Le Tissier toasts Accies' title success

May 8 2008 By Sandra Walls

AN ENGLISH football hero was in Hamilton to help fans celebrate their team’s promotion-winning victory.

Former Southampton and England star Matt Le Tissier partied the night away with supporters in the Academical Vaults pub.

The attacking midfielder (39), originally from Guernsey, now lives in Kensington.

Matt travelled up to spend the weekend with his cousin, Jackie Nicol (31), of Westwood, East Kilbride.

Her nickname is Jackie ‘The Accie’ because of her support for the club.

Jackie bought Matt a ticket for the match and he was at New Douglas Park to see Accies beat Clyde 2-0.

Matt, said to be a secret Accies fan, went to the Vaults pub, in Hamilton, after the game.

He was with Accies’ captain Alex Neil, manager Billy Reid, defender Mark McLaughlin and other members of the first-team squad.

Matt enjoyed the banter with regulars and had his picture taken with fans.

Craig Knox (37), who was there with his brother, Alastair (41), said: “I have been an Accies fan since primary school, and was over the moon with the result.

“I have met Matt LeTissier many times, as my cousin is married to Jackie, who is Matt’s cousin; it is a bit complicated but we all feel like one big family.

“Matt was brilliant, he signed loads of autographs for joyous fans and even wore someone’s Accies top to pose for photos.”

Everyone in the pub was singing along to juke box songs like Queen’s We are the Champions.

Craig said: “We partied all night until the pub closed, and Matt was on top form joining in the celebrations.”

Matt played for Southampton from 1986 to 2002 and is rated by many Southampton fans as their greatest-ever player. He is the Saints’ second-highest scorer and was the first, and so far only midfielder to score 100 goals in the English Premier League.

He was capped eight times at senior level for the England team.

Matt was awarded the Freedom of the city of Southampton, and has also had one of the hospitality suites at the St Mary’s Stadium named after him.

An apartment block built on the site of the club’s former ground, The Dell, is also named after Matt.

Matt is now a pundit for Sky Sports’ Gillette Soccer Saturday.

Craig added: “Matt mentioned while he was here that he had such a good time, that he plans to come back again very soon, within the next couple of months, once he gets some time off from his broadcast work. He will be most welcome.”