OptiNews - Friday 20 to Thursday 26 October 2017

Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article

SAINTS: West Brom edition now available

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A collection of Saints stars adorn the front cover, while there is an extended section dedicated to the club’s work in the local community inside.

Cédric is the subject of our feature interview, discussing his passion for fashion and why he believes looking good helps him peak on a matchday.

Elsewhere, Mauricio Pellegrino and Steven Davis pen their usual matchday thoughts, whilst Jan Bednarek reveals his biggest inspiration and reminisces about the best moment of his life in our Getting to Know feature.

There is the usual comprehensive coverage of our opponents, including Bleacher Report writer Sam Tighe’s tactical analysis.

Francis Benali pens his latest exclusive column for SAINTS and discusses why the recently retired Rickie Lambert deserves to be remembered as a true Southampton legend, while our history section continues to provide the perfect hit of Saints nostalgia.

There are more outlets than ever from which to purchase this season’s matchday programme, which will continue to retail at £4.

You can also pre-order, find all previous editions and take out a subscription for the season by visiting saintsmagazines.co.uk.

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Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article

Press Conference (Part Two): Pellegrino on West Brom

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Nathan Redmond poised to end goal drought to give deprived children access to education

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Because for every goal he scores or assist he makes this season, Redmond could give as many as 33 deprived children access to education for a year. The 23-year-old is an Ambassador for the Right to Play charity which uses sport and play to educate vulnerable and disadvantaged kids in some of the world’s poorest communities. But on top of giving money every month, Redmond has committed to making an extra donation for every goal or assist too – and for him it’s personal. He told Starsport: “I guess it’s easier for me to just go: ‘Here you go. Here’s a sum of money. I’ll be the face and just do this and that’ as a lot of players do. “But that’s not who I am. It is a little bit of motivation. It’s challenging - and I think once I actually get out to witness it for myself I’ll maybe come back with a new lease of life and even more motivation. “When I am playing the most important thing is the three points. But when you go home and you get that time to relax, you think: ‘’Wow! Me getting an assist of a goal has made a difference.’”

“The fans do matter and when I’m playing for the club fans are a massive part of it” Redmond freely admits he has not been at his best this season. He only has two assists to his name and hasn’t scored a league goal since May. But he is determined to improve ahead of today’s clash with West Brom, and still fancies his chances of making England’s World Cup squad if he does. Redmond said: “I finished Southampton’s top scorer in the league last season with eight goals. I sit back all the time and just think: ‘I had that chance and should have scored.’ “I could easily have had 11, 12, 13, 14 goals last season. For me that’s a big thing. I need to hit that double figure mark in goals and assists. I can’t rest until I get it. “That will improve my case for an England call, one hundred per cent. Every player needs to do more. The day you stop learning or improving, that’s when you’re dead. I need to do more. Stats don’t lie.” Redmond, who starred for England’s Under-21s at Euro 2017 in the summer, has even been trolled on social media for his lack of goals this season.

But he said: "I don’t have Twitter on my phone. I have just a private Facebook that has 20 friends. I’ve grown up. "As a kid I remember being on Facebook and I remember my agent having a go at me. I had about 4,000 friends. People I didn’t even know. "This was when I was coming up through Birmingham. People were adding me and were like: ‘You play for Birmingham’ and I was like: ‘Yeah! They love me.’ "The fans do matter and when I’m playing for the club fans are a massive part of it. But once I am back at home with my girlfriend, my mum, my little brother, my little sister who is six. She could take my mind off just about anything. "I don’t think half the people that write stuff on social media would say it to your face so I don’t take it seriously. But me personally I’ve just grown up. I’ve matured. “I used to be on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram a lot. But although I do understand the power of it, I am not really spending my time on it too much.”

Redmond did his growing up on the mean streets of Birmingham, with mum Michelle, a single parent, helping to keep him on the straight and narrow by stressing the importance of a good education. Times were tough for him and younger siblings Niall, 15, and Tiah, 6, and he was still a teen when his mum lost stillborn baby Tilly in 2012. Now he just wants to help others get the chance in life he had. The Southampton star said: “Everyone from my mum to my agent knows how I feel about trying to help children. I have a few local charities but this helps me reach more people. “I grew up in Birmingham, in the inner cities, raised by a single mother. I had support. If I had to go to training she would rush back from work to take me there. “But there are kids all over the world that don’t have any parents at all, let alone one. “I was good at football but my mum would say if my grades weren’t up to scratch this scholarship is not being signed, or she wouldn’t take me to training if I was misbehaving at school or in the streets.

