Le Tiss as a kid....

[scdean]

Reading this article and watching the videos, I wondered what the feeling was about Le Tiss as a youngster.

We have lots of hype over all our kids coming through our great academy n talk about if they'll be the next Bale etc.

 

But I wondered what the chatter was like when He was coming through.

I was growing up in Aus during his career, and while I loved n idolized Him from afar, we didn't get much "soccer" in the media in the 90s.

 

Was he built up as a prodigy / wonder kid etc?

 

Love to hear the thoughts of the locals at the time.

 

http://babb.telegraph.co.uk/2015/01/matt-le-tissier-the-last-footballer-of-his-kind/

[AussieDog]

Depends on what you class as a "kid". I wasn't aware of him until he made the Southampton team that played in the South East Counties League back in the 80's. I think he was 17 then. If I recall he scored over 50 goals the first season (and I think the next year Alan Shearer replicated the feat!). He was a class above everyone and looked so lazy in the game but walked off scoring a hatrick or more in many games. If my memory serves me correctly they used to play their games at stoneham lane? and anyone could just turn up to watch. Happy to be corrected on that, as the memory is starting to play tricks

 

It's hard to find details of any of that period online but I might dig out some of my old programs tonight and have a look through. Great memories

[Turkish]

I remember when he was on the fringes of the first team and there was a bit of a clamour for him to start. Obviously this was before the days of mongboards but even then it pretty well know at 17 or so he was something special. Nichol said he wasn't ready and to be fair did a great job of bringing him through gradually, remember some great early performances from him, 4-0 v Leicester in the snow, 4-1 win v Man United in the cup, but IIRC correctly he didn't really become a regular until the late 80s two or three years after he initially got into the squad.

 

Same as Shearer. he burst onto the scene with his hatrick against arsenal but after that he went a bit off the radar somewhat, was in and out of the side for a few seasons but with him IIRC no one really realised how good he was going to be like they did with Le Tiss. He really came of age under branfoot ironically, which was when he broke into the England squad and the big clubs started sniffing around. Again this was several years after his debut.

Edited 23 January, 2015 by Turkish

[AussieDog]

I just dug out the 1st program from the 86/87 season (as an aside - QPR - Colin Clarke's debut where he scored a hat trick) which had the stats from the previous season. Le Tiss aged 23/games and scored 43 goals

[scdean]

I just dug out the 1st program from the 86/87 season (as an aside - QPR - Colin Clarke's debut where he scored a hat trick) which had the stats from the previous season. Le Tiss aged 23/games and scored 43 goals

 

Not a bad return.

People get excited over 15+ goals a season these days.

 

Thanks for your thoughts guys. I always wonder what the buzz would have been like if ****ter etc was around when Tiss n Shearer were coming through

[Deano6]

43 goals in 23 games is incredible!

[mynameisthehulk]

He was in and out under Nicholl but I would not have said he came of age under Branflake, because he was often more out than in. He really started to attract a lot of attention under Alan Ball, who used a system commonly known as the "Give it to Matty System" where basically, everything came though Le Tiss.

[Cabrone]

I don't remember much hype about Tiss before he broke through the first team, everyone could see that he had talent but he was a sub for a long time. He actually got a 'supersub' tag as he'd often score when he was brought on. The first game I saw him in was at home to Spurs in 1986 I think.

 

Shearer had a lot more 'hype' before his debut although it was nothing compared to what you see now. He'd been prolific infront of goal as a youth and there was a buzz of excitement around him although I don't think he ever really got into his stride till he went to Blackburn. I saw his debut hat-trick but he was still very raw and it took him a long time to consistently break through. What a player he became though.

[Patrick Bateman]

Define "kid" though? As far as I'm aware, I don't think he actually came over and joined Saints until he was 16 or 17 anyway, so I doubt many people outside the football scouting network would have known about him anyway.

 

I might be wrong though?

[Dr Who?]

First I remember was the opening day of the 88/89 season when he came on as a sub against West Ham late on. He scored a pretty good goal late on, in a 4-0 win. This start to the season also saw us hit the summit for the last time in top flight, as we went on to beat QPR away 0-1, Luton home 2-1 before visiting Arsenal while we were top of the table. We were 2-0 up before being pegged back in the 81st minute and the 9th minute of injury time (due to a broken jaw of cockerill.

 

This was the same season we went 21 games without a win, before Ruddock score a pen in injury time at the Dell to beat Newcastle 1-0.

 

Was a strange season,but Matty was in and out of it all season.

 

Was also the first season I went to every game at home.

Edited 23 January, 2015 by Dr Who?

[david in sweden]

seen several interviews with MLT where he doesn't actually say... he was lazy, but it was fairly obvious with phrases like;

as soon as they took the ball away in training - I lost interest, and (after a poor marathon training run) ...the late finishers would be unfavourably compared to Matt..who was usually last ".. tend to show that he was not your usual squad player, and managers frequently picked players who ran all day long and "covered every blade of grass ", which wasn't MLT's style, but when he got the ball you could always " expect " - the unexpected.... and often a brilliance beyond description.

