Russell Martin Guides Southampton to the Premier League at Wembley

Southampton are back in the Premier League at the first attempt. Russell Martin's side beat Leeds United 1-0 in the Championship play-off final at Wembley on Sunday, May 26, thanks to Adam Armstrong's goal on 24 minutes.

Will Smallbone slid Armstrong into the box and he drilled a low shot past Illan Meslier, his fourth goal in three games against Leeds this season. Leeds substitute Dan James hit the underside of the crossbar on 84 minutes, but Saints held on, Sky Sports reports.

It's a huge first season for Martin at the club. The last time Southampton went down, in 2005, it took them seven years to get back. Under Martin it has taken one.

He told Sky Sports:

I feel emotional and overwhelmed by the love and support I've had over the past nine or 10 months especially in the tougher times. The support from the board, I had to validate their decision and justify being handed the chance.

"The team have been so brave and I'm grateful and proud of them," he added.

Martin is a mostly vegan manager, and the change started when he was still playing. As Norwich City captain he researched diet because of his ulcerative colitis, and after cutting out animal products he had no flare-ups, he told the Hench Herbivore in 2016 (via Deadline News). It helped his football too:

I have managed to maintain and gain slight improvements in everything in terms of jumping, speed and agility. I recover quicker after games now and feel good. I can't think of one negative thing on my game.

Martin joins a growing list of plant-powered names in football. In 2022 Chris Smalling was man of the match as Roma won the first Europa Conference League, and Forest Green Rovers, the world's first vegan club, won League Two. Two days ago boxer Lawrence Okolie became a two-weight world champion.

No meat, no problem.