Matt Le Tissier is back at Southampton in an official capacity, four years after walking away from his ambassador role amid a storm of criticism over his social media posts.
The 57-year-old club legend has been appointed as a formal advisor to the board, according to the Daily Echo.
It turns out Le Tissier had already been quietly supporting the Saints behind the scenes on an informal basis before this official announcement.
The Guernsey-born former midfielder departed St. Mary's in April 2022 following backlash over posts he made on X concerning the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
Matt Le Tissier is back at Southampton as an advisor to the board
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His departure came after he shared conspiracy theories about the Ukraine conflict on social media, drawing sharp criticism from high-profile figures.
Gary Lineker and comedian David Baddiel were among those who publicly called out Le Tissier for his posts.
The former midfielder's social media activity included claims that "the media" had lied about "weapons of mass destruction and COVID."
He also quoted a post that appeared to question the legitimacy of media coverage surrounding Bucha, the Ukrainian city where Russian and Ukrainian ground forces clashed during the invasion.
The backlash ultimately proved too much, leading to his exit from the club he'd served for so long.
Matt Le Tissier was a key player for Southampton during his football career | PAFew players have ever meant as much to Southampton as Le Tissier did during his remarkable 16-year spell at the club.
The attacking midfielder netted 209 times in 462 appearances between 1986 and 2002, cementing his status as arguably the greatest player in Saints history.
He holds the distinction of being the Premier League's first midfielder to reach a century of goals, finishing with 101 in 270 top-flight outings.
That tally makes him Southampton's all-time leading scorer in the Premier League era.
Le Tissier also earned eight caps for England during his career before a brief stint with non-league Eastleigh.
Southampton currently find themselves seventh in the Championship table following last season's relegation from the top flight.
Matt Le Tissier shared conspiracy theories about the Ukraine conflict on social media
| GETTYThe Saints sit just a point behind the playoff places, though they do have a game in hand on the teams above them.
It's been a brilliant run of form for Tonda Eckert's side, who haven't lost in any competition since mid-January – a streak stretching to 14 matches.
Tonight brings their biggest test yet, with Premier League leaders Arsenal visiting St. Mary's for the FA Cup quarter-final.
Kick-off is at 8pm, with the Saints hoping their cup run can continue.