Ivan Juric has left his role as Southampton first team manager following the club’s relegation on Sunday.

The Croatian joined the Saints on an 18-month deal in December following Russell Martin’s dismissal but lasted just 107 days in charge.

Juric oversaw just two victories in his 16 matches in charge with Sunday’s 3-1 defeat to Tottenham confirming Southampton’s relegation to the Championship.

With seven matches still to play, Saints’ relegation is the earliest in Premier League history, breaking the joint-record set by Derby County and Huddersfield Town in 2007-08 and 2018-19 respectively, who both went down after 32 games.

The club confirmed the process of searching for a new manager is now under way and said: “With relegation to the Championship now confirmed, we believe it is important to give fans, players and staff some clarity on the future as we head into a very important summer.”

First team coach Simon Rusk is set to take charge of the team for the remainder of the season with player Adam Lallana to act as his assistant.

Southampton currently sit on 10 points at the bottom of the league and require a further two points to avoid breaking the record-low set by Derby County, who finished the 2007-08 season with 11 points.

Robert Conway, an Eastleigh-based football fanatic has visited more than 730 football grounds across 14 countries.

He has been to 2,030 matches and counting.

A passionate fan who will attempt to watch any and every match. Eight matches in one weekend is his current record.

Robert has completed “the 92”, meaning that he has attended a match at all English football grounds in the top four divisions. He has also seen matches at all 56 professional German League grounds.

Robert has quite the collection of football memorabilia, with more than 200 scarves and 469 football shirts from the 733 grounds he has visited.

Robert’s passion for football was ignited by Blackburn Rovers in the 1990s, when Alan Shearer fired them to the Premier League title in 1995.

‘Community feeling’

Living in the south of England and travelling up to Ewood Park every other week was unfeasible for Robert, so he turned his attention to his local club, Winchester City.

Robert has been going to watch Winchester City every week, home and away for nine years and he will only miss a match if he has absolutely no choice.

Since attending his first match against Laverstock and Ford one Tuesday night, he has never looked back.

Robert “loves the community feeling” and says in a positive way that it is “just different supporting a non-league club”.  

Being closer to the action comes with its benefits as Robert says he knows the manager and the players and that they all know him.

Robert describes his strong association with the club from the position of a fan as a “nice fit”.

He feels like a “very small part of the club” and that his support has an influence at Winchester City’s matches.

Fourth Division Alemannia Aachen is the German club that has also captured Robert’s heart and he is the founder of their UK supporters club.

With over 20,000 fans on average at home matches last season, it is no surprise Robert has many friends in Germany.

The greatest game

Attending their matches is “so much fun”, especially at only €12 a ticket.

The best match Robert has ever attended was Eintracht Frankfurt’s 4-4 draw at home to Hertha Berlin in December 2014.

Frankfurt fell three goals behind but then managed to salvage a point thanks to two last-gasp stoppage time goals from local hero Alex Meier, who Robert said would “forever be my favourite player”.

“The place just went absolutely crazy.”

Frankfurt even had a final chance right at the end to win the match which went a yard wide.

Robert said that if it had gone in, he would have “never been able to go to a game ever again as nothing would have ever compared”. 

Having been to the San Siro, Signal Iduna Park and Como’s ground, Borussia Neunkirchen is now the dream destination that Robert has yet to visit.

He has been trying to get to their “fantastic, massive, old, crumbly, concrete stadium”, for many years.

The 143^rd FA Cup Final was a Manchester derby for only the second time, a repeat of last season’s final, in which City came out 2-1 winners thanks to the earliest goal in FA Cup Final history from İlkay Gündoğan, after just 12 seconds. City were the overwhelming favourites once again going into this fixture, having been crowned Premier League winners for a record 4^th time in a row last weekend.

For a split-second viewers may have thought an early goal was coming once again when Fernandes lobbed the ball in behind the City defence for Rashford to chase. He would have had an opportunity to score if it was not for the physical freak, Walker, who powered back and beat him to the ball.

VAR had a first incident to review inside the opening minute as well. Martinez put an arm into Haaland’s back as a cross flashed passed them. Guardiola was screaming on the touchline for a penalty, but VAR deemed there was not enough in it to overturn the on-field decision.

City then proceeded to dominate the opening stages of the match, with United unable to get a kick. However, the first shot of the match came from Garnacho, out of the right, just inside the penalty area, but he fired straight at Ortega.

City were struggling to get into their groove, put off by United’s industrious midfield make-up of Amrabat, McTominay, Mainoo and Fernandes. Ten Hag’s chosen system filled out the centre of the pitch, which made it very difficult for City to find gaps, forcing them to play out wide and make errors.

