Playing as a full-back, Lewis Payne wasn’t long into his Southampton debut when he set up their first goal in a League Cup-tie at Cambridge, propelling Saints on their way to a comfortable 3-0 victory. There followed a succession of loan moves to lower league teams, but with all the comings and goings of several managers at St Mary’s, it was a struggle to create a lasting impression, and when his contract expired in the summer of 2025 he became a free agent.