SAINTS captain Jack Stephens insisted he will give "absolutely everything" to get the club promoted back to the Premier League next season.

Stephens, 31, admitted Southampton's players deserve every bit of stick supporters wish to give them following their relegation to the Championship.

Saints set a new record by becoming the first team demoted from the Premier League with seven games remaining after a 3-1 defeat to Spurs.

Stephens, who has been at the club since 2011, confessed that suffering relegation with seven games to go is "embarrassing".

Speaking to the Daily Echo, he said: "The dressing room is low; it's not a nice place to be. But, at the end of the day, it's been on us this season.

"We've fallen well short of expectation. We've been nowhere near good enough this season, and we have to take the criticism on the chin.

"We deserve everything that comes our way this season. I don't want to say that it hurts me more than anyone else, but I can only tell you how I feel about it.

"It's obviously gutting for me, especially after the high of last year, getting straight back to the Premier League.

"We had expectations to obviously stay in the league and be even higher than a relegation battle.

"So, to actually be relegated, and to be relegated with seven games to go, is really disappointing, and I'm gutted."

Aaron Ramsdale and Jan Bednarek react after Spurs score.Aaron Ramsdale and Jan Bednarek react after Spurs score. (Image: Bradley Collyer/PA)

Asked about becoming the earliest team relegated in Premier League history, Stephens added: "It hurts because it's embarrassing.

"You don't want to set any kind of records for things like that. So, yeah, it's embarrassing for us as players.

"But, you know, we're the ones that are out there, and we've gotten what we deserve because we haven't been good enough.

"From my point of view, I'll be giving absolutely everything to try and get the club back to the Premier League."