Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is pictured in the stands at St Mary’s stadium

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was among the spectators at St Mary’s as Southampton’s relegation from the Premier League was confirmed. 

The Saints’ 11-year stint in the top flight came to end after the 2-0 defeat to Fulham, and the disappointment came in front of Sunak, who was a surprise visitor at the game as reported by the Daily Echo. 

His appearance at St Mary’s comes just days after the Prime Minister visited Southampton to discuss plans to expand pharmacy services to free up GPs. 

However, goals from Carlos Vinicius and Aleksandar Mitrovic condemned Ruben Selles’ men to defeat, and thanks to their inferior goal difference, means the club will be playing Championship football next season. 

Self-confessed Southampton fan Sunak was seen in the stands dressed in a grey hoodie and jeans, and mixing with supporters as well as cheering his team on against Marco Silva’s side. 

Prime Minister Rushi Sunak was present at St Mary’s to see Southampton lost to Fulham 

Dressed in a hoodie and jeans self-confessed Saints fan Sunak was present at St Mary’s 

Sunak waves to supporters as he takes his seat in the stadium before the game kicked-off 

Sunak’s allegiance to the South Coast side comes from his father Yashvir, who had a season ticket to Southampton, and the Prime Minister has admitted previously that he was given a card for his 18th birthday signed by the whole squad, which became one his most ‘prized possessions.’ 

The 43-year-old’s love for the club is so deep that he previously stated that if he hadn’t become a politician he would have wanted to run Southampton. 

Speaking at a hustings event in Exeter last summer when asked what line of what he have been in outside of politics he said: ‘I’m a massive football fan, I’m from Southampton and if I would get to be able to run Southampton.’ 

On receiving a cheer from a member of the crowd upon his admission, Sunak added: ‘Oh, wow, is there a Saints fan here? Look at that, brilliant.

Not even the support of the Prime Minister could help Southampton get the better of Fulham 

Southampton’s defeat to Fulham confirmed their relegation to the Championship next season

Well, there’s three of them. Amazing. Well, if I could run Southampton Football Club, I would be a very happy man.’

Saints fans were far from happy leaving the stadium on Saturday afternoon, with the club set to prepare for next season in English football’s second tier. 

The future of manager Ruben Selles remains unclear, with the Spaniard only appointment as boss until the end of the season. He became the club’s third manager of the season following the sackings of Ralph Hasenhuttl and Nathan Jones during the campaign. 

Saints are poised to lose a wrath of big names over the summer too, including Romeo Lavia, Armel Bella-Kotchap and captain James Ward-Prowse.