 

MLT's much-vaunted early league games were highlighted by shows of that " brilliance ", coupled with the eventual inconsistancy you see from a young player struggling in an " uneven " team, plus

in his first few seasons there was scarcely a place for him as our attacking line-up was more stable than our defence.

 

His real success began when (his partnership with Danny Wallace and Alan Shearer) was great to watch, and his almost perfect prowess with penalty kicks made him irreplaceable in the team.

 

In that era, the Reserve team" was always a mix of second-string pro's, first teamers returning from injury and the up-and-coming youngsters.

 

MLT's Reserve " appearances were few and far between although in his first 4 seasons he managed 21 goals in just 39 apps. (a very good return), but for much of the time, he was on the first team bench.

and in the same period he had 43 first team starts and 21 sub apps..... but with just 15 goals.

 

As soon as he became a first team regular (1989 -ish), he netted 39 league goals in 69 starts in his first couple of seasons....the rest, as they say ....is history.

[Dr Who?]

seen several interviews with MLT where he doesn't actually say... he was lazy, but it was fairly obvious with phrases like;

as soon as they took the ball away in training - I lost interest, and (after a poor marathon training run) ...the late finishers would be unfavourably compared to Matt..who was usually last ".. tend to show that he was not your usual squad player, and managers frequently picked players who ran all day long and "covered every blade of grass ", which wasn't MLT's style, but when he got the ball you could always " expect " - the unexpected.... and often a brilliance beyond description.

 

MLT's much-vaunted early league games were highlighted by shows of that " brilliance ", coupled with the eventual inconsistancy you see from a young player struggling in an " uneven " team, plus

in his first few seasons there was scarcely a place for him as our attacking line-up was more stable than our defence.

 

His real success began when (his partnership with Danny Wallace and Alan Shearer) was great to watch, and his almost perfect prowess with penalty kicks made him irreplaceable in the team.

 

In that era, the Reserve team" was always a mix of second-string pro's, first teamers returning from injury and the up-and-coming youngsters.

 

MLT's Reserve " appearances were few and far between although in his first 4 seasons he managed 21 goals in just 39 apps. (a very good return), but for much of the time, he was on the first team bench.

and in the same period he had 43 first team starts and 21 sub apps..... but with just 15 goals.

 

As soon as he became a first team regular (1989 -ish), he netted 39 league goals in 69 starts in his first couple of seasons....the rest, as they say ....is history.

 

That match against Liverpool below in 1989 was the first were I remember seeing Matty have a great game in a great team performance. Up front was Shearer, Matty, Rideout and Rod Wallace and we just went at them! On another day they would have picked us off! The week before we went to QPR and won by the same score line....

 

http://www.11v11.com/matches/southampton-v-liverpool-21-october-1989-89455/

Edited 24 January, 2015 by Dr Who?

[supersonic]

Again, depends on the definition of "kid" - he joined Saints at 16 after spending his whole youth career whilst at school with Vale Rec.

 

Lead to believe that we didn't know too much about him before his trial at Oxford.

[Turkish]

That match against Liverpool below in 1989 was the first were I remember seeing Matty have a great game in a great team performance. Up front was Shearer, Matty, Rideout and Rod Wallace and we just went at them! On another day they would have picked us off! The week before we went to QPR and won by the same score line....

 

http://www.11v11.com/matches/southampton-v-liverpool-21-october-1989-89455/

 

 

It was actually the week before that we won 4-1 at QPR. After the Liverpool game we lost 2-1 at Old Trafford, we didn't actually win again for over a month after Liverpool, although when we did it was in style, a 6-3 win over Luton who were a top flight side back then.

[Dr Who?]

It was actually the week before that we won 4-1 at QPR. After the Liverpool game we lost 2-1 at Old Trafford, we didn't actually win again for over a month after Liverpool, although when we did it was in style, a 6-3 win over Luton who were a top flight side back then.

 

That is what I said. Went to both, but not the Man U game. Also went to the Luton game. Was the 2nd season that I went to all home games and started doing a few away. QPR and Chelsea, where Matty scored in both.

 

No everything about the games from 88- to the end of the 90 season, like they were yesterday.

[Turkish]

That is what I said. Went to both, but not the Man U game. Also went to the Luton game. Was the 2nd season that I went to all home games and started doing a few away. QPR and Chelsea, where Matty scored in both.

 

No everything about the games from 88- to the end of the 90 season, like they were yesterday.

 

You edited it as originally you said after.

[pap]

I met Le Tiss when he was 17 at the Southampton Balloon and Flower Show. Was a nice nipper, played a bit of footy with him, just passing it between us, like. Great liar too. Was complimentary about my skills, which didn't really exist

[5string]

He was in and out under Nicholl but I would not have said he came of age under Branflake, because he was often more out than in. He really started to attract a lot of attention under Alan Ball, who used a system commonly known as the "Give it to Matty System" where basically, everything came though Le Tiss.

