TexasGers 96 Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Southampton legend Matthew Le Tissier has made the astonishing admission that he once attempted to influence a game in order to win large amounts of money on a spread betting scam. Matt Le Tissier GettyImages Le Tissier: One of Southampton's all-time greats. Le Tissier, who now makes a living as a popular pundit, uncovered the incident in his new autobiography when detailing his involvement in an attempt to concede an early throw-in during a game against Wimbledon in 1995. The forward, who won eight caps for England, stood to earn a significant amount of money if he cleared the ball into touch from the kick-off but underhit the ball, with team-mate Neil Shipperley scuppering his plot. "Spread betting had just started to become popular. It was a new idea which allowed punters to back anything from the final score to the first throw-in,'' Le Tissier wrote in his autobiography Taking Le Tiss, serialised in the Daily Mail. "There was a lot of money to be made by exploiting it. We were safe from the threat of relegation when we went to Wimbledon on April 17 and, as it was a televised match, there was a wide range of bets available. "Obviously I'd never have done anything that might have affected the outcome of the match, but I couldn't see a problem with making a few quid on the time of the first throw-in. "My team-mate had some friends with spread-betting accounts who laid some big bets for us. We stood to win well into four figures but if it went wrong we could have lost a lot of money.'' "It was set up nicely,'' Le Tissier added. "The ball was to be rolled back to me and I would smash it into touch. It seemed to be going like clockwork. We kicked off, the ball was tapped to me and I went to hit it out towards Neil Shipperley on the left wing. "As it was live on television I didn't want to make it too obvious or end up looking like a prat for miscuing the ball so I tried to hit it just over his head. But with so much riding on it I was a bit nervous and didn't give it quite enough welly. The problem was that Shipperley knew nothing about the bet and managed to reach it and even head it back into play. "I have never run so much in my life. If there had been Pro Zone analysis back then my stats would have been amazing for the next minute as I charged around the pitch desperately trying to kick the ball out of play. "Suddenly it was no longer a question of winning money. We stood to lose a lot of cash if it went much longer than 75 seconds before the ball went out. I had visions of guys coming to kneecap me. Eventually we got the ball out on 70 seconds. The neutral time meant we had neither won nor lost. I have never tried spread betting since.'' Le Tissier scored 162 goals in 378 league starts for Southampton and fronted a failed bid to buy the club over the summer. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id...and&cc=5901 What do you guys think of what Le Tissier did? Even though it didn't cost his team anything, it still seems pretty slimy if you ask me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfc_no1fan 13 Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I used to attend a lot of Hamilton Accies matches when I was younger. I could never understand why Accies would always kick off and hit the ball into the corner and out of play. Then I was made aware of spread betting and it makes you wonder if it was an honest error, whether it was to pin the opposition in their on half or whether it was so that they could make money. Le Tiss should have kept his mouth shut, he is an idiot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Embassyno1 0 Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Agree I think a lot of players have claimed to have been doing this kind of thing around the early 90's. But you'd think that a player of Le Tissier's standing would have kept quiet about it after all these years, clearly a stunt to shift copies of his book could backfire badly on him. Albeit I suspect the extent would probably only be a lifetime ban in competition which of course at this point would only mean no more testimonials etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
watp72 54 Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Dont have a problem with this to be honest. Well, not to the extent I do with the likes of Grobelaar's match fixing. Bookies left themselves open to this sort of exploitation with the introduction of spread betting and some players, a lot of players I would imagine actually, were willing to exploit it. Matt Le Tissier's actions here were not affecting the outcome of the match in anyway.... I can see why some people would have a problem, as it tarnishes the "purity of the game", but me personally? Nah... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
papaguy51 912 Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Silly boy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo. 952 Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Oh dear. The impact his actions had on the game may have been minimal, but he'll be hung out to dry on this one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClintonGrey 365 Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Wish he hadn't admitted it to be honest, taints his image so much... Despite it being the right thing to do I guess. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighlandBear 1 Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 They were talking about it on the radio yesterday. I couldn't help thinking Le Tissier was talking BS to sell books. What would have happened if the other team had won the toss and decided to kick off. He was taking a 50/50 chance there straight away. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo. 952 Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 They were talking about it on the radio yesterday. I couldn't help thinking Le Tissier was talking BS to sell books. What would have happened if the other team had won the toss and decided to kick off. He was taking a 50/50 chance there straight away. Good point. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFC55 85,324 Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 guys seriously if it was you the bookies offered 10/11 both teams for the 1st shy so id defo be in for a bit of that! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfc_no1fan 13 Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 They were talking about it on the radio yesterday. I couldn't help thinking Le Tissier was talking BS to sell books. What would have happened if the other team had won the toss and decided to kick off. He was taking a 50/50 chance there straight away. He has 75 seconds to get the ball out of play. Not ideal when you dont kick off, but you can still make money out of it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbeamjunior 19,789 Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 They were talking about it on the radio yesterday. I couldn't help thinking Le Tissier was talking BS to sell books. What would have happened if the other team had won the toss and decided to kick off. He was taking a 50/50 chance there straight away. remember though that the bet would have been for just a throw in, doesnt matter what team concedes it normally teams kick off by humping the ball into the oppositons half, hence why a few players were in it le tiss kicks off and tries to kick it out or the opposition kick off and all it takes is a tackle from a player in the bet to knock the ball out Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBoyd 355 Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Ironically as i was just watching the Rangers v Marseille game from Europe 92/93 season, we start with the ball, and someone punts it out straight away for a throw in. It made no sense at all to do it, the game had literally just started, there wasn't even a player running for it.. I wonder how much this sort of thing like Le Tissier mentions went on? Doesn't bother really, as long as it doesn't actually effect the game in itself. Like a first minute throw in near the half way line. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
watp72 54 Posted September 6, 2009 Share Posted September 6, 2009 Doesn't bother really, as long as it doesn't actually effect the game in itself. Like a first minute throw in near the half way line. As I said earlier in the thread, I dont have an issue with this at all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesbruvva 0 Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Le Tiss of all people, one of my favourite all time players. If he'd have put that kind of effort in the whole time he was playing he could have been one of the worlds greatest... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
biotechnology 2 Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 Seen the ball pumped out lots of times thru the years. I reckon it was more widespread than is first thought. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Embassyno1 0 Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 Le Tissier in police bet inquiry Police have contacted the Football Association over an admission by former England striker Matt Le Tissier that he was part of a failed betting scam. In his autobiography, Taking Le Tiss, he admitted gambling on the time of the first throw-in in Southampton's 2-0 win at Wimbledon in April 1995. Police said they are discussing the matter with the FA. Former Southampton captain Le Tissier said he had not been contacted by officers and did not want to comment. Hampshire Police said the matter was still in its early stages and was not yet a formal investigation. A spokesman added the matter was taken up by a senior officer following extensive publicity in the media. In a statement, police added: "Police in Southampton have been made aware of a historic spread betting scam allegation at a Southampton football match in the 1990s. "We have raised this matter with the FA and are discussing it with them." A spokesman for the FA confirmed police had been in touch and added: "We will consider what action to take, if any." 'Bit nervous' In his autobiography, 40-year-old Le Tissier said he tried to kick the ball out of play, but it was kept in by Neil Shipperley, who was unaware of the bet. As Southampton captain for the Premier League game, Le Tissier was able to persuade his Wimbledon counterpart to let the Saints kick off in exchange for letting the Dons kick towards their own fans, he said in the book. "It seemed to be going like clockwork," said Le Tissier. "We kicked-off, the ball was tapped to me and I went to hit it out towards Neil Shipperley on the left wing. "As it was live on television, I didn't want to make it too obvious, so I tried to hit it just over his head. "But, with so much riding on it, I was a bit nervous and didn't give it enough welly. "The problem was that Shipps knew nothing about the bet and managed to reach it and even head it back into play." Le Tissier scored Le Tissier, who made more than 500 appearances for the Saints, then explained that the longer the ball remained in play, the more money he stood to lose. "I have never run so much in my life," said Guernsey-born Le Tissier. "Suddenly it was no longer a question of winning money." The ball eventually went out of play on 70 seconds, meaning Le Tissier neither won nor lost money. Southampton then went on to win the game, with Le Tissier scoring the first of their two goals. "I've never tried spread betting since," he concluded. Southampton FC declined to comment on the matter. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/8250042.stm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithgersbear 3,207 Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 Can't do that against Stoke City. You will find a shooting fucking star being launced into your penalty area at 180mph Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo. 952 Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 Can't do that against Stoke City. You