“If she heard anything from the neighbours that was the thing that was taken away from me as punishment. Education was the focal point. “I was on the bench for Birmingham in Year 11, Year 12. I thought I’d made it. But they told me if I didn’t get a C in all my GCSEs, I could train, but I couldn’t play. I have a lot of people to thank. “I might not be here but for many people. The woman next door who told me to stop kicking the ball against the fence. The woman down the road who sent me home because I was out too late. “You hope that it does inspire kids or anyone who’s listening. Anyone who takes the smallest ounce from it. “If Thierry Henry had come to my school and told me to forget everything else and focus on this, this and this, I would have listened, because he was my idol. That’s what I want to do. “You watch Comic Relief when these superstars are going out to deprived countries and you think: ‘Wow, this is mindblowing.’ I want to experience it." MUST Right To Play train local volunteers and teachers as ‘coaches’ to deliver critical education programmes in 16 countries across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. To find out more visit www.righttoplay.org.uk

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Saints star Nathan Redmond desperate to score more goals for charity

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Generous Nathan Redmond is desperate to add to goal-shy Southampton’s strike rate to raise money for charity. The forward will donate cash for every goal and assist he gets this season to children’s charity Right To Play.

Southampton have netted just seven times in eight Premier League games so far with Redmond yet to score, but he has grabbed two assists - including one to set up Manolo Gabbiadini in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Newcastle.

He became a Right To Play ambassador over the summer and the England international is keen to do everything he can to help.

‘It’s something I felt was right to do and I was very happy to do. With every goal and every assist I make a donation which goes straight to them,’ he said. 'One donation will help 33 children so that’s a massive difference from one goal or an assist.

'The more I do on the pitch I know subconsciously it’s helping out the kids. I’ve had two assists this season and no goals yet but I’m sure they’ll be coming.

'Afterwards when the game’s finished, instantly you think about that. I’ve had two assists this season and that’s over 60 kids helped. I’m delighted with that so far.

‘I’m with the message Right To Play are putting forward which is to give disadvantaged kids over the world the chance to get involved in sport and to get an education. I want to push that message out there.’

Redmond, 23, follows Manchester United’s Juan Mata, who is donating a minimum of one per cent of his salary this season to charity Common Goal.

Right To Play uses sport to educate and help children in some of the world’s most disadvantaged communities.

Redmond would have liked to have donated more but Southampton’s goal struggles, they failed to score in six of their first seven games in all competitions this season, have not helped.

The Saints are still just four points behind the top five and sit 11th ahead of Saturday’s visit of West Brom.

‘Every player and team will always go through a sticky period, that’s not something to shy away from,’ said Redmond.

'I’m not worried about anything, it would only be if I’m not in those areas to score goals.

‘It’s not crisis but when you’re looking at the start we’ve had and the teams we’ve played we feel we should have picked up more points.’

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Nathan Redmond to donate cash for every goal and assist he gets for Southampton

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Generous Nathan Redmond is desperate to add to goal-shy Southampton’s strike rate to raise money for charity.

The forward will donate cash for every goal and assist he gets this season to children’s charity Right To Play.

Southampton have netted just seven times in eight Premier League games so far with Redmond yet to score, but he has grabbed two assists - including one to set up Manolo Gabbiadini in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Newcastle.

He became a Right To Play ambassador over the summer and the England international is keen to do everything he can to help.

“It’s something I felt was right to do and I was very happy to do. With every goal and every assist I make a donation which goes straight to them,” he said.

"One donation will help 33 children so that’s a massive difference from one goal or an assist.

"The more I do on the pitch I know subconsciously it’s helping out the kids. I’ve had two assists this season and no goals yet but I’m sure they’ll be coming.

"Afterwards when the game’s finished, instantly you think about that. I’ve had two assists this season and that’s over 60 kids helped. I’m delighted with that so far.

“I’m with the message Right To Play are putting forward which is to give disadvantaged kids over the world the chance to get involved in sport and to get an education. I want to push that message out there.”

Redmond, 23, follows Manchester United’s Juan Mata, who is donating a minimum of one per cent of his salary this season to charity Common Goal.

Right To Play uses sport to educate and help children in some of the world’s most disadvantaged communities.

Redmond would have liked to have donated more but Southampton’s goal struggles, they failed to score in six of their first seven games in all competitions this season, have not helped.

The Saints are still just four points behind the top five and sit 11th ahead of Saturday’s visit of West Brom.

“Every player and team will always go through a sticky period, that’s not something to shy away from,” said Redmond.

"I’m not worried about anything, it would only be if I’m not in those areas to score goals.

“It’s not crisis but when you’re looking at the start we’ve had and the teams we’ve played we feel we should have picked up more points.”

