News about Will Smallbone

DOMINIC HOGAN AT ST MARY'S: To have 23 shots and only win 1-0 tells you something about both victors Nottingham Forest and defeated hosts Southampton. Morgan Gibbs-White's break\through on 70 minutes saw the visitors take advantage of the heavy pressure they built throughout at St Mary's. Forest were aided in large part by Southampton's well-intentioned but ultimately detrimental insistence on playing out the back, particularly in the first half. Indeed, against a more clinical side they might have suffered a heavier defeat.

Southampton will join Ipswich Town and Leicester City in the Premier League next season after winning the Championship play-off final, with a new set of WAGs joining them. Not only are Saints players now busy preparing for life in the English top-flight, but their various partners are as well, with many already fully settled into the WAG lifestyle. Mail Sport takes a look at some of the WAGs who will be supporting their footballing partners in the Premier League next season.

Adam Armstrong's first-half strike secured a tense 1-0 victory for Saints and crucially earned them an unparalleled £180million windfall. The striker timed his run to perfection to meet Will Smallbone's threaded pass and tucked his 24th - and most important - goal of the season into the far corner. According to Deloitte, the £180m figure takes into account the projected increases in matchday, broadcast and commercial revenue in the Premier League. The sports business group has also predicted that this windfall could rise to more than £300m if Saints survive in their first season back in the top-flight.

LEWIS STEELE AT WEMBLEY: Just 33 days ago, Russell Martin slumped in a chair in the press conference room at Leicester's King Power Stadium sporting an expression of disbelief. His team had just waved the white flag in the race for automatic promotion by being thumped 5-0. 'I did not like what I saw from my team one bit,' he said, looking like he had run out of puff after an arduous season of ups and downs. 'Body language, arms up in the air. It's inexcusable. Players need to show love for each other, I'm fed up of doing it. 'They need to feel some pain and the same pain that I'm feeling right now, and the hurt that I'm feeling. It's pathetic. This result and performance is not on. How much do we really want to win promotion? How much do we care?'

One of the most eagerly-awaited fixtures on the UK's football calendar is the Championship promotion play-off. With a place in the Premier League and tens of millions of pounds up for grabs for the winning club - today's match-up between Leeds and Southampton at Wembley Stadium has all the hallmarks of yet another classic. Leeds are 5/4 favourites to come away with the win and return to the Premier League, while Southampton are 21/10 outsiders. Both clubs were relegated from the English top-flight two seasons ago after finishing 19th and 20th respectively.

LEEDS 1-2 SOUTHAMPTON - AADAM PATEL AT ELLAND ROAD: As Ipswich Town celebrated their return to the Premier League 200 miles away in East Anglia, a flat Leeds United inside Elland Road were left to wonder what might have been. Defeat against Southampton was ultimately inconsequential as Ipswich did their job against Huddersfield but having gone unbeaten at home all season till mid-April, Leeds have now lost their last two at Elland Road. The damning reality is that after a stunning start to 2024, a run of four points in their last six league games has cost them automatic promotion.

ISAAN KHAN AT VICARAGE ROAD: For those supporters of red and white who made the trip to Vicarage Road, their world had almost crashed. Not because Southampton was on the verge of being knocked out of the FA Cup 4th round, but not because they were on the verge of being knocked out. That may not have been ideal, but it was all about their unique, special track. The Saints tied a new 102-year record a week ago. Twenty games in a row have been unbeaten. Many of these fans will never see again in their lifetime.

WONDERS OF THE PYRAMID: Just like that, we're now in the second half of the Championship season, with tables starting to get more organized, but there is a lot more to play for. With Leicester leading Ipswich Town by six points after the two shared a point each in their Boxing Day blockbuster brawl at Portman Road, the battle for supremacy is heating up. With Southampton chasing down the front-runners just five points behind the Tractor Boys, they will have to look in their rear-view mirrors, with fellow recently promoted Leeds not far behind either.

TOM PRENTKI AT ST MARY'S STADIUM: Southampton beat Leeds 3-1 at home, with Adam Armstrong scoring a brace. Will Smallbone netted for Southampton, with Leeds getting a goal back from Pascal Struijk.

WILL KAJUMBA (ADRIAN KAJUMBA): Sheffield United's Will Smallbone's £7 million bid was turned down by Southampton. With Sander Berge's departure to Burnley, the newly promoted Blades are finding midfield reinforcements of their own. Since Sheffield United saw their opening bid turned down, Irishman Smallbone, 23, is one of the players being targeted and talks between the clubs are ongoing.

With Premier League interest from Luton, Nottingham Forest, and Bournemouth preparing for the new season, Southampton midfielder Will Smallbone is hoping for a new season. Smallbone spent last season on loan at Stoke, giving him his first glimpse of regular senior football and his first appearance for the Potters. During pre-season for Southampton, the Ireland international has continued to impress, raising the level of anticipation.

Substitute Mikey Johnston sparked the Republic of Ireland's Euro 2024 qualifying campaign in order to spare boss Stephen Kenny further punishment at Gibraltar. After being kept at bay by the side ranked 201st in the world, the Celtic winger, who spent last season on loan with Vitoria Guimaraes, scored his first senior international goal within seven minutes of his half-time introduction with his colleagues.

With a 2-1 loss in Greece, Giorgos Masouras left the Republic of Ireland's Euro 2024 qualification hopes hanging by a thread. Masouras, the Olympiakos' midfielder, scored the decisive goal in Gus Poyet's victory, leaving them with maximum points from their first two Group B fixtures and Ireland, with none advancing to Gibraltar's home clash on Monday. Defender Nathan Collins had earlier called out Tasos Bakasetas' 15th-minute penalty to give the visitors hope, but Stephen Kenny's team, who had defender Matt Doherty suspended in the dying seconds, were out-played for long stretches at Athens' OPAP Arena.