<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Current season </Td> </Tr> <P> Southampton Football Club is a professional association football club based in Southampton, Hampshire, England, which plays in the Premier League, the top tier of English football . </P> <P> Their home ground since 2001 has been St Mary's Stadium, before which they were based at The Dell . The club has been nicknamed "The Saints" since its inception in 1885 due to its history as a church football team, founded as St. Mary's Church of England Young Men's Association, and play in red and white shirts . Southampton has a long - standing rivalry with Portsmouth due to its close proximity and both cities' respective maritime history . Matches between the two sides are known as the South Coast derby . </P> <P> The club has won the FA Cup once, in 1976, and their highest - ever league finish was second in the First Division in 1983--84 . Southampton were relegated from the Premier League on 15 May 2005, ending 27 successive seasons of top - division football for the club . They returned after a seven - year absence, and have played there ever since . </P>

When did southampton move to st mary's