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club factfile: FORMED 1874 NICKNAME The <strong>Villa</strong>ns STADIUM <strong>Villa</strong> Park CAPACITY 42,777 2021/22 14th in Premier League FA Cup third round League Cup third round HONOURS 7 top-flight titles 2 second-tier titles 7 FA Cups 5 League Cups 1 European Cup recent results: 26.12.22 Watkins Premier League 01.01.23 Buendía, Luiz Premier League 12 / saints Aside from an embarrassing FA Cup third round exit at home to League Two Stevenage, <strong>Aston</strong> <strong>Villa</strong>’s transformation under new boss Unai Emery has been nothing short of exceptional. The former Arsenal gaffer replaced Steven Gerrard in November after the Liverpool legend had been dismissed following a dismal start to the season in which they had won just twice in the league and only sat above the relegation places on goals scored. Under Emery, however, <strong>Villa</strong> have quickly turned things around, winning four games from eight to move up to mid-table, 10 points clear of the drop zone. That run has included victories over highflying Manchester United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur. 04.01.23 Ings Premier League After leaving his role at Rangers, ex-England international Gerrard’s tenure at <strong>Villa</strong> as successor to Dean Smith lasted less than a year following just 13 wins from 40 league games. Gerrard’s high-profile signings included Barcelona forward Phillipe Coutinho, Sevilla defender Diego Carlos and French midfielder Boubacar Kamara. A further £13m was spent on Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Leander Dendoncker. However, Carlos suffered a serious ankle injury on his home debut and Kamara has only just returned to action following a knee ligament injury sustained against <strong>Southampton</strong>. Emery’s first move in the January window saw <strong>Villa</strong> snap up Spanish left-back Álex Moreno for £13.2m from Real Betis. 08.01.23 Sanson FA Cup 13.01.23 Bailey, Buendía Premier League ONE TO WATCH: ARGENTINIAN / AGE: 30 The arrival of Carlos Alcaraz as A World Cup winner with Argentina last month where he performed heroics in the penalty shootout victory over France, Emiliano Martínez is now in his third season at <strong>Villa</strong> Park. The towering goalkeeper ended a 10-year association with Arsenal to move to <strong>Villa</strong> in September 2020, lifting the FA Cup in his final act as a Gunner. The colourful character had joined Arsenal from Independiente, but his first-team appearances in north London were interspersed with six spells out on loan. Martínez, who saved a penalty on his Premier League debut for <strong>Villa</strong>, played every minute of his first campaign with the club and was named Player of the Season at the end of that term. He kept 11 clean sheets last season and has three to his name in 17 appearances this time around. Capped 26 times by his country, he won the Golden Glove in Qatar. Ten-year record: league 15 th 17 th THE BOSS: SPANISH / AGE: 51 <strong>Aston</strong> <strong>Villa</strong>’s appointment of Unai Emery was a sign of the club’s ambition. Emery is a European specialist, having won the Europa League three seasons in a row at Sevilla before lifting the trophy again with <strong>Villa</strong>rreal when they beat Manchester United in 2021. The Spanish club also reached last year’s Champions League semi-finals under Emery. Emery returned to England with something of a point to prove following his sacking by Arsenal in 2019. His 18-month stint at the Emirates has been painted as a failure, but tasked with following Arsène Wenger, Arsenal finished fifth in his full season in charge, and he led the Gunners to the Europa League final where they lost to Chelsea. A former midfielder as a player, Emery’s management career began in his native Spain in 2004 with Lorca Deportiva. He later enjoyed league and cup success with Paris Saint-Germain prior to his arrival at Arsenal. 20 th 13 th 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 18/19 19/20 20/21 21/22 4th 5 th 17 th 11 th 14 th saints / 13 saints / 03 CONTACT US <strong>Southampton</strong> Football Club St Mary’s Stadium Britannia Road <strong>Southampton</strong> SO14 5FP Main Reception 02380 727 700 | reception@saintsfc.co.uk Supporter Services 02380 711 980 | supporterservices@saintsfc.co.uk Ticket Office 02381 780 780 | tickets@saintsfc.co.uk Stadium Store 02380 711 973 | retailhelp@saintsfc.co.uk Hospitality 02380 727 768 | hospitality@saintsfc.co.uk DIRECTORY Chief Executive Officer Martin Semmens Managing Director Toby Steele Board of Directors Martin Semmens, Chief Execuitve Officer; Toby Steele, Managing Director; Matt Crocker, Director of Football Operations; David Thomas, Chief Commercial Officer; Tim Greenwell, Chief Legal & Risk Officer; Michelle Butler, Director of HR. First Team Manager Nathan Jones First Team Coaches Chris Cohen, Alan Sheehan, Rubén Selles, Carl Martin, Andrew Sparkes. Club Leadership Team Mark Abrahams, Director of Commercial & Community Partnerships; Sarah Batters, Director of Marketing and Partnerships; Michael Fenn, Finance Director; James Grove, Director of IT; Matt Hale, Academy Director; Mark Jarvis, Director of Performance; Zoe O’Sullivan, Director of Legal; Matt Silvester, Director of Venue Sales; Ros Wheeler, Club Secretary; Fabiola Wilcox, Director of Brand Experience & Communications. Team Doctor Dr Iñigo Sarriegui Physiotherapists Steve Wright, Neil Simms, Fraser McKinney. Head Groundsman Graeme Mills Club PA Tim Manns SAINTS Editor Mark Perrow Contributors Neil Jeffries, Tom Harvey, Sam Tighe, Barry Webb, Duncan Holley, Alicia Povey, James Barker, Marc Walker. Photography Matt Watson, Isabelle Field, Chris Moorhouse, Getty Images, Action Images. Advertising Michael Hopkins 0845 688 9377 | sponsorship@saintsfc.co.uk This programme was produced on behalf of <strong>Southampton</strong> FC by Ignition Sports Media. Design: James Ginieres www.ignitionsportsmedia.com Printed by Stephens & George Print Group WHAT’S INSIDE... aston villa 1 3 0 2 #26 Carlos Alcaraz 1 1 1 2 2 1 saints / 41 UNAI EMERY EMILIANO MARTÍNEZ 15th “I knew it would be a challenge in my career, so I wanted to take it, knowing I was joining a great club.” <strong>Southampton</strong>’s second signing of the January transfer window reaffirmed Saints’ commitment to youth. Talented and temperamental, the 20-year-old Argentinian is a bundle of energy right up for the fight of keeping Saints in the Premier League… 04 Moment in time 06 Nathan Jones 08 INSIDE SO14 10 southampton fc women 12 feature interview 24 saints Foundation 26 ticket NEWS 31 The rest is history premier CHAMPIONSHIP issue 14 £3.50 SAINTS SAINTS Vs aston villa | saturday 21st january 2023, 3pm | premier league 40 <strong>Aston</strong> VIlla 47 JUNIOR SAINTS 52 Saints Dedications 60 player profiles 62 Fixtures & Results 64 Saints Standings 66 Franny Benali 68 The teams
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