Adam Armstrong sealed Southampton’s immediate return back to the Premier League with the winning goal as Saints beat Leeds United 1-0 in Sunday’s Championship playoff final at Wembley.
Armstrong, who had scored in both regular Championship matches against Leeds this season – each Southampton wins – was on target again to put Saints 1-0 up with a clinical 24th-minute finish.
It was Armstrong’s 24th goal of the season, but also a special moment for Smallbone, who was in the Wembley stands as a Southampton fan in 2010 – aged 10 – when Saints beat Carlisle United 4-1 in the EFL Trophy.
Russell Martin’s side withstood a spirited Leeds fightback, but held firm to join Leicester City and Ipswich Town in the top flight in 2024/25.
This was Leeds’ fourth playoff final, and they have now failed in all of them, having lost their previous three in 1986/87, 2005/06 and 2007/08.
Southampton, along with fellow promoted teams Leicester and Ipswich, can now look forward to finding out who they will face when the 2024/25 Premier League fixtures are released released at 09:00 BST on Tuesday 18 June. The campaign starts on 17 August.
