Ward-Prowse Backs Southampton To Make Immediate Premier League Return

Southampton booked their ticket to the second tier of English football with a 2-0 defeat at home to Fulham on Saturday.

The defeat ended Southampton's 11-year stay in the Premier League in a season which has seen them go through three different managers.

Saints skipper Ward-Prowse is adamant there is enough quality in the Southampton squad to force an immediate return but acknowledged warning signs of relegation have been lingering for a while.

“(I’ve) full confidence, I think the club’s been there and done it,” he told Southampton’s website.

“The squad that we’ve got now is incredibly young and they’ve got a lot to learn.

“They will have learnt a lot from this year and next year I’m sure the club will be doing everything they can to be back in the Premier League.”

“It’s something, in all honesty, we’ve been fearing for a little while,” he added.

“Over the last couple of years we’ve not been performing at the level I believe we should be and I think this season’s caught up with us.

“There’s a way to lose games, there’s a way to maybe fail in sport and I think the way we’ve done it this year, that’s the disappointing way.

“I don’t feel we’ve really gone down with a fight and given everything we can.

“I feel for the fans because they don’t deserve to see what we’ve produced this season and that’s the sad thing.”