Matt Le Tissier
Matt Le Tissier was a legend at Southampton. He retired at the end of the 2002 season, but Saints fans will never forget how, almost single-handedly at times, he kept Saints in the Premiership. Over 32,000 paid tribute at his testimonial in June 2002.
Saints fans took Matt Le Tissier to their hearts. They knew that when he came on the pitch, something very special could always happen - for 17 years he produced the goals that kept Saints in the top flight.
It all started whilst playing football with Guernsey Schools, Vale Recreation. While touring with the Under-15 side, Matt was spotted by Southampton. He joined Saints as an apprentice in May 1985 and turned professional in October 1986 and stayed a loyal Saint throughout his career.
In his first season he scored a hat-trick on a snowbound pitch against Leicester and never looked back. In 1989/90 he became the club's penalty taker - he built a reputation for almost faultless spot-kicking.
In the following year he became the P.F.A. Young Player of the Year and received the award from Terry Paine, the famous Southampton winger.
The fans certainly appreciated his skills and Matt's loyalty to one club - almost unique in modern football. Throughout his career he was linked to bigger clubs - former Chelsea chairman, the late Matthew Harding, was reportedly willing to break the transfer record to take him to Stamford Bridge - but Matt stayed on the South Coast.
He scored his 100th Premiership goal on April 1st 2000, a minute from the end of the game against Sunderland at the Dell.
Much to the consternation of Southampton fans, Le Tissier was more-or-less overlooked by successive England managers. He was selected to play for his country a total of eight times. He was in the starting squad for the World Cup 1-0 defeat by Italy at Wembley in 1996. Despite scoring hat-trick in an England 'B' international friendly, Matt was not selected for the 1998 World Cup squad.
Matt has carved a new career as a pundit on Sky TV
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