Southampton are a club we can look to model ourselves on - Bloom

Albion chairman Tony Bloom believes Southampton are a club the Seagulls can aspire to be like in the coming years.
Tony Bloom celebrates promotion last season.Tony Bloom celebrates promotion last season.
Tony Bloom celebrates promotion last season.

Brighton and the Saints were promoted from League One into the Championship together – Albion as champions – in 2010/11 and Southampton then went up into the Premier League the following year.

After finishing 14th in their first season in the top flight, Southampton have enjoyed four successive top-ten finishes, including sixth place in 2015/16 to qualify for the Europa League last season.

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Looking at a club Albion can model themselves on as they look to stay and then establish themselves in the Premier League, Bloom said: “I do look at a club like Southampton.

“They came up with us when we were in League One and have spent a lot of money but they’ve got a brilliant academy with some of the players coming out of there.

“It’s something to look at –see what they’re doing to see if we can replicate some of that at the Albion. They’ve got a very good set-up and have got a very good process about how they recruit as well.”

Bloom believes staying in the top flight for years to come would be sensational for the city and added: “Our long-term vision is to be in the Premier League. The difference between the Premier League and the Championship is vast, so like most of the Premier League teams, the key is to be in the Premier League the next season, the season after, etc.

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“There’s 19 other clubs who will be doing everything they can to stay in the Premier League. The top six or seven will be expecting a lot more than that but three teams do go down every season, so we’ve got to be realistic and accept the fact it is a possibility.

“But if we can still be in the Premier League in five, ten years time, that will be sensational for the club and for the city.”

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