7th tier club Sholing have been left delighted at the ‘huge announcement’ regarding Matt Le Tissier joining them.
He links up with Sholing as a associate director, helping them with their project, and will appear at their matches going forward from the 2024/25 season.
The 55 year old former footballer and pundit has accepted the role of community ambassador for Southern League Premier South side, who finished 15th out of 20 teams, and picked up 49 points from 42 games played, just a point from safety.
Le Tis highlighted the significant impact of the club’s Project 5000, which aims to distribute 5000 season tickets to individuals aged 19 and under, something that influenced his decision to join.
IT’S A HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR SHOLING!
We’re delighted to announce that Le God himself, @mattletiss7 will be joining Sholing as an associate director.
Thanks to Matt for everything he’s doing for the club and we look forward to seeing him at some Sholing games this season! 👀… pic.twitter.com/VpyKdWuJHW
— Sholing FC (@sholingfc) June 6, 2024
Interviewer: Hi, Matt, welcome to Sholing FC. Delighted to have you on board. Could you just let the supporters know a little bit about what you’re going to be getting up to at the club?
Matt: Yes, I’ve joined as an associate director now, obviously many, many years ago when I retired from football, most people might remember that I signed on for Eastleigh and the manager at that point was Mr Paul Doswell. And we’ve got a long history together. We’ve got involved in a lot of things, charity wise down the years and kept in touch for all these years. It’s fantastic that Dos has got involved at Sholing because I know that everything he does, he does with everything he’s got. So the Sholing people should be very pleased that he’s on board and I’m delighted to come and give him a hand. I’ll be looking forward to come and watch some Sholing games, obviously when Saints aren’t at home and obviously trying to get involved in some training sessions as well. If I can be of help to the manager, then that’s something I’m also looking forward to getting involved in. But the biggest thing for me about everything that Dos is doing at Sholing is the community side. I think it’s absolutely wonderful the way that he’s got the people on board who are going to go out and give season tickets out to under 19s for absolutely nothing. It’s incredible. I don’t think anything has been done like that in this area. It’s a wonderful project and hopefully the people of Sholing will get behind them, support them and push the team to bigger and better things.
Interviewer: And can you just speak a little bit more about your role as the community ambassador for the club?
Matt: Yeah, well, I think this was the first thing that really piqued my interest. I love the fact that really getting the community involved, the free season tickets for the under 19s is great, but it also means that adults go in for £5, so you can get a family of four, go and watch a football match for £10. I mean, that’s. I don’t see that anywhere else in the country. So first and foremost, that’s unbelievable. And then secondly, we’re providing a marquee which the season ticket holders can actually hire out free of charge. And again, you know, that’s not the sort of thing you get every day at football clubs up and down the country. So it’s a great idea and a brilliant way to bring the community on board with our football club.
Interviewer: And we saw you down at the club last week. To see some of the investments we’ve got going on this year. Can you just talk a little bit more about what you saw?
Matt: Yeah, I mean, it’s been incredible, the amount of money that’s been invested there, you know, over a quarter of a million pounds, with the new stand capacity of 500 people sitting and standing. Amazing. Refurbished the clubhouse. It’s going to be incredible. The new marquee that’s going to be down there, that’s, you know, there’s a lot of money. They are very expensive, those marquees, and they’re renting out for free, so amazing stuff. And most importantly, I was down there last summer playing cricket, and I know how difficult it was to get in and out of the car park, and so 100 new car parking spaces, absolute game changer, so no excuses for people not to come and watch.
Interviewer: And Dos has got a bit of a reputation for putting in 3g pitches at the clubs he’s previously been at. Where are the boards at with this one?
Matt: At the moment, no, we as a board have decided that that’s not the way that we want to go. There’s investment needed in other parts of the club, as I mentioned before, especially the car park. I’ve slipped and slided out of that one before, and to be honest, the car park surface was pretty similar to the surface on the pitch. So a little bit of investment in the pitch and one of the main objectives of the board is to get a decent playing surface. Ross White, who’s part of the England coaching development, wants to get the ball on the deck, and we’ve got players who want the ball on the deck. Billy Stedman, Jake Hesketh, Jake Flanagan. The Saints fans will recognise those names. They need a decent surface to be able to play their best football. And we’ve also got Charlie Searle, who’s going to be goalkeeping coach, number two goalkeeper, but more importantly, full time groundsman, so we can get a decent service on that pitch. And, yes, playing a different way might mean on occasions, as you saw with Saints this season, we might give away some sloppy goals, but we will get better.
Interviewer: Matt, brilliant to have it with the club. Welcome to Sholing.
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝟱𝟬𝟬𝟬
The new executive board of Sholing FC are delighted to announce Project 5000. This is an exciting and innovative initiative designed to provide affordable family football for the people of Sholing and the wider Southampton area.
A family of four with a… pic.twitter.com/CmpmPe5DNm— Sholing FC (@sholingfc) June 5, 2024
This is what fans are saying with the 7th tier club delighted at the ‘huge announcement’ regarding Matt Le Tissier joining them…
@PeteMartin2310: Is this actually happening or is it just what the ‘mainstream media’ wants you to believe? Makes you think….
@cheriton101: wow boyhood hero at my club. I have no words
@MarkHiett151337: So excited about this news let’s get behind the team and pack sholing out
@TrevB58: That’s the weather sorted for you next season
@jamiekimberr: Or has he?
@SamD_dappy: Congratulations on your new role @mattletiss7 What an honour to have one of the greatest ever players of the premier league era join the club! Best of luck for the season and beyond @sholingfc 🤝
@Dozzy92: Massive things happening at Sholing which is great to see. 😇🔴⚪️🙌🏻
@_SaintsInFrance: Great addition, all the best for the coming season 😇⚽
@yjw_x: Congratulations! Superb addition. Good luck for the upcoming season 😇
@Stevekingy1: Good luck Matt anything that Dos gets involved in will turn to gold. Two legends at Sholing wish you all the best from Sutton 💛
@moscowmush: Radical shirt number changes incoming! 😂 ⛵️ #UptheBoatmen
@chrisco55959111: Beatts at totton now le tiss at sholing … wots next Franny at Hythe & dibden ? 😉
@damocozens: Love this up the sholing
@stucrow: It’s a shot in the arm for them!
@BarryChannon09: That’s some signing 😇
@ake2306: Are you pulling the boots back on Matt 😎👍😎
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