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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 20/10/2017 07:10:59

| | Nathan Redmond targets more goals and assists in bid to help charityBELFASTTELE |
| | TV ! Saints V West Brom Preview - Southampton NewsTHEUGLYINSIDE |
| | Southampton v West Brom: Who is in the teams? How can you follow it?BIRMINGHAMMAIL |
|

| Van Dijk and Gabbiadini To Start – Strongest 4-4-2 Southampton Line-Up To Face West Bromwich Albion – SoccerSoulsSOCCERSOULS |

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Sourced from Mirror.co.uk article

Barcelona ‘pull out of race’ for Liverpool target leaving Reds in pole position

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Barcelona have pulled out of the race for Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk - leaving Liverpool in pole position to seal a deal for the wantaway Dutchman.

That is according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, who say the Catalans’ technical director Robert Fernandez is not sold on Van Dijk’s quality.

Fernandez also reportedly believes the 26-year-old is too expensive, leaving a Barca swoop for Van Dijk very unlikely.

Liverpool tried to sign the player over the summer but the move collapsed when Saints reported the Reds over an alleged illegal approach.

Liverpool will rebuff any offers for James Milner, because he is still part of manager Jurgen Klopp’s plans.

A number of Premier League clubs are monitoring the former England stalwart’s situation as he has lost his place in the side this season.

Milner has been replaced as first-choice left-back by Alberto Moreno, and the former Manchester City midfielder has made just three starts for the Reds in this campaign — only two of them in the top flight.

The 31-year-old has two-and-a-half years left on the deal he signed when he joined on a Bosman from City in July 2015, and Klopp is not interested in cashing in on him.

Liverpool star Mo Salah has turned down the offer of a luxury villa for firing Egypt to the World Cup.

The Reds flier has instead asked the Egyptian businessman behind the gesture to make a donation to his home village, report the Liverpool Echo.

Sources in the north African country say that Salah was contacted by Mamdouh Abbas, the former president of the club Zamalek in his homeland, after the dramatic 2-1 victory over Congo earlier this month.

Abbas wanted Salah to have the holiday villa as a gift in recognition of the part he played in the Pharaohs reaching their first World Cup since 1990.

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Pellegrino backing for Forster

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Mauricio Pellegrino insists that Fraser Forster retains his full confidence and will continue to be Saints’ number one keeper.

The 29-year-old stopper has come under fire for the two goals Saints conceded in their St Mary’s draw with Newcastle last weekend.

The criticism comes at a time when Forster seemed to be regaining his belief after an up and down start to the season that has also seen him dropped from the England squad and later recalled.

Pellegrino, though, has no doubts that Forster is his number one.

“For sure. The goalkeeper needs the confidence,” said the Saints boss.

“All my players when I choose them have my confidence.

“I have confidence in a lot of players but I have to choose 11.”

The only real challenge to Forster’s position comes from Alex McCarthy, but he is viewed as more of a back-up option at this stage rather than a potential first choice.

Pellegrino sympathised with the difficulty of the goalkeeper’s position, where mistakes are often remembered far more than stellar displays, and believes that Forster has not suddenly become a bad player having been backed for an England recall just weeks ago.

“I think in this week he was really good, but three games ago or four games ago everybody was talking about he has to come back to the national team and he is one of the best goalkeepers in England,” he said.

“I have got the same opinion. Fraser is a really good goalkeeper.

“The position of goalkeeper is always exposed in this type of situation, but nobody remembers the good situations, always when you make a couple of mistakes everybody will talk about this.

“This is part of our job, it is part of Fraser’s job.

“The important thing is how you react to this situation, how you achieve this moment.

“Fraser is a guy with personality, the position of the goalkeeper is really difficult because they are always alone. The teammates sometimes have another alongside.

“The mentality of the goalkeeper has to be always 100 per cent, and sometimes they are not and that is part of the profession.”

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

Strike pair need support

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Manolo Gabbiadini and Shane Long still need the support of their teammates to fire Saints some much needed goal rather than doing it all alone, according to Mauricio Pellegrino.

Gabbiadini and Long started together against Newcastle and formed an excellent double act, with the Italian bagging a brace in the 2-2 draw at St Mary’s.

They give Pellegrino the option to play two up front, or with one in a more advanced role and the other, most likely Gabbiadini, in more a number ten position.

Their ability to break from deeper offers Saints another threat in a run of games where they are playing teams who defend deep, but they still need the correct service to thrive.

Pellegrino said: “For sure but for me it always depends how it will be on the pitch with the ball, how we move the ball, the tempo of the ball, and Manolo and Shane are the type of player who need the teammates to support them with the right passes, right penetration, good deliveries, good drive and passes, good crosses.

