| Club: | Southampton F.C. |
| Season: | 1995–96 |
| Manager: | David Merrington |
| Chairman: | Guy Askham |
| Stadium: | The Dell |
| League: | Premiership |
| League Result: | 17th |
| Cup1: | FA Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | Quarter-finals |
| Cup2: | League Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Fourth round |
| League Topscorer: | Le Tissier/Shipperley (7) |
| Season Topscorer: | Shipperley (12) |
| Highest Attendance: | 15,262 vs Manchester United (13 Apr 1996, Premier League) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 11,059 vs West Ham United (25 Oct 1995, League Cup) |
| Average Attendance: | 14,820 |
| Pattern La1: | _brentford_home_96-98. |
| Pattern B1: | _brentford_home_96-98 |
| Pattern Ra1: | _brentford_home_96-98. |
| Pattern Sh1: | _redsides |
| Pattern So1: | _hoops_red |
| Shorts1: | 000000 |
| Pattern La2: | _blackborder |
| Pattern B2: | _yellow_stripes |
| Pattern Ra2: | _blackborder |
| Pattern Sh2: | _yellowsides |
| Pattern So2: | _hoops_yellow |
| Leftarm2: | FFFF00 |
| Body2: | 1589FF |
| Rightarm2: | FFFF00 |
| Shorts2: | 1589FF |
| Socks2: | 1589FF |
| Prevseason: | 1994–95 |
| Nextseason: | 1996–97 |
During the 1995–96 English football season, Southampton Football Club competed in the FA Premier League.
Amidst rumours of lack of support from the board, Alan Ball was lured to Manchester City in the summer of 1995 and Southampton turned to long-serving coach David Merrington to take charge of the team in 1995–96. Southampton finished 17th with 38 league points, avoiding relegation on goal difference. Two important wins during the final weeks of the season did much to ensure that Saints achieved Premiership survival and relegating Manchester City. First came a 3–1 home win over eventual double winners Manchester United, then came a 1–0 away win over relegated Bolton Wanderers. Despite achieving survival, Merrington was then sacked as manager after just one season and replaced by Graeme Souness, who had won silverware earlier in his managerial career with Rangers and Liverpool.
See main article: 1995–96 FA Premier League.
Southampton's score comes first[1]
| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 August 1995 | Nottingham Forest | H | 3–4 | 15,164 | Le Tissier (3, 2 pens) | |
| 26 August 1995 | Everton | A | 0–2 | 33,668 | ||
| 30 August 1995 | Leeds United | H | 1–1 | 15,212 | Widdrington | |
| 9 September 1995 | Newcastle United | H | 1–0 | 15,237 | Magilton | |
| 12 September 1995 | Middlesbrough | A | 0–0 | 29,181 | ||
| 16 September 1995 | Chelsea | A | 0–3 | 26,237 | ||
| 23 September 1995 | Arsenal | A | 2–4 | 38,136 | Watson, Monkou | |
| 2 October 1995 | West Ham United | H | 0–0 | 13,568 | ||
| 14 October 1995 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 1–2 | 26,780 | Maddison | |
| 22 October 1995 | Liverpool | H | 1–3 | 15,245 | Watson | |
| 28 October 1995 | Wimbledon | A | 2–1 | 7,982 | Shipperley (2) | |
| 4 November 1995 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2–0 | 15,137 | Dodd, Le Tissier | |
| 18 November 1995 | Manchester United | A | 1–4 | 39,301 | Shipperley | |
| 20 November 1995 | Aston Villa | H | 0–1 | 13,582 | ||
| 25 November 1995 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 1–0 | 14,404 | Hughes | |
| 2 December 1995 | Liverpool | A | 1–1 | 38,007 | Shipperley | |
| 9 December 1995 | Arsenal | H | 0–0 | 15,238 | ||
| 16 December 1995 | West Ham United | A | 1–2 | 18,501 | Bishop (own goal) | |
| 23 December 1995 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 2–2 | 25,115 | Heaney, Magilton (pen) | |
| 26 December 1995 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 0–0 | 15,238 | ||
| 1 January 1996 | Coventry City | A | 1–1 | 16,818 | Heaney | |
| 13 January 1996 | Nottingham Forest | A | 0–1 | 23,321 | ||
| 20 January 1996 | Middlesbrough | H | 2–1 | 15,151 | Shipperley, Hall | |
| 31 January 1996 | Manchester City | H | 1–1 | 15,172 | Shipperley | |
| 3 February 1996 | Everton | H | 2–2 | 15,136 | Watson, Magilton | |
| 24 February 1996 | Chelsea | H | 2–3 | 15,226 | Widdrington, Clarke (own goal) | |
| 2 March 1996 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–1 | 26,320 | ||
| 16 March 1996 | Manchester City | A | 1–2 | 29,550 | Tisdale | |
| 20 March 1996 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 0–1 | 13,216 | ||
| 25 March 1996 | Coventry City | H | 1–0 | 14,461 | Dodd | |
| 30 March 1996 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 0–3 | 17,615 | ||
| 3 April 1996 | Leeds United | A | 0–1 | 26,077 | ||
| 6 April 1996 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 1–0 | 14,793 | Le Tissier (pen) | |
| 8 April 1996 | Aston Villa | A | 0–3 | 34,059 | ||
| 13 April 1996 | Manchester United | H | 3–1 | 15,262 | Monkou, Shipperley, Le Tissier | |
| 17 April 1996 | Newcastle United | A | 0–1 | 36,554 | ||
| 27 April 1996 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 1–0 | 18,795 | Le Tissier | |
| 5 May 1996 | Wimbledon | H | 0–0 | 15,172 |
See main article: 1995–96 FA Cup.
| R3 | 7 January 1996 | Portsmouth | H | 3–0 | 15,236 | Magilton (2), Shipperley | |
| R4 | 7 February 1996 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 1–1 | 13,736 | Le Tissier | |
| R4R | 13 February 1996 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 3–2 | 5,579 | Shipperley, Hall, Dodd | |
| R5 | 17 February 1996 | Swindon Town | A | 1–1 | 15,035 | Watson | |
| R5R | 28 February 1996 | Swindon Town | H | 2–0 | 13,962 | Oakley, Shipperley | |
| QF | 11 March 1996 | Manchester United | A | 0–2 | 45,446 |
See main article: 1995–96 Football League Cup.
| R2 1st Leg | 19 September 1995 | Cardiff City | A | 3–0 | 9,041 | Le Tissier (2), Shipperley | |
| R2 2nd Leg | 4 October 1995 | Cardiff City | H | 2–1 (won 5–1 on agg) | 12,709 | Watson, Hall | |
| R3 | 25 October 1995 | West Ham United | H | 2–1 | 11,059 | Watson, Shipperley | |
| R4 | 28 November 1995 | Reading | A | 1–2 | 13,742 | Monkou |
| Date | Pos | Name | From | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 June 1995 | DF | Alan Neilson | Newcastle United | £750,000 | |
| 20 December 1995 | GK | Neil Moss | Bournemouth | £250,000 | |
| 18 January 1996 | MF | Mark Walters | Liverpool | Free transfer |
| Date | Pos | Name | To | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 October 1995 | MF | Paul Allen | Swindon Town | Free transfer | |
| 24 October 1995 | DF | Peter Whiston | Shrewsbury Town | £50,000 | |
| 16 February 1996 | DF | Paul McDonald | Brighton & Hove Albion | £25,000 | |
| 1 March 1996 | FW | Craig Maskell | Brighton & Hove Albion | £40,000 |
Transfers in: £1,000,000
Transfers out: £115,000
Total spending: £885,000