 

This was the system his school team played in Guernsey - I went to uni with a mate who was at the same school as him. When they won the ball they'd just pass it to MLT, who would proceed to run through the opposition and score many goals.

 

So he'd be used to playing that way and it could be argued he was good enough, even in the 1st Div/PL to keep playing like that.

 

At school I think he got somewhere between 75 and 100 goals in most seasons - was only Guernsey school football, though and Le Saux apparently played against him sometimes (I think - would need to check that one).

[supersonic]

This was the system his school team played in Guernsey - I went to uni with a mate who was at the same school as him. When they won the ball they'd just pass it to MLT, who would proceed to run through the opposition and score many goals.

 

So he'd be used to playing that way and it could be argued he was good enough, even in the 1st Div/PL to keep playing like that.

 

At school I think he got somewhere between 75 and 100 goals in most seasons - was only Guernsey school football, though and Le Saux apparently played against him sometimes (I think - would need to check that one).

 

Le Saux is from Jersey - no official records show they played against each other before they moved to the UK

Edited 24 January, 2015 by supersonic

[Dr Who?]

You edited it as originally you said after.

 

Should have been quicker

[Dr Who?]

I met Le Tiss when he was 17 at the Southampton Balloon and Flower Show. Was a nice nipper, played a bit of footy with him, just passing it between us, like. Great liar too. Was complimentary about my skills, which didn't really exist

 

I spent the evening with him and Dodd and a group of my friends, in the old Saints social club at the Dell, in 1998, he also lied to me and said the company was brilliant.

 

I also used to serve him and Simon Charlton before this in the early to mid 90's at Pizzaland. They used to come in after training nearly every week.

[Saint Without a Halo]

I think Le Tiss played against Le Saux in Guernsey v Jersey games

Edited 24 January, 2015 by Saint Without a Halo

[supersonic]

I think Le Tiss played against Le Saux in Guernsey v Jersey games

 

no they didn't

[5string]

Le Saux is from Jersey - no official records show they played against each other before they moved to the UK

 

Yep, but there were regular Guernsey v Jersey matches - big rivalry there!

 

Someone's already said they didn't face each other, though, which seems to ring true.

[70's Mike]

Life was different then, you only became aware of young players when they made the first team. You read about them but rarely got the opportunity to watch them. I cannot remember if we even had a reserve team then, it seemed to come and go .

I do remember Branfoot preferring Dowie over Le Tiss which was all part of the Branfoot out campaign

[supersonic]

Yep, but there were regular Guernsey v Jersey matches - big rivalry there!

 

Someone's already said they didn't face each other, though, which seems to ring true.

 

I'm well aware of the rivalry, the Muratti is played every year and every sports fan on the Islands count down to it.

 

Matt Le Tissier never played in the Muratti

[5string]

I'm well aware of the rivalry, the Muratti is played every year and every sports fan on the Islands count down to it.

 

Matt Le Tissier never played in the Muratti

 

Really? Didn't know that. Maybe because he left when he was so young?

[supersonic]

Really? Didn't know that. Maybe because he left when he was so young?

 

Correct. He left to move to the UK at 16. He could have played but the Guernsey FA had a rule stating only players based in Guernsey could represent them for the Muratti

[WokingSaint]

My first memory of MLT was the Daily Express 5 a sides at Wembley (Pool/Arena) c1987/88. He was sensational. Couldn't wait to see him make the first team after that.

[Lets B Avenue]

My first memory of MLT was the Daily Express 5 a sides at Wembley (Pool/Arena) c1987/88. He was sensational. Couldn't wait to see him make the first team after that.

 

He had played nearly 50 games by then.

[Dr Who?]

He had played nearly 50 games by then.

 

87/88 he had not played 50 games in our first team.

[Lets B Avenue]

87/88 he had not played 50 games in our first team.

 

That's why I said nearly. I've now checked and it was 43 by the end of the season.

 

Woking had said he was looking forward to him making the 1st team and I was pointing out he had been involved for more than a season by then.

[david in sweden]

That's why I said nearly. I've now checked and it was 43 by the end of the season.

 

Woking had said he was looking forward to him making the 1st team and I was pointing out he had been involved for more than a season by then.

 

 

I can see Woking memory / viewpoint, but Lets B Avenue's stats. are correct. In his first two seasons MLT started just 22 games, and was used as a sub. 21 times.

 

Hardly a regular. Nor had he attained his goal legend status by then, either. He did score 6 league goals in his first season, but managed none in his 19 games (in second season).

 

(Around that time, many fans would have most likely to be noticing goalscorers like Colin Clarke and Danny Wallace ).

[supersonic]

There is a Sky documentary about MLT being filmed as we speak - goes into his early life and career. Should be a good watch and help re-jig a few memories for people.

[Daft Kerplunk]

I used to go to the dell and watch reserves and any youth games that were on. He was class then. You could tell, you watch for long enough and whilst all the attributes aren't there when they're young, the potential is clear