Geographically speaking, the trip from Newcastle to Southampton is one of the longest journeys in English football. Having only picked up a total of five wins away from a visit to Southampton after many meetings at the Dell and St. Mary's Stadium, the journey back up north must usually feel an even longer trek than it did arriving there in the first place.

Looking at the form of Southampton, now that the season has passed its early days part, I think this is a decent time to play them. They have only achieved one win in the last six which came against, still goalless and pointless, Crystal Palace. As for the recent last season, Southampton could only score 17 goals at home, only Sunderland managed worse with 16.

Facts and Figures

All Competitions

Southampton wins: 36

Newcastle wins: 35

Draws: 21

Premier League

Southampton wins: 15

Newcastle wins: 11

Draws: 6

Premier League at Southampton

Southampton wins: 12

Draws: 3

Newcastle wins: 1

Previous ten (all competitions)

Southampton wins: 5 (21 goals)

Newcastle wins: 3 (12 goals)

Draws: 2

Biggest win (in this fixture)

Southampton 0 - 3 Newcastle United (03/01/2004)

I remember this game well. It was an evening kick-off on a Saturday in the third round of the FA Cup. One surprise on the team sheet that day was seeing Kieron Dyer play as a striker however he didn't disappoint as he scored a goal in each half as we cruised through to the 4th round (where we were knocked out by Liverpool at Anfield).

One of my favourite Newcastle players, Laurent Robert scored in the game to double the lead. A half clearance from a corner fell kindly to Robert just inside the box and drove it hard and low as the ball ended up in the top corner after Finnish goalkeeper, Antti Niemi's attempt to keep it out. Newcastle ran out easy winners as they got 2004 off to a flyer.

Biggest defeats (in this fixture)

Southampton 4 - 0 Newcastle United (29/03/2014)

Southampton 4 - 0 Newcastle United (13/09/2014)

The two trips to Southampton in the calendar year of 2014 produced an aggregate scoreline of 8-0 to the Saints.

Newcastle have never had much in the way of luck in this fixture. We never liked going to the Dell so we must have been at least hoping for a change of fortunes when Southampton moved to the St. Mary's Stadium in the early 2000s however this has not been the case.

After a total of eight league visits at St. Mary's, we have managed just one win which came in the 2004/05 season where the Saints were relegated from the top flight to then take a seven year absence before returning via League one. That day, the winner was a long range effort scored by Stephen Carr (his one and only goal for the club) which came soon after Graeme Souness was appointed manager.