Southampton Football Club fans are celebrating 25 years at St Mary's Stadium this week. The modern ground replaced the historic Dell and has been the scene of unforgettable moments for the Championship side.
The club's current season has begun with a challenging start, sitting 24th in the Championship with one win and one loss from two games. They have scored four goals, with Cyle Larin netting two, but conceded three. The next test is a significant home match against league leaders Millwall on 29 August.
Southampton FC was founded in 1885 but called The Dell home for over a century. That intimate ground held just over 15,000 fans. The move to St Mary's in 2001 was a major step, increasing capacity to more than 32,000. Club historian and season ticket holder Duncan Holley compared the shift to "moving from a cramped Victorian terrace to a posh house in a marina." The new stadium was built near the River Itchen, on land that included the old gas works where fan Glen De La Cour once worked.
The first competitive match on 25 August 2001 ended in a 2-0 defeat by Chelsea. An initial struggle for home wins led some supporters to speculate about a 'St Mary's curse', even joking a rival Portsmouth shirt was buried under the pitch. That notion was ended by a 1-0 win over Charlton Athletic on 24 November 2001.
St Mary's has been the stage for dramatic football history. In 2012, a 4-0 final-day win over Coventry City secured promotion to the Premier League, sparking a pitch invasion. Sadio Mané scored the fastest Premier League hat-trick there against Aston Villa in 2015. Memorable European nights followed, including a 2-1 Europa League victory over Inter Milan in 2016. Just last season, the Saints beat Arsenal 2-1 in the FA Cup to reach a Wembley semi-final.
One of the greatest comebacks came in 2016 under manager Ronald Koeman, when Southampton came from two goals down to beat Liverpool 3-2. More recently, the stadium hosted a 2024 Championship play-off semi-final victory over West Bromwich Albion. You can explore more classic moments in our stats archive.
The stadium has become a major south coast entertainment venue. Music legends like Elton John, Bon Jovi, and The Rolling Stones have performed there. Take That played two nights in 2024 and returned in May of this year, with McFly headlining in June. The site has also hosted outdoor cinema and big-screen football events.
In 2026, the Southampton 10K, half marathon, and marathon all routed through the stadium. This multi-use approach has embedded the venue deeper into community life beyond matchdays.
For supporters, the ground is about shared memories. Superfan Ellie Brett, 24, watched her first game there aged eight with her father. "There's memories that we've had inside that ground that will stay with us all for the rest of our lives," she said. Glen De La Cour, presenter of the Total Saints Podcast, has a unique perspective, having spent 25 years watching at The Dell and another 25 at St Mary's.
Fan channel presenter Martin Sanders and countless others have built their matchday routines around the stadium. The sense of a modern home, while honouring the past, is strong among the fanbase.
The immediate focus returns to the pitch. Sitting seven points behind Millwall, the upcoming home fixture against the table-toppers is a key opportunity. The team will look to channel the energy of a packed St Mary's, a venue that has witnessed so many turning points, to improve their early standings position. With Cyle Larin in scoring form, the aim will be to add another positive chapter to the stadium's history starting this week. Fans can follow the team's preparations on our squad page.