“All of us we have to help them and they have to help all the rest.

“I think our strikers, even Charlie (Austin), are players that like to play in the limit and all of them have the quality to run behind and attack in the box and they feel comfortable there.

“In the limit they are doing diagonal runs all the time, but also they can play together depending on the game.

“I think always Charlie helps the team, 15 minutes or 20 minutes, and in the box is also clever, and the other two players maybe can run more in all the front of the defence, Charlie is more positional. This is the difference between them.”

Pellegrino insists he has not made a firm decision to continue Long and Gabbiadini, and hinted at chopping and changing the style and personnel slightly depending on the opposition.

“Depends on the game,” he admitted. “The other day I felt that we could do it because I thought that Newcastle will be really well organised, something that we did and they did.

“It depends on the game. Sometimes we will play with two strikers again, sometimes we will go back to one, sometimes Shane can play a little bit on the right like some other games.

“The important thing for us is both are getting better every single week, for the confidence of the player to score goals completes their job, but I have got confidence in the way that they are training and preparing this week and we will decide who will play.”

Gabbiadini’s brace against the Magpies could prove a significant moment given the Italian’s history of hitting scoring streaks.

“Hopefully it will be a good moment, because the most important thing was Manolo, Shane were working really hard,” said Pellegrino.

“The spirit at the end was really good and we have to start from the beginning in this way to show we want to win from the first minute. This is the spirit we have to show at the weekend.

“The most important thing was Manolo helped the team with these two goals.”

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@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

:chart_with_upwards_trend::chart_with_downwards_trend:

Read up on all the key facts and figures ahead of #SaintsFC’s clash with #WBA in our stat pack: http://sfcne.ws/SFCWBAStats

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PHOTOS: Take a sneak peak at Southampton Common’s £500,000 play park - and it’s opening this weekend

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A NEW £500,000 Southampton play area is to be unveiled this weekend.

Saints legend Francis Benali, inset, is set to cut the ribbon after the opening of the park had been delayed by bad weather in the summer.

The new facilities have been developed by Southampton City Council, with designers listening to residents, schools and community groups on how they wanted the space to be used.

Featuring a 7.5-metre high play tower with rope bridges, tunnels and a slide, it also has a variety of swings and a water area that will run all year round.

The park, which can hold 700 children, will open on Sunday.

City councillor for environment and transport, Jacqui Rayment, will also help to open the equipment to the public. She said: “An investment in our play areas and outdoor spaces is an investment in our children’s future.

“Providing great spaces for kids to get outdoors and for families to get active together is incredibly important and contributes to a child’s healthy development both physically and mentally.

“I’m sure that many special memories will be made here in the years to come.”

The space was supposed to open at the end of August in time for the close of the school summer holidays.

Cllr Rayment said that on one week, no work could be done due to the site becoming waterlogged.

Former Saints star Benali will cut the ribbon on Sunday at midday.

He said: “It gives me great pleasure to cut the ribbon at the ceremony.

“As a young boy growing up I spent endless hours playing on The Common and have so many special memories.

“I’m delighted that future generations will have the opportunity to enjoy this area and create their own happy memories.”

The main attraction of the park will be the ‘tree nest’ play area, with around 360 tonnes of sand used at the park, which will be able to hold up to 700 children.

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@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

After a thumping win over #NUFC on Monday, #SaintsFCU23s are back in action tonight!

Coach @RadhijaidiOff previews… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/921300522996350977

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PHOTOS: Here’s a sneak peak at Southampton Common’s £500,000 play park - and it’s opening this weekend

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A NEW £500,000 Southampton play area is to be unveiled this weekend.

Saints legend Francis Benali, inset, is set to cut the ribbon after the opening of the park had been delayed by bad weather in the summer.

The new facilities have been developed by Southampton City Council, with designers listening to residents, schools and community groups on how they wanted the space to be used.

Featuring a 7.5-metre high play tower with rope bridges, tunnels and a slide, it also has a variety of swings and a water area that will run all year round.

The park, which can hold 700 children, will open on Sunday.

City councillor for environment and transport, Jacqui Rayment, will also help to open the equipment to the public. She said: “An investment in our play areas and outdoor spaces is an investment in our children’s future.

“Providing great spaces for kids to get outdoors and for families to get active together is incredibly important and contributes to a child’s healthy development both physically and mentally.

“I’m sure that many special memories will be made here in the years to come.”

The space was supposed to open at the end of August in time for the close of the school summer holidays.

