Finn Azaz Visits Saints By Your Side at St Mary’s Stadium
finn azaz visited St Mary’s Stadium this week and met participants in Saints Foundation’s Saints By Your Side project. The Southampton midfielder spent the evening speaking with men in the weekly support sessions, joined group discussions, and took part in activities built around resilience and peer connection.
The visit put a direct spotlight on a programme aimed at men’s mental health across the local community. Saints By Your Side runs weekly sessions at St Mary’s Stadium, bringing men together to share experiences, build friendships, and access professional guidance.
Azaz at St Mary’s Stadium
Azaz did more than make a brief appearance. He listened to participants talk through their personal journeys and heard from staff about the growing need for mental-health support in Southampton.
The session also showed how the project works in practice. Participants were in a setting designed to give them a safe, supportive space to talk and connect, with guided activities and peer support built into the format.
Paul Hedges on the project
Paul Hedges said: "Supporting people’s mental wellbeing is one of the most important things we do, and it’s an area where the club’s presence in the community truly matters. Through projects like Saints By Your Side, Talking Tactics, and our Extra Time Hub, we’re able to reach men, young people, and fans right where they are, in spaces they already trust. Having a player like Finn take the time to meet participants shows just how committed Southampton FC is to standing alongside its community. That connection between club and city gives our work real power, and it’s helping people feel seen, supported, and never alone."
Saints Foundation said it currently delivers three key mental-health initiatives: Saints By Your Side, Talking Tactics, and the Extra Time Hub. The projects cover weekly support at St Mary’s Stadium, sport-based sessions with 1:1 mentoring to help people understand emotions and build resilience, and a matchday support hub for fans at St Mary’s.
The Foundation also thanked the Premier League Foundation, the Professional Footballers Association, Ex-Saints Association and Advantage Mentoring for funding and delivery support. For local men using the weekly sessions, the practical effect is straightforward: a regular place at St Mary’s where conversation, guidance and professional support are available in one setting.
