The Hawthorns

Sunday 12th May 2024 -  14:15
West Brom
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Southampton
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Key Events

WBA & Southampton badges on the home match preview graphic with an image of Brandon Thomas-Asante smiling and pulling on the home shirt

West Bromwich Albion face Southampton at The Hawthorns in the first leg of the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off semi-finals on Sunday afternoon (ko 2.15pm).

The Baggies finished fifth in the second tier and recorded a 3-0 victory over Preston North End on the final day of the regular campaign last weekend.

Southampton ended the 2023/24 term a place above Carlos Corberán's side in fourth, collecting 87 points from their 46 games.

The Saints defeated Leeds United 2-1 at Elland Road in their most recent match. 

Albion will be intent on recording improved results against their opponents in the play-offs having suffered two defeats to Russell Martin's group during the season. 

A general view of The Hawthorns
The Hawthorns will host the first leg of the play-off semi-final

Follow the fixture live

Supporters can listen to live audio commentary of Albion's showdown with Southampton.

Gez Mulholland and former Baggie Andy Johnson will provide live commentary from The Hawthorns, with coverage starting at 2.05pm.

Audio passes are available to purchase here.

Details for video streaming on WBA TV will be available here from Friday afternoon onwards.

Supporters are kindly asked to direct any questions or complaints about WBA TV or WBA Radio to wbatvsupport@streamamg.com.

The club are unable to answer queries about WBA TV or WBA Radio sent to fans@wbafc.co.uk or myalbion@wbafc.co.uk.

Regular updates will also be posted across the club's social media channels throughout the day.

WBA TV matchday information graphic featuring Brandon Thomas-Asante cheering and Jed Wallace throwing popcorn.

The opponents

Southampton will be hoping to secure an immediate return to the Premier League via the play-offs having missed out on automatic promotion this season. 

The Saints finished fourth in the Sky Bet Championship, nine points behind Ipswich Town and ten adrift of champions Leicester City. 

Matches involving Sunday's guests have certainly been entertaining, with a total of 150 goals scored in their 46 fixtures (F87, A63).

This will be just the second time the side from the south coast have competed in the play-offs at any level, losing to Derby County at the semi-final stage in 2006/07 before the Rams went on to defeat the Baggies at Wembley. 

Russell Martin is the man in charge and has been since the start of the season after swapping Swansea City for the Saints last summer. 

The former Scotland international defender has previous experience of the play-offs as a player and has a record of 28 victories, 10 draws and 13 defeats from his 51 games at the St Mary's helm. 

Southampton players celebrate scoring a goal in their home kit
The Saints have scored plenty of goals this season

One to remember

The Baggies claimed a 3-0 triumph at The Hawthorns against Southampton in April 2021.

Matheus Pereira (p), Matt Phillips and Callum Robinson were on target that evening as Albion earned three Premier League points.

Supporters can watch the highlights below.

The last five

Albion 0-2 Southampton

February 16 2024, Sky Bet Championship

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Southampton 2-1 Albion

November 11 2023, Sky Bet Championship

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Albion 3-0 Southampton

April 12 2021, Premier League

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Southampton 2-0 Albion

October 4 2020, Premier League

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Albion 1-2 Southampton

February 17 2018, Emirates FA Cup

Cedric Kipre and Conor Townsend battle for the ball against Che Adams during Southampton's clash with Albion at St Mary's Stadium
The Baggies go to battle with the Saints for the third time this season on Sunday

Did you know?

Albion will be taking part in the play-offs for the fifth time.

The Baggies first participated in the play-offs in the 1992/93 season, defeating Swansea City 3-2 on aggregate in the Division Two semi-final before securing a 3-0 win against Port Vale in the final at Wembley.

In 2000/01, Gary Megson's side lost 5-2 on aggregate to eventual winners Bolton Wanderers in the semi-final.

Six years later, Tony Mowbray's Albion beat local rivals Wolves 4-2 on aggregate in the semi-final, however they were edged out 1-0 at Wembley by Derby County. 

The club last played in the play-offs in the 2018/19 term, losing on penalties to Aston Villa in the semi-final. 

Ticket details 

Tickets for Sunday's encounter have sold out.

Thank you for your brilliant backing, Baggies!

A general view of Albion fans in the West Stand at The Hawthorns
There won't be a single seat spare on Sunday at the Shrine

Fan Zone

The Fan Zone will be open from 11am on Sunday morning.

Entry is free for both West Bromwich Albion and Southampton supporters with a valid match ticket. 

A wide variety of entertainment and refreshments will be on offer, including spot prizes and live football on the big screen in the form of Norwich City's clash with Leeds United in the other Sky Bet Championship Play-Off semi-final.

We will be getting behind the team and brining a sense of occasion to The Hawthorns by handing younger fans "West Bromwich Albion clappers” as a keep sake.

You can collect them from the Fan Zone, with several more handed out in the stadium upon arrival.

A general view of Albion fans applauding the team at a game

Additional info

We all love football, and football is for all.

The club values your tremendous support, but please make sure you don't cross the line this weekend.

An image of Albion trying to score a corner against Southampton

Albion head to Southampton with everything still to play for following a goalless draw in their Sky Bet Championship Play-Off semi-final first leg on Sunday afternoon.

Neither team could break the deadlock despite an entertaining contest at an incredibly loud, sold-out The Hawthorns.

Carlos Corberán’s men face the Saints again this Friday (ko 8pm) down on the South Coast - where a place at Wembley will be decided.

An image of Conor Townsend passing the ball against Southampton, with Carlos Corberan in the background

The boss named an unchanged XI from last weekend’s victory over Preston North End - and they started brightly in a fantastic atmosphere.

Kyle Bartley saw an early shot inside the area blocked before Mikey Johnston struck wide as the Baggies penned their opponents in to begin with.

But Southampton got through that spell and threatened midway through the half - Kyle Walker-Peters seeing a shot deflected narrowly off-target and Flynn Downes failing to convert a finish past the alert Alex Palmer.

12 minutes ahead of the interval Albion created their best opportunity when Tom Fellows set-up Grady Diangana, however his header was somehow kept out by Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy and it was all level after 45.

An image of Grady Diangana's header being saved by Alex McCarthy

The sides exchanged half-chances early in the second period - yet the best came on the hour mark. Johnston sent a cross to the back post for Darnell Furlong, though he could only poke narrowly wide.

Alex Mowatt curled a free-kick over 15 minutes from time and Albion went mightily close soon after, Diangana thwarted once more as McCarthy kept out his finish following some excellent Fellows play.

The hosts' clean sheet was then preserved thanks to their own stopper, as his leg denied Ross Stewart's deflected effort.

Diangana had a late penalty shout turned down during stoppage time, but in the end it finished 0-0 ahead of the second leg next week.

Albion: Palmer; Furlong, Bartley, Kipre, Townsend (Reach 90+1); Yokuslu (Ajayi 82), Mowatt; Fellows (Swift 82), Diangana, Johnston (M’Vila 82); Thomas-Asante (Wallace 82).

Substitutes: Griffiths, Chalobah, Phillips, Weimann.

Attendance: 25,367 (1,996)