:mlt: MLT : Portrait of an icon

Football365 are dishing out the love for one of Southampton’s finest. We perhaps haven’t spoken too much about the genius of Matt Le Tissier. Maybe now is a good time.

EDIT : Just seen the same thread on TSW. Let’s do this anyway.

Posted for intiniki, and her fledgling football thread posting career :lou_sunglasses:

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Not bad , some of those goals

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I dont think you could ague with much of what was said there.

Le God is Le God.

Trying to find a website to accept a bet on him beating Lambert in the penalty shoot out at Kelvins testimonial is proving to be difficult though.

What a privilage it was to watch him grow as a player and score some of those amazing goals. To cap it off he is an intelligent, articulate thoroughly decent bloke. Only met him a couple of times but he has always been happy to talk. My middle kid may be called Matt for a reason :wink:

The video was more poignant for the other people shown for me. Chris Nicholl looks like he’s had a stroke but great to see him again.

If he’d scored those goals in a Man U shirt he would have had the global status of Messi

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Try watching that without geting a tear in your eye. Tragic that he only got 8 caps. Football genius.

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Legend.

Normally an overused term but not this time.

Fifty years on people will still be talking about the last league game at the Dell.

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Privileged to see the whole of his career…just a peerless Saint.

When that last goal at The Dell went in I just laughed and laughed and laughed…as if it were the cheeseyest football fiction ever written…in the real world it would never happen, unless of course you are touched with genius.

I watched with Matty at the compilation of his goals, replayed on the big screen at the end of his testimonial…tears streaming down my face. Matty held it together…he had a habit of doing that…making light of the sublime.

We all miss him…I still see him trudging around the village trying to keep fit…looking like he always did, as if carying an extra 3 on his back. :lou_wink_2:

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How have I never seen that before ?

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I feel very lucky to have watched Saints the most while this genius ws playing.

1988/99 & 1989/90 I went to every home game and a couple of away games.

I then went to every game home and away from 1997-2001. Ok near the end the injuries where taking there impact on him and it was so sad to see. But the games that I saw him in. Everytime we got a free kick around the box, we expected to score at one stage. Crazy magical times. So so lucky to see him play so much.

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Behind the goal at the last game at the Dell,couldn’t talk for a week afterwards, cried like a baby girl when he spun that goal in. Characteristically a technically amazing goal.

Bit misty watching that video I have to confess.

Didn’t know he refused to see Eileen Drury - what a class A cunt Hoddle was, that and teh Gazza love in kept Matt from the England shirt

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We might not have won lots of trophies but we have had the pleasure of watching a true football genuis week in week out.

I loved the bit where Frannie talked about how he stood up for Matt when Souness dug him out in the changing room after one game. Sounds like not many others did. Cunts.

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Originally posted by PhilippineSaint

How have I never seen that before ?

A first for me too. Cheers Pap.

Wonderful to watch, the expressions on his face as he’s sat there in that theatre watching his own past magic on a big screen, superb.

I too was lucky enough to have the privilege of watching his whole career as a Saint. So many times as a young kid when we were locked in eternal relegation battles, and there seemed no way out, my dad would say “don’t worry son – our Matt will save us”.

And somehow, he always did. Sheer genius.

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Francis Benali is my all time favourite Saint and sporting person really, heart and desire and a gentleman. Oh and MLT isn’t bad either.

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Ive never seen that either. I’m always a bit dubious when people say things like “I had a tear in my eye” but I genuinely welled up during that. Some fantastic memories. I don’t think I’ll ever really forgive Hoddle for the way he treated Le Tis. I actually stopped watching England matches because of that and Lamberts debut was the first non competitive England match I watched since those days.

Dave Merrington / Alan Latchely

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I saw Matt arrive at St Mary’s on Sunday and he got stopped by a couple of people.

Before he’d finished signing their stuff a few more people joined in and within a minute a crowd had gathered.

His missus gave up and went on round to reception, while he gave twenty minutes of his day, doing photos and signing things until everyone was happy.

A great example to current players - especially the ones who only interact with the public by Tweeting pix of their luxury cars in response to valid criticism.

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Spotted him on the Southampton half marathon the other day. Gave him a big cheer and got a grin. Distractedly missed the person I was supposed to be looking out for though who was just behind Le Tiss.

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An absolute honour to have been a regular attendee at games when he was playing. Simply a genius who happens to be incredibly modest and down to earth.

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MLT is competing against Lambert in a penalty shoot-out at Kelvin’s testimonial. One word: epic.

Admittedly I may have a little snooze around the point it reaches 132-all, but it’s a good excuse for a day off work on the Wednesday.

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I have met the guy a couple of times, once on a night out in Cardiff when I was in The Cardiff Saints supporters group. Twice other through work. He’s a really nice and genuine bloke and a bit baffled by why people are in awe of him. He does drink Malibu and coke though :frowning: