Southampton boss Russell Martin feels the club’s progress should not be judged on whether they win the Championship play-off final at Wembley to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
The Saints finished fourth in the table and will face a Leeds side who just missed out on automatic promotion as their form faded over the run-in.
Both clubs were relegated from the top flight at the end of last season, with a swift promotion worth an estimated £140million.
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While the dynamics of preparing for Premier League football rather than another campaign in the second tier are in stark contrast, Martin – who took over at the start of the season – believes future prospects are not that cut and dry.
“Externally the work we have done will be defined by the outcome, it always is in football, but for us I don’t think it will be,” Martin said.
“We all want to get there and we all want to do it now but I don’t think, if we don’t have the right result on Sunday, that it means we have ultimately failed in the goal of getting to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
“There is so much stuff to then be positive about and really for us to look forward to, to learn from and the same for the players, so it is such a fine margin between failure and success.
“Hopefully, we are successful on Sunday. Hopefully, we will achieve what we want to achieve.”
Saints beat West Brom 3-1 at St Mary’s after a goalless first leg to set up the clash with Leeds, 4-0 winners in their second leg against Norwich.
Martin told a press conference: “If it doesn’t happen in the way we want it to on Sunday, we have to then try and manage that in the same way and to treat it in the same way.
“It is going to be hard because it will be some serious emotion over the next few days after that game – which will be the case whether you win or lose.
“Then you have to step back after and go ‘actually, this worked really, then this didn’t’.
“I am really proud of everyone and what they have done this season.
“If the players step onto the pitch with the flow they have been in the last couple of weeks, then we can have a really special moment.”
Martin feels no matter what the result at Wembley, Southampton will have grown on and off the field this season.
“The best thing is seeing the team with such a clear way of doing things, such a brave way of doing things, and the way the fans have reacted to that,” said the former Swansea and MK Dons boss.
“If we do then do it on Sunday, it will be be another step in building that connection.”
