Solak talks to everyone regularly, loves the club, and is more committed than ever to taking it forward in the right way with longer-term projects.
Eckert took over in November 2025 with the team just three points above the relegation zone and subsequently guided them to the play-offs. The aim, as Parsons put it, is always to get back to the Premier League as quickly as possible, though he acknowledged the financial drain of that pursuit. The immediate focus returns after the break with a south coast derby against Portsmouth at St Mary's on October 11. Check the upcoming fixtures for full details of that match and others.