The match began to heat up in the 21^st minute. Ortega played an unwanted pass to Kovačić on the penalty spot of his own box, whilst United were aggressively hunting City down with a press. Trouble was avoided for City as they slickly passed their way out which led to Dalot fouling Haaland on the halfway line, stopping a promising attack. A streetwise move from Dalot who also avoided a yellow card.

Just before the half-hour mark a ball was smashed forward, looking for the run of Garnacho directly in behind the City backline. Goalkeeper Ortega rushed off his line towards the action and Gvardiol bumped Garnacho away from the ball, headed it towards goal not knowing his goalkeeper had come out to collect it himself. Garnacho then proceeded to roll the ball into the empty City net. A gift of a goal for Manchester United who took a 1-0 lead. Wembley was stunned. That defensive mix-up in communication put it on a plate for Garnacho.

United were covering every blade of grass. All of City’s passes were in front of the United defence, they were not asking many questions of them. A tame shot from distance was comfortably gathered by Onana. Varane clipped the ball over the top and Garnacho was in behind the City backline again, he picked out Rashford across goal who tapped in but the offside flag was correctly raised by the linesman.

Mainoo played the ball to Rashford who was just inside his own half, he switched play, drilling the ball diagonally to Garnacho, who arrived at the edge of the box, played the ball on the floor across to Fernandes, who then executed an exquisite pass into Mainoo, Walker was the wrong side and Mainoo coolly slotted the ball into the far-right corner. The red areas of Wembley erupted after witnessing an incredible team goal from their side. City were going for the double, but they were shocked by this first half double from United. 

A trademark De Bruyne cross was flashed across goal, but Haaland was unable to meet the ball as City continued to struggle to create any good shooting opportunities. Fernandes slid in to intercept the ball from arriving at Foden’s feet on the brink of half-time and he waved his arms up at the United fans. They were half-way towards causing a big upset at Wembley.

There was nearly a chance for Rashford in the 50^th minute after lovely link up and a one-two between Mainoo and Fernandes but the latter’s pass was cut out.

Foden drove the ball forward and played it to Doku, a half-time substitute for City, he rolled the ball across the box towards Haaland, who’s powerful left-footed shot rattled the crossbar, it was then cleared out of play by Garnacho. The closest City had come thus far and it gave City fans hope as they found their voices. De Bruyne, who had been unable to influence the game, fired a cross over everybody’s heads and out of play. He was then substituted after 56 minutes for Julian Alvarez, as Guardiola shuffled his pack.

So, Doku and Alvarez were on for City, two willing runners with pace and directness key components to their game. City were still plugging away and a thunderous strike from distance by Walker forced Onana into making a top class save. From the resulting corner Alvarez fired over the crossbar on his less-favoured left foot.

The next big chance of the match also fell to the young Argentinian. Rodri passed through United’s midfield line finding Foden, who slid the ball in between Martinez and Amrabat in order to create an opportunity for Alvarez, but under pressure from Dalot behind, he placed his left-footed shot wide of the goal. Both Alvarez and Guardiola placed their hands on their heads. One versus one with the goalkeeper, that was City’s best chance of the match to pull a goal back.

City screamed for a penalty in the 75^th minute when Mainoo’s hands were wrapped around Haaland in the penalty box, but it was deemed fair, strong play from the United teenager and no penalty was awarded. Walker attempted another shot from distance, but it was well-saved once again by Onana down to his right. Doku was looking like City’s main threat as they began to flood the box with players.

In the 87^th minute, Foden played the ball to Doku who was out on the left. He was facing Wan Bissaka and Garnacho was covering the inside. Doku took on Garncho, driving towards the edge of the box, he created half a yard for himself to get a shot off which snuck inside the near post despite Onana getting his hands on the ball. City finally pulled a goal back to make it 2-1. Doku was City’s liveliest player, but it was a shot that Onana definitely should have saved. City are a club who in recent history have always fought right until the end of important matches, they had given themselves that opportunity in this match too.

City continued to move the ball from side to side, attempting to create space for themselves. Akanji fired over from distance and Onana rushed out to gather another corner kick. Fernandes went for goal just inside the City half which went wide but it did waste valuable seconds as the clock continued to click through additional time.

The match finished 2-1 to Manchester United, a result not many would have expected. Ten Hag’s tactical masterclass came off on the day to deny his doubters any joy. Teenage sensation Kobbie Mainoo was deservedly named Man of the Match. There were no double-double celebrations for Manchester City, neighbours United made sure of that. United’s poor season ended in jubilation as they lifted their 13^th FA Cup, now only one behind Arsenal’s record of 14.