Southampton return to Championship action for the first time since the 2011/12 campaign when they travel away to face Sheffield Wednesday next week on the opening day.
How many points did Southampton get in the 2011/12 season?
Nigel Adkins led the Saints to promotion that year as his team finished second in the division, one point behind winners Reading on 88 points.
Only three points separated the top three as the club narrowly beat West Ham United to second place and the side's attacking firepower played a huge role in their success.
Southampton's 85 goals led the league and centre-forward Rickie Lambert was vital to that achievement as the former Bristol Rovers marksman plundered 30 goals and 13 assists in 45 outings.
Russell Martin could now land his own prolific no.9 to help fire the south coast outfit back to the Premier League this season by signing one of the club's mooted transfer targets.
The Sun on Sunday [16th July 2023, page 61] reported earlier this month that they will consider a move for Sunderland forward Ross Stewart if one of their current strikers moves on, amid interest from Fulham and Crystal Palace in Che Adams.
How many goals did Ross Stewart score last season?
The Scotland international scored an outstanding ten goals in 13 Championship appearances for the Black Cats, whilst he also provided his teammates with three assists.
Injuries prevented him from being able to add to his tally as the ex-Ross County ace missed 36 matches due to a hamstring issue and then a long-term Achilles problem.
His sensational form when fit, however, suggests that the potential is there for him to be a phenomenal centre-forward for Martin at St. Mary's – if he can avoid further injuries.
Like Lambert, who scored 29 goals in 45 League One matches for Rovers before his move to Southampton, Stewart also proved himself to be prolific in the third tier of English football, with 26 strikes in 49 games for Sunderland during the 2021/22 campaign.
The Black Cats titan, who stands at 6 foot 2, was directly involved in a goal every match on average for the club last season in the Championship, which suggests that he could emulate and even surpass the former Saints striker this term.
Lambert, who also stands at 6 foot 2, produced a goal contribution every 1.05 clashes on average throughout the club's 2011/12 promotion, with 43 goals and assists in 45 appearances.
This indicates that Stewart has the potential to provide a similar level of quality at the top end of the pitch in terms of the regularity with which he chips in with goals and assists from a no.9 position at that level.
The 26-year-old frontman, who was once hailed as "unbelievable" by teammate Alex Pritchard, has been prolific in League One and the Championship, which could now allow him to follow in Lambert's footsteps to be Southampton's talisman next season.
He could lead Martin's side to an instant promotion push with his ability to punish opposition teams on a regular basis with his clinical finishing and his knack for setting up his teammates, which is why the Scottish head coach must push for a deal to be completed this summer.
