Just 39 minutes into the contest at St Mary's, Stephens was sent off for pulling Marc Cucurella's hair. He left the pitch without any disagreements or complaints and was met with hatred online by furious fans who criticized his actions after their 5-1 loss.
His Instagram has since been deleted just 24 hours after the incident, suggesting he deactivated it due to comments and messages regarding his sending off. The account held media from over 7 years of his career.
Interestingly his Saint's teammate Will Smallbone also had a similar problem after he deactivated his social media accounts during the Championship campaign last season.
Manager Russell Martin commented on the events at the time, sympathized with the midfielder, and likely feels the same way about the Stephens' situation.
"I feel really sorry for Will that it's got to that point and I don't like social media for that reason.
"It has become a cesspit of negativity and toxicity and a place where people feel they can say something they would never say to their face."
- Get breaking football news faster with the new Tribal Football app! Download now on iOS and Android to stay ahead of all the latest transfers and football updates. Download now: App Store, Google Play