Matthew Le Tissier announced this week that he will be stepping down as an Ambassador for Southampton Football Club after a controversial tweet sparked an outcry. However the irony of his decision is not lost on some Saints supporters.

Matthew Le Tissier is and will always remain a legend of Southampton Football Club, but he stepped down as an Ambassador of the club after a series of tweets that have not been in line with conventional thinking on both the Covid 19 situation and recently the crisis and war in Ukrainia.

Speaking on Twitter he said

"To all the fans of sfc [Southampton Football Club]. I have decided to step aside from my role as an ambassador of SFC. My views are my own and always have been, and it’s important to take this step today to avoid any confusion. This does not affect my relationship with and love for my club, and I will always remain a fan and supporter of everything Saints. I can, however, see that due to recent events it’s important to separate the work I believe in from my relationship with the club I have supported and played for most of my life. I will see you all at St Mary’s and will always do anything I can to help the club."

Since becoming an ambassador in 2019, Le Tissier has been involved with a number of club activities in the community, including volunteering at local food distribution centre FareShare. He did this during the first lockdown in 2020 and has continued to be a part of Southampton's efforts to support the local community during the two years of the pandemic so far.

But his tweets on firstly the Covid 19 pandemic and more recently the war in Ukraine have raised a few eyebrows.

But the irony here is that the events in Ukraine and indeed the issues in Russian where it is claimed that their media is being supressed and not allowed to tell the truth about the War actually highlight a few things.

I have to say here that I am not condoning anything that Le Tissier has said on his twitter feeds, I don't go on that social media platform and therefore I don't know for sure what he is saying other that snippets reported in the media.

From what i have seen in those stories i have to say I don't seem to agree with him on what he has been saying,

But what I do believe is that he has the right to say it and surely that is what the citizens of Ukraine are fighting for, the right for freedom both of body & mind, the right to be able to say what you want (within reason) and when you want, without fear of retribution.

So I find it ironic that as the media carries stories of the truth being suppressed, that we are turning on someone for expressing an opinion.

In truth he has said little controversial and that isn't being spouted by others, most of the tweets I have seen in the media have been little more than questions.

He is not being offensive to the citizens of Bucha for instance, he is just expressing an opinion and although I disagree with that opinion I stand up for his right to express his opinion no matter how much I disagree.

Of course there are opinions that are offensive and do need to be stood up against, but Le Tissier's quotes on Twitter do not seem to fall into that category, they are not racist, homophobic or advocating violence, they are just saying that he does not believe what he is being told by certain parties and he has a right to do that.

It is perhaps right he stands down as an Ambassador for Saints , after all he is representing them and some people might think that his view if that of Southampton Football Club.

When I see a viewpoint I do not agree with, I don't demand it be removed, personally I like to see it challenged, if we sweep peoples opinions under the carpet then nothing changes, especially that person themselves, if you challenge the view then you might just change their opinion and if not certainly some that might otherwise have agreed.

This is nothing to do with sticking up for a club legend, it is the way that the Ugly Inside has run for the past 34 years both as a fanzine and a website, it is about giving a platform for Saints supporters to express their views on the club, even when we don't agree with that view ourselves.

That is my thinking in life, I might not like what someone says, but I defend their right to say it ( again with the usual exceptions of racism and homophobia etc)

If you disagree with Matt Le Tissier on his views then challenge him on his twitter feed, but don't silence him as mentioned in this terrible time for the World and of course Ukrainia silencing both media and individuals achieves nothing.

Photo: Action Images

landsdownsaint added 12:58 - Apr 7 I think it was a ridiculous thing too put out on twitter , it’s been coming a long time his Alex Jones type conspiracy’s
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codge added 13:15 - Apr 7 A very honest article Nick,living now in the USA we have freedom of speech to say pretty much what you want, but people are trying like crazy to stifle it with all the woke rubbish going on all over the world so l say as you you don’t have to always agree with someone but they sure as heck should have the right to say it.
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SaintStu7 added 13:16 - Apr 7 Has always been my hero. Unfortunately his ridiculous views have tainted that somewhat. Hopefully not turning into the new David Icke
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obelisk added 13:16 - Apr 7 "not been in line with conventional thinking" Or just a plain wrong conspiracy nut. Nobody's stopping Le Tissier from spouting his lunatic drivel and plenty have responded with answers to his "questions". All that's happened is that some have come to the conclusion that they can no longer be associated with the ongoing idiocy. Southampton FC have made the right decision in my view.

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felly1 added 14:27 - Apr 7 Definitely had to go as our Club ambassador. Absolute legend as a player, absolute bellend since his sky sports contract wasn't renewed. Unfortunately when you have had such a lucky and privileged life as a high profile ex footballer you do have to take responsibility for what you say and do as there will always be consequences. Nick, this isn't about not being allowed an opinion, its about spreading misinformation and lies that are very damaging and clearly playing into the hands of people like Putin. Unless of course you don't see Putin as a serious threat to us in the west or the Ukrainian people.

