Matt Le Tissier QUITS role as Southampton ambassador following fan backlash to disgusting Bucha massacre tweets
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SOUTHAMPTON legend Matt Le Tissier has quit his role as ambassador of the club after being slammed for sharing warped conspiracy theories about Russian war crimes in Bucha.
The former forward, 53, controversially tweeted yesterday a suggestion that the media have "lied" about the atrocities in the city.
He received huge backlash on social media afterwards, and has now left his official role at Premier League side Southampton.
Revealing the news on Twitter this morning, the ex-England international said: “To all the fans of sfc. I have decided to step aside from my role as an ambassador of SFC.
“My views are my own and always have been, and it’s important to take this step today to avoid any confusion.
“This does not affect my relationship with and love for my club, and I will always remain a fan and supporter of everything Saints.
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“I can, however, see that due to recent events it’s important to separate the work I believe in from my relationship with the club I have supported and played for most of my life.
“I will see you all at St Mary’s and will always do anything I can to help the club.”
Le Tissier, who played 540 times and scored 209 goals for the South-Coast club, waded into the international conversation as the true extent of the horrors in Bucha continues to emerge.
Harrowing pictures from the city, to the north-west of the capital Kyiv, showed the bodies of civilians scattered in the road and in shallow graves - many with bound hands and signs of torture.
Russian forces left a trail of death and destruction in their wake before their retreat, with the scale of Ukrainians' suffering shocking the world.
President Volodymyr Zelensky fought back tears as he visited the desolate city, describing the acts of Russian troops as "genocide".
One Russian commander, dubbed the "Butcher of Bucha", is said to have oversaw the rape and murder of hundreds of women and children.
But the Kremlin claims the massacre never happened - and photos were staged for Western media.
Le Tissier seemed to share the same opinion as the likes of Vladimir Putin, by quoting a tasteless tweet as the war in Ukraine rages on.
Alongside a picture of Zelenksy visiting the city, it read: “The media lied about Weapons of Mass Destruction. The media lied about Covid.
“The media lied about the Hunter Biden laptop. But honestly they are telling the truth about Bucha!”
The 53-year-old, who won eight caps for England, simply captioned it with the word "This", along with a finger-pointing emoji.
But Le Tissier's ridiculous conspiracy theory was condemned by his 570,000 followers, with fans saying they could no longer support him.
The football pundit - known for spouting his wacky opinions online - was branded "disgusting" and even "dangerous" by furious supporters.
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One weighed in: "Unfollowed Matt Le Tissier a couple of years back after he started tweeting Covid conspiracy theories.
"Now suggesting that the war crimes in Ukraine are fake. Sometimes idiots can be dangerous."