Cllr Rayment said that on one week, no work could be done due to the site becoming waterlogged.

Former Saints star Benali will cut the ribbon on Sunday at midday.

He said: “It gives me great pleasure to cut the ribbon at the ceremony.

“As a young boy growing up I spent endless hours playing on The Common and have so many special memories.

“I’m delighted that future generations will have the opportunity to enjoy this area and create their own happy memories.”

The main attraction of the park will be the ‘tree nest’ play area, with around 360 tonnes of sand used at the park, which will be able to hold up to 700 children.

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@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

:nine: players
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:one: tough #SaintsFC vs #WBA quiz…

How many can you get?:thinking:http://sfcne.ws/WBAQuizH

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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 20/10/2017 10:11:38

| | City U23s looking to stretch unbeaten PL2 run in Carrow Road clash with SouthamptonEASTERNDAILY |
| | Saints’ are feeling the nerves - PellegrinoCLUBCALL |
| | Southampton v West Brom predictions: Preview, line-ups & betting tips101GREATGOALS |

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Quiz: They played for both

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Ahead of this weekend’s match, can you name all nine players who have featured for Southampton and West Brom since 2000?

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#AskSaints with Utilita

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Our intrepid ‘junior journos’ will get the opportunity to grill four Saints stars – Steven Davis, Maya Yoshida, Fraser Forster and Virgil van Dijk – during this exclusive event, but Utilita want fans of all ages to get involved.

Got a question you’re dying to ask one of the Southampton players? Just head to Utilita Football’s Twitter or Facebook pages and submit your question under the #AskSaints imagery, using the #AskSaints hashtag.

We’ll aim to ask as many fan questions as possible on the day, and we’ll post the players’ answers after the event. Not only that, we will also be filming the event – and sharing the best bits!

Utilita is Britain’s fastest-growing independent energy supplier, more than doubling its customer base – which now stands at 575,000 – in two years and more than quadrupling its staff numbers since April 2016 to 1,700, with nearly half based at its new headquarters in Eastleigh.

Earlier this year, Utilita reached one million supply points across the UK and was also the winner of the Best Growth Award at the South Coast Business Awards.

Saints fans who switch to Utilita will receive exclusive offers throughout the 2017/18 season – as well as a smart meter at no extra cost, a free limited edition Saints-branded In Home Display cover, no standing charge and exclusive access to festival and music tickets through its partnership with the world’s leading entertainment promoter, Live Nation.

For more information, visit www.utilita.co.uk.

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@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

Today’s #OneMarch focus is on disability, as we look at the numerous improvements #SaintsFC have made to make St Ma… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/921330883499581443

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Saints star Nathan Redmond to donate money to children’s charity for every goal he scores

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Nathan Redmond is desperate to add to goal-shy Saints’ strike rate to raise money for charity.

The forward will donate cash for every goal and assist he gets this season to children’s charity Right To Play.

Saints have netted just seven times in eight Premier League games so far - and three of them were penalties - with Redmond yet to score.

But he has grabbed two assists - including one to set up Manolo Gabbiadini in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Newcastle. That is actually one more assist than he managed in the whole of last season, when he also finished as Saints’ leading league marksman with seven strikes.

Redmond became a Right To Play ambassador over the summer and the England international is keen to do everything he can to help.

“It’s something I felt was right to do and I was very happy to do. With every goal and every assist I make a donation which goes straight to them,” he told Press Association Sport.

"One donation will help 33 children so that’s a massive difference from one goal or an assist.

"The more I do on the pitch I know subconsciously it’s helping out the kids. I’ve had two assists this season and no goals yet but I’m sure they’ll be coming.

"Afterwards when the game’s finished, instantly you think about that. I’ve had two assists this season and that’s over 60 kids helped. I’m delighted with that so far.

“I’m with the message Right To Play are putting forward which is to give disadvantaged kids over the world the chance to get involved in sport and to get an education. I want to push that message out there.”

Redmond, 23, follows Manchester United’s Juan Mata, who is donating a minimum of one per cent of his salary this season to charity Common Goal.

Right To Play uses sport to educate and help children in some of the world’s most disadvantaged communities.

Redmond would have liked to have donated more but Southampton’s goal struggles, they failed to score in six of their first seven games in all competitions this season, have not helped.

The Saints are still just four points behind the top five and sit 11th ahead of tomorrow’s visit of West Brom.

“Every player and team will always go through a sticky period, that’s not something to shy away from,” said Redmond.

"I’m not worried about anything, it would only be if I’m not in those areas to score goals.

“It’s not crisis but when you’re looking at the start we’ve had and the teams we’ve played we feel we should have picked up more points.”

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