SAINTS signing Nathan Wood has thanked Russell Martin and his staff for continuing their pursuit of him after a "difficult year" personally.

Wood, after winning Swansea City's Newcomer of the Year award during the 2022/23 season, missed around three months with a back injury last campaign.

The 22 year old opened up about being unhappy with some of his performances but went on to play 90 minutes in 16 of the last 20 Championship games.

Saints made a formal bid to sign the England youth international in August 2023 but were knocked back by Swansea and landed Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

Martin's side went on to win promotion to the Premier League but returned with another visit for Wood, paying a massively reduced fee of £3million to get him.

Speaking to the Daily Echo at pre-season training in Spain, Wood insisted: "I enjoyed my football the most under Russell and his staff.

Nathan Wood made 72 appearances for Swansea CityNathan Wood made 72 appearances for Swansea City (Image: PA)

"The season I had at Swansea was by far the best year of my life in terms of progress as a person and player, so it was a no-brainer.

"I've stayed in contact just through having a good relationship with them and that's another thing that's helped me settle, I'm not coming somewhere totally alien.

"A few things are very familiar which helps massively to settle in. It 100 per cent gives me confidence that they returned.

"Especially after the season I had, coming back you have to find your feet. It was an easy decision for me knowing that I've got the backing of the club and staff.

"They know what I can do and they know what we can do together, and how I can improve and get better. That just totally helps you mentally to believe in yourself.

"I always believed in myself but sometimes when you have the belief of other people it can skyrocket your confidence." 

Wood, who played for non-league Stockton Town before joining Middlesbrough as a teen, became Boro's youngest-ever professional debutant in August 2018.

He has been in the FA's England system at every age group since under-15s but only ever managed five league appearances for the Riverside outfit.

Martin tried to sign Wood to MK Dons despite mixed success with loans at Crewe Alexandra and Hibernian - taking him to Wales in 2022.

"I was actually thinking about my journey so far when I was in bed last night, and if I'd change anything about it," Wood reflected.

Nathan Wood started Wednesday's 3-2 friendly win over BordeauxNathan Wood started Wednesday's 3-2 friendly win over Bordeaux (Image: Matt Watson / Southampton FC)

"I made my debut young but it wasn't all straightforward into a first team. Maybe the lack of games allowed me to go to Swansea and meet these coaches.

"Now I'm here so everything happened for a reason. When I was at Middlesbrough, I definitely didn't know as much about the game as I learned at Swansea.

"Last season and dealing with the disappointment of the move not happening, at the time it was hard to see but now I'm sat here with a different perspective."

Wood is a ball-playing defender - unsurprising with his England education - and has already displayed flashes of what he can do in pre-season.

A more crucial attribute Martin admires is his mentality; win at nearly all costs, and we saw that during a training session game out here in Girona.

Wood's orange team could only finish second at best with four goals to the white's nine, ahead of the final game between the white team and the greens.

He still spent the two minutes on the sidelines willing the white team to not allow a green goal and subject Wood's side to losing.

Wood explained: "It's just the mentality. I really like small-sided games, especially because there's a lot of data that goes into training here.

"You only get maybe 10-15 minutes every session to really have a competitive match in terms of five-a-sides or seven-a-sides. You train mentality. 

"Mentality is not a given, it's something you work on. I was speaking with the skipper and he said shout at people, at the ref, just to get the competitive juices flowing.

"I think I've always been a bad loser but I like winning even more than I hate losing. Like I said, I've never been at a Premier League club.

"You go through a lot of ups and downs in your career. I think one thing I have learned, especially at Swansea, is to enjoy the highs.

"I treat a win in the five-a-sides the same way I treat three points. Winning on the golf course is the same as winning on a Saturday - I get the same feeling."