WILL SMALLBONE popped the question to his partner Sofia Lepore while on a picturesque rooftop setting in Los Angeles.
The 24-year-old shared joyous photos to his Instagram followers with the simple caption of ‘Forever’.
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Plenty of his international teammates were quick to congratulate him on such a life milestone.
Michael Obafemi wrote: “My boy, congrats to you both!” Caoimhin Kelleher added: “Congrats my man.”
Evan Ferguson, Nathan Collins, Troy Parrott, Aaron Connolly and the recently hitched Alan Browne also added their good wishes.
Meanwhile club as well as Ireland teammate Gavin Bazunu commented: “Congrats to the both of you.”
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Unfortunately for Bazunu, he won’t be able to partake in their return to the Premier League until the new year as he continues to recuperate from a torn Achilles.
He missed their promotion push through the play-offs while it was a complete opposite experience for Smallbone.
The playmaking midfielder laid on the assist for the goal that secured victory in the Championship play-off decider at the expense of the more fancied Leeds United.
Afterwards he told SunSport how sweet victory tasted on such a big stage.
He said: “From what I’ve seen before, people say the best way to go up is through the play-offs and I can safely confirm that it is!
“Getting a day at Wembley, having all my loved ones here, my friends and family, it’s unbelievable.
“I’ve been at Wembley a few times but the last time I seen us win was the Johnstone Paint Trophy.
“To go from there to now, and tell myself then that I’d come back here as a Southampton player and win . . . I wouldn’t have believed you.
“I probably dreamt about it 400 million times. It makes it even more special as a fan.
“It is special for everyone but it is for me to understand what it means to come through the academy.
“To be in the fans’ shoes and to be putting in a performance to get us back where it belongs is unbelievable.
“I think over the course of the season, we’ve done enough to get back into the Premier League.
“To do it at the first time of asking, I couldn’t ask much more.”
SWEET VENGEANCE
It was just as sweet for Saints boss Russell Martin who has never forgiven Leeds manager Daniel Farke for ending his Norwich playing career.
Martin roared: “This is the proudest moment in my managerial career. I’m emotional and overwhelmed.
“I’ll probably end up alone tonight in bed crying my eyes out. This is the best feeling I’ve ever had in football.”
On his grudge triumph over Farke, he would only say: “Sorry there has to be a loser.”
Farke bombed Martin out of his Norwich side, where the Scot spent nine years.
At one point, he made the defender train with the Under-23s and banned him from the first-team changing room.
The German sent Martin on loan to Rangers in 2018, before eventually terminating his contract.
Martin, 38, took over at Saints last summer after the club were relegated from the Premier League.
He added: “I’d managed at MK Dons and Swansea and was not a sexy appointment, so the club were brave to bring me in.
“Hopefully I’ve repaid them with a day they’ll remember forever.”
His triumph comes nine years after he lifted the play-off trophy as Norwich captain.
Asked how it feels to pit his wits against Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta, he told SunSport: “I’ve come up against some amazing coaches this season.
“We’ll go into the Premier League with the same beliefs and values. I’m excited about it.”