Southampton currently sit in sixth place in the Sky Bet Championship, knowing a spot in the play-offs come the final day will leave them just three wins from promotion back to the Premier League.
While that goal remains a long shot, the Saints are on a 14-game unbeaten run under Tonda Eckert and are going from strength to strength.
If managed this season, here are five things Saints fans can expect, and whether Sport Republic will finally learn its lesson at the third time of asking.
A clear strategy
Sport Republic have relegated Southampton from the Premier League twice in their oversight of the club, and both times it has been after directionless transfer windows.
With Sporting Director Johannes Spors at the helm, the Saints will enter the summer transfer window with a clear idea of the business that they want to complete - in fact, that will happen regardless of whether they go up or stay down.
It will be a nice change for Saints fans, and with Sunderland and Leeds United setting the blueprint last summer by signing physical, pacey players, Spors must follow suit.
A big managerial decision
Johannes Spors will have a huge decision to make - either stick with Tonda Eckert or go for somebody more experienced in the Premier League.
The 33-year-old is just months into his first senior managerial job, and while he appears to be confident and adaptable in the Championship, England’s top flight is a whole different bear pit, as Saints fans know by now.
This will be the most important, but sadly, most ruthless decision that Spors and Sport Republic will need to make. Will they get it right?
A striker signing
If Saints go up, they’ll undoubtedly spend a second successive summer trying to make the right striker signing.
Whatever happens this season, failed signing Damion Downs will likely depart, as will loanee Cyle Larin. Southampton have struggled for goals when in the Premier League of late, they need to get a consistent supply of goals, like Dominic Calvert-Lewin at Leeds and Brian Brobbey/Wilson Isidor at Sunderland!
VAR Controversy
Southampton were hard done by in their last Premier League season, by the controversial system that is VAR.
Sport Republic Chairman, Dragan Solak, said last June: “In my opinion, VAR took eight points from Russell [Martin]’s team, and if he had those eight points more in December, I think he would have managed the team for the whole season.”
With the Saints being one of the minnows of the division when coming up from the second tier, there could be plenty more where that came from.
Players fighting
Southampton went down in 2024/25 with just 12 points to their name. The season was done and dusted by November, when heads dropped, and players realised that it was time to fight or flee.
This time around, whether it’s Tonda Eckert or somebody else at the managerial helm, the group appears mentally stronger. As long as they avoid a catastrophic appointment midway through, like the one of Ivan Juric, it can’t get much worse - can it?
It’s clear that Eckert is doing a great job in the now, and could be taking Southampton back to the promised land anytime soon.