Matt le Tissier: Jersey Bulls cancel appearance after fan backlash

Matt le TissierGetty Images

Guernsey-born Matt le Tissier spent his entire 16-year professional career at Southampton

Jersey Bulls have cancelled an appearance by former Southampton player Matt le Tissier at their awards dinner.

Le Tissier had been announced as the special guest at Saturday's £95 a ticket event, but some fans were upset.

"We have listened carefully to what they have to say and in turn have agreed that Matt le Tissier will step down," the club said in a statement.

The former England player, 53, left a role at Southampton last month after tweets about the war in Ukraine.

In a statement Jersey Bulls said: "Our booking commitment with Matt was made ahead of recent controversial events which have been well documented.

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"This gala dinner will be a highlight at the end of our first full season and we don't want anything to detract from the wonderful achievements of the club, the players, management, and all our supporters. We have therefore mutually agreed to cancel Matt Le Tissier's involvement.

"Whilst we always endeavour to be supportive of the footballing community, we also have a duty of care to all connected to our club, we have listened carefully to what they have to say and in turn have agreed that Matt Le Tissier will step down from our inaugural event."

Le Tissier - who was born on Jersey's neighbouring Channel Island of Guernsey - spent 16 years at Southampton where he scored 209 goals in 540 games.

But last month he deleted a tweet suggesting media manipulation in the reporting on the war in Ukraine.

He stepped down from his ambassadorial role at his former club - which he had held since January 2019 - a day later.

The former Sky Sports pundit, who won eight England caps, also made one appearance for Guernsey FC when they won the Combined Counties Premier Division on 2013.

Jersey Bulls finished fourth in the equivalent league this season having been in the hunt for promotion until a bad run of results last month.

It was their first full season in the English league system after their first two campaigns were curtailed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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