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Southampton donate players' wages to charity after 9-0 mauling by Leicester

Southampton’s players have donated their wages to charity after their 9-0 humiliation at home to Leicester on Friday.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side were obliterated by the high-flying Foxes as they slumped to the joint-heaviest ever Premier League defeat, a record previously held solo by Ipswich’s defeat by the same scoreline against Manchester United.

The club will consequently donate their players’ earnings from the game to Saints Foundation - their own scheme to help ‘give back’ to the community.

READ MORE: Vardy and Pérez hat-tricks as Leicester smash nine against Southampton

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 25: (EDITORS NOTE - This image has been converted to black and white) James Ward-Prowse of Southampton looks on during the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Leicester City at St Mary's Stadium on October 25, 2019 in Southampton, United Kingdom. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
Southampton were left stunned as Leicester ran riot on Friday night. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

“Southampton Football Club’s first-team players and coaching staff have announced they will be donating their wages from last Friday to Saints Foundation,” a club statement read. ”As the first step towards that, the group has decided that they wish to donate their wages from the day of the Leicester game to Saints Foundation, in order to help the vital work that is conducted by the charity.”

It was a night to forget as Ryan Bertrand’s 12th-minute red card, following Ben Chilwell’s opener, preceded hat-tricks from Ayoze Perez and Jamie Vardy.

England’s James Maddison and Youri Tielemans also scored as Southampton were left reeling on a weekend which saw them drop into the relegation zone.

Leicester's Jamie Vardy, left, celebrates with Ayoze Perez after scoring his side's fifth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Southampton and Leicester City at St Mary's stadium in Southampton, England Friday, Oct., 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Jamie Vardy and Ayoze Perez both bagged trebles against the lacklustre Saints. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

“The squad has been in at Staplewood Campus throughout the weekend, working on putting things right for the club’s supporters,” the statement added.

”Saints Foundation works with 12,000 young people and adults of all ages every year, using the power and passion of sport to transform lives.

”The players and staff are now directing all their energy and focus towards the two games in Manchester this week.”

Manager Hasenhuttl added there would be ‘no more messages’ towards the fans as the squad bid to make amends for their humiliation.

But they face a potentially chastening double; two matches in five days against reigning Premier League champions Manchester City.

‘A moment the fans didn’t deserve’

Reaction to the Premier League hammering - the worst since 1995 - was mixed as 2016 Premier League winners Leicester sent shockwaves through the top tier.

Radio Solent’s sports editor Adam Blackmore called it ‘a moment that encapsulated the downturn of recent years’ and fans were left impressed by the subsequent wage donation.

Although Saints fan ‘Jay’ tweeted his support for the move, another called ‘Rob’ joked about donating goals to their opponents.

Fans on the social media tool seemed to generally support the move, with plenty labelling it a ‘classy’ move by the club - even from opposition fans.

‘Just embarrassing’

But not all were impressed, with some fans arguing a heftier fee was more appropriate after the shambolic display.

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