This Is Premier League

Saints youngsters making the grade

8 Jun 2019
Southampton win PL2 Division 2 playoff final

Southampton's reputation for giving Academy players the chance to progress continued during the 2018/19 season

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Southampton win promotion to PL2 Division 1

Southampton's proud history of developing talent from within continued in a successful 2018/19 campaign.

Saints won promotion to Premier League 2 Division 1 with the help of homegrown players Callum Slattery, Kayne Ramsay and Tyreke Johnson.

As well as that trio making their first Premier League appearances, defender Yan Valery and goalkeeper Angus Gunn became first-team regulars in the second half of the campaign.

Valery made 23 PL appearances while his superb strike against Manchester United, on his Premier League debut, was nominated for March's Carling Goal of the Month Award.

'They trust young players'

"I signed here because I knew it was one of the best Academies in the country," Valery told This is Premier League, the review of 2018/19. "They trust young players, they have great staff and facilities, a good training ground and they try and make you the best you can be if you work hard."

Gunn, meanwhile, signed for Southampton in the summer of 2018 after developing in Premier League 2 with Manchester City.

He made 12 PL appearances for Saints after keeping a clean sheet on his Premier League debut, a 0-0 draw at Chelsea in January.

"Academies have to take credit for the development of players across the country," he said. "They seem to be getting better every year and Southampton are renowned for that."

See: Southampton's stars of the future impress

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