Saints v Brighton & Hove Albion reached its peak as a derby during their race for the League One title in 2010/11.

It was a rivalry famously stoked when Brighton fans took umbrage at a throwaway line from former Saints boss Nigel Adkins.

When asked whether Saints and Brighton at the end of the season would be the League One frontrunners following their goalless draw at St Mary’s in November 2010, Adkins famously replied: “Well, if they can keep with us, maybe.”

Four months later, Brighton were top by some distance when they hosted Saints at The Withdean.

Midfielder Gary Dicker showed that Seagulls have long memories, saying: “I don’t think we have ever been chasing them, but when you hear stuff like that it gives us an extra bit of motivation.

“We are ten points clear so it’s up to the rest to catch us.”

Sure enough, Brighton went on to win League One, but only after their manager at the time, Gus Poyet, likened Saints’ playing style to that of Dagenham & Redbridge.

They also beat Saints 3-0 in the first season at the Amex, but it was not enough to prevent Adkins’ side from achieving a second successive promotion, this time as champions, into the Premier League.

Six years later, acquaintances are about to be renewed as Saints and Brighton prepare to play each other for the first time in six seasons.

These are the last nine matches between the biggest clubs on the south coast.

Brighton 0 Saints 3, League Cup, (September 11, 2001)
The first meeting between the sides for 15 years was overshadowed by the events of 9/11 just a few hours earlier.

James Beattie gave Saints the lead on the stroke of half-time at Withdean, ending a 314-minute goal drought.

Anders Svensson scored his first two Saints goals in the second half as the visitors secured their first win under caretaker-manager Stuart Gray to book their place in the next round of the Worthington Cup.

Saints 2 Brighton 1, Championship (January 2, 2006)
Dexter Blackstock scored at the beginning and end of this contest, which was the first league match between the sides for 23 years.

He netted the 86th-minute winner after Kerry Mayo equalised midway through the first half.

Both sides were ravaged by unavailabilities, particularly Brighton who were without ten outfield players through injury and suspension.

This was George Burley’s first win after replacing Harry Redknapp as Saints boss.

Brighton 0 Southampton 2, Championship (April 8, 2006)
Ricardo Fuller and Richard Chaplow scored in each half as Saints completed the league double against Brighton for the first time since 1954/55, when the clubs were in Division Three (South).

The match was overshadowed by an unseemly spat between Clive Woodward and Leon Crouch, with Saints in turmoil off the field following their relegation from the Premier League a year earlier.

The Seagulls were relegated as the Championship’s bottom club a few months later, while Saints finished in mid-table.

Saints 1 Brighton 3, League One (November 15, 2009)
Brighton were 2-0 up after just 22 minutes of Gus Poyet’s first game in charge of the Seagulls, thanks to a brace from Glenn Murray, whose partnership with Nicky Forster ran the Saints defence ragged.

Rickie Lambert pulled one back from the penalty spot just before half-time, but midfielder Andrew Crofts secured the win with a late third for the visitors.

“This was a bit of a kick in the pants and we need to learn from it,” said Saints boss Alan Pardew.

“Brighton came out fired up and up for it as we expected – but we didn’t deal with it.”

Brighton 2 Saints 2, League One (April 1, 2010) 
The home side took the lead in each half through Elliott Bennett and Ashley Barnes, but had to settle for a point as Saints twice hit back.

Dean Hammond, a former Brighton player, levelled just before half-time and Lee Barnard equalised in the 89th minute.

This Easter fixture, in front of a Withdean crowd of 7,784, was in stark contrast to Saints’ previous game – the 4-1 win against Carlisle United in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final at Wembley four days earlier.

Southampton 0 Brighton 0, League One (November 23, 2010) Kelvin Davis saved a late penalty from Chris Wood as Saints took a point off the league leaders.

Saints boss Nigel Adkins said: "I think we dominated the game. We were on the front foot from the beginning, we played the game on our terms against an exceptionally good footballing side.”

Brighton 1 Southampton 2, League One (April 23, 2011)

Daily Echo:
Saints celebrate their dramatic late winner at The Withdean in April 2011

Saints climbed into second place behind the Seagulls after this dramatic win against a Brighton side playing their penultimate game at The Withdean before moving to the Amex the following season.

Ashley Barnes gave the home side the lead on the stroke of half-time following a poor backpass from Radhi Jaidi in David Connolly hit the 84th-minute equaliser before Jose Fonte stunned the home side in the 89th minute, by heading in a Kelvin Davis free-kick.

It was after this match that Brighton manager Gus Poyet stoked the rivalry further.

“I said a few weeks ago, with all respect to both teams, they play the same kind of football as Dagenham & Redbridge,” said Poyet. “They only defend, they go Lambert.

“If you give to Dagenham & Redbridge Barnard and Lambert I can say to you that Dagenham will be top six.”

Southampton 3 Brighton 0, Championship (November 19, 2011) Rickie Lambert struck a hat-trick, including two penalties, after Mauricio Taricco, Brighton’s assistant manager and veteran left-back, was sent off in the 56th minute for his appeals against the decision to give the first.

A 19 year-old Lewis Dunk was penalised for bringing down Jose Fonte, but it was clearly outside the area.

The visitors’ ten men folded after Lambert send Steve Harper the wrong way.

Afterwards, Richard Chaplow tweeted: “Taricco left the pitch saying he had me and @adlallana1 in his pocket! Haha what a belter now get back on that sunbed with your zimmer frame.”

Afterwards he added: “I do respect Taricco for Wat he has achieved in his career by just cant take the him seriously always has to argue hence why he got sent off.”

Adam Lallana tweeted: “Gr8 result for us today, fans sung their heart out, taricco made me laugh when he got sent off, would of been wiser to #acthisage”

Brighton 3 Southampton 0, Championship, (January 2, 2012)
The last match between the sides was a feisty affair and burst to life after Rickie Lambert was sent off in the 51st minute.

Lambert was adjudged to have pushed Adam El-Abd after the players had fallen to the floor. Brighton were dominant thereafter.

Jake Forster-Caskey, a highly-rated 17 year-old at the time now playing for Charlton Athletic in League One, gave Brighton a 66th-minute lead.

Midfielder Matt Sparrow, now of Gainsborough Trinity in Conference North, scored the other two.

But the season ended with Saints returning to the Premier League as champions, with Brighton having to wait another five years for their promotion.