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Sadoldgit added 14:49 - Apr 7 Who’s decision was it for him to stand down? Was he sacked or did he take the decision himself. The problem is, in the role such as his, he was there because he was a highly respected player for his whole career. Rightly or wrongly his outspoken comments have called his integrity into question and in many eyes he has become the objection of derision. How does that square with someone who has been given that particular job because of the respectability? He said he had decided to stand down, a decision we should respect under the circumstances. If the club asked him to do so, we should also respect that decision. I am not saying that he is as ridiculed as David Icke (yet) but can you imagine Icke being a club ambassador at Coventry City given the way people view him for his opinions? Freedom of speech is one thing. Suggesting that the media might be lying to us when there is so much evidence, including civilian eye witnesses, of rape and murder of men, women and children probably wasn’t the brightest thing to do if you want to remain credible and respected.

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Sanguin added 15:15 - Apr 7 I don't think MLT has been silenced, he's just stepped down as an official Ambassador to the club. He's welcome to keep spouting his conspiracy theories, but his opinions don't align with those of Southampton FC and so Southampton has the right to ask him to stand down. I'm respectful of debate and differing opinion. But not when that opinion has no basis in fact. There's no irony in media stories talking about Russian suppression of the truth and useful idiots like MLT amplifying that suppression of the truth by questioning facts. I have no doubt that the majority of current and former residents of Bucha would find his suggestion that the media is lying about the massacre there deeply offensive.

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Colburn added 17:13 - Apr 7 I am amazed... There are some seriously unintelligent views here, given by people who clearly have no interest in spending any time investigating Matt's comments, instead refer to the same sources of information who have histories of dishonesty and manipulation. So you want people to challenge Matt on social media do you? Yet without doing your own research..? It is no wonder the world is in such a mess when it is dominated by so many brainwashed sheep who have had their minds made up by the rhetoric of those with conflicts of interest. Go on, mark me down as much as you like, it means nothing because none of you have any real idea of what is happening in the world, merely offering pathetic rants at a man far more intelligent and learned than yourselves. Have any of you stopped to think for a second about how sure he must be about his knowledge to put himself in the firing line and have to walk away from things he loves for the future of humanity. No of course you haven't. Utterly pathetic, it takes about five minutes to find interviews and articles regarding the openness of the neo-Nazi ideology of those in power in said conflict and I am highly offended by suggestions I should support a neo-Nazi regimes after the atrocities a family members of mine suffered in a camp during WW2.. It appears that the majority are too proud and desperate to signal how virtuous they are to change their views or even investigate the roots of other opinions.. I thought the Hunter laptop was all 'misinformation', a conspiracy theory... Then surprise, surprise.... Wakey wakey people, it's never too late to disengage yourselves from the grip of corrupt power and its channels of propaganda.

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SaintNick added 17:19 - Apr 7 As I said I don't condone his views, he chose to step down as he knew his view was controversial and not in line with the conventional view so therefore chose to avoid embarrassment for the club. I would not think that he is spreading disinformation too much and I would say most people can see what he says and form an informed opinion of their own whether that be the same as his or not

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SaintStu7 added 18:45 - Apr 7 Colburn - Done my research. Freedom of speech is fine but unfortunately social media gives ranting lunatics a platform to vent drivel. You are exactly the same as those you condemn.
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felly1 added 19:03 - Apr 7 I noticed on BBC news they've reported on the barbaric execution of injured Russian soldiers by members of the Ukrainian army....wonder if Matt will be sharing or liking posts that question the truth of these stories?.. Mmm.
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RobtheSaint added 19:10 - Apr 7 Talking of propaganda our government demands that we accept women can have a penis, men can be pregnant and they are currently rewriting our history to suit the current agenda!! Clearly Putin is an animal, the covid strategy has yet to be reviewed but do not believe all you hear as gospel from our media.
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SanMarco added 23:28 - Apr 7 Nick's irony is an interesting point but there are probably bigger issues than the freedom for ex-footballers to talk sh1te on Twitter at stake in Ukraine. Rather than freedom (no one stopped MLT dispensing his wisdom) it is truth that is the issue. The very idea of verifiable truth has been under attack in recent years. If you don't like the truth then make your own up. Of course you have to be (indeed, must be) sceptical about the media and about propaganda etc but there doesn't seem to be any doubt at all that these atrocities have happened. I don't want them to have happened, I wish they hadn't happened and of course believe that if the other side do dreadful things then that too should be reported. My question for MLT would be why is this particular truth one you are so desperate to deny?

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highfield49 added 09:01 - Apr 8 I suspect that, being of Serbian origin and with first hand knowledge of corrupt media manipulation, the owner of SFC might well feel that MLT is not an ideal ambassador for the club. Unless I'm mistaken I don't believe MLT has any original thoughts worthy of discussion, his social media postings merely trot out the opinions of others. That statement is of course without proper foundation because I've never read any of his social media postings, my evidence is based entirely on secondary reporting and hearsay. However, on the balance of probability and available evidence I have to conclude that one of the club's best ever footballers is indeed a moron.

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mattthelegend added 21:42 - Apr 8 Fair play to Matt for having the balls to call out the MSM. The point he was making is that you can not believe everything the press/ news report. The press, the government have lied to us continually over the last 2 years, they have an agenda they have to push.History shows us the press publish the narrative of the government, ask any Liverpool fan what they think of the media. They lied about the WMD in Iraq but we believed and went along with war. Rant over , this was the point MLT was making.

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