After a lengthy and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to build a new 25,000-seater stadium and leisure complex at Stoneham, on the outskirts of Southampton, the city council offered the club the chance to build a new ground on the disused gas work site in the heart of the city, about one and half miles from The Dell.

Construction started in December 1999 and was completed at the end of July 2001, with work on the 32,689[2] seat stadium itself and improvements to local infrastructure cost a total of £32 million.

The Saints have been in residence since August 2001 when they moved from The Dell, which for the final years of its life, held just over 15,000 spectators – less than half the size of the new stadium.

The first competitive hat trick at the stadium was scored by Stafford Browne for Aldershot Town in a 3–1 victory over Havant & Waterlooville in the Hampshire Senior Cup final on 1 May 2002.

The four main hospitality suites are named after some of Saints' greatest players: The Northam Stand is home to the majority of the more vocal supporters.

Initially the club wanted the ground to be named purely after the sponsors, but fan pressure influenced the decision to include a non-commercial title.

Because of the segregation between home and away fans in the Kingsland and Chapel Stands, it is unlikely the full capacity will ever be reached for a competitive match.

[citation needed] On 17 March 2007, the £102,000 statue to commemorate club stalwart Ted Bates was unveiled, outside the front of the Itchen Stand.

Almost immediately, the statue was widely condemned by supporters due to it being out of proportion, and not an accurate likeness of the former club president.

The stadium first hosted European football in September 2003, when the Saints faced Romanian side Steaua Bucharest in the first round of the UEFA Cup.

In 2016, Southampton had their first venture in the UEFA Europa League and their first game against Czech side Sparta Prague ended in a 3–0 win.

[citation needed] The stadium has also held film premieres for movies such as Casino Royale, as well as music concerts by Elton John in 2005 and Bon Jovi in 2006.

There was a tribute to Elvis Presley in August 2007 and Southampton fan Craig David played at St Mary's on 25 October 2007, although neither in the main bowl of the stadium.

Alongside the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, St Mary's was the smallest venue on the UK leg of the tour.

Additionally, St Mary's also houses the head office of the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance since its founding in 2007.

[23] The Northam branch of the Salisbury and Southampton Canal crossed the most north-west part of the site and now lies beneath the railway footbridge.

Pagan witch Ceridwen Dragonoak Connelly performed a Celtic ceremony to lift the curse just prior to the team's first win.