Southampton fans caused chaos on Friday night after reaching the final for promotion to the Premier League. During the pitch invasion, West Bromwich Albion players ended up among the home supporters, leading to a confrontation with the traveling West Brom fans.
Before the kickoff, Southampton supporters gave a fantastic welcome to the team bus at the stadium. The atmosphere was electric, with fans creating an incredible noise and displaying their passion.
Southampton manager Russell Martin was deeply moved by the support. "The noise and passion of the people were incredible," Martin observed. "The guys saw their family members in the crowd; I saw my brother and my son, it was amazing. I've never seen anything like it. It brought a lot of emotions on the bus ride to the stadium, and it made my team talk easy."
When the final whistle blew, confirming Southampton's place in the final at Wembley against Leeds United at the expense of West Brom, joy erupted among the fans. However, this joy quickly turned to chaos when a group of fans approached the West Brom section, where the players of the losing team were thanking their traveling supporters. Police and stewards had to intervene to prevent the situation from escalating further.
Southampton manager Martin was asked about the incidents afterward but hadn't witnessed them. "That's unnecessary, but I'm pretty sure it was a minority. Our fans were fantastic tonight. Those who did that let themselves down. It's a shame if this tarnishes such a great evening. But hopefully, it was only a few people, and the majority had a wonderful night. Because they were brilliant," said the 38-year-old Scot, who previously achieved promotion with Norwich City in 2015, to The Guardian.
Martin reflected on the positive impact the fans had before the match. "The noise and passion of the people were incredible," he reiterated. "The guys saw their family members in the crowd; I saw my brother and my son, it was amazing. I've never seen anything like it. It brought a lot of emotions on the bus ride to the stadium, and it made my team talk easy."
With the crucial match on Sunday, May 26, at Wembley, Martin is focused on the task ahead. "Now we have to show it on the biggest stage. We must seize this opportunity with both hands," he stated, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming final. The support from the fans will be crucial as Southampton aims for promotion, and Martin is confident that his team will rise to the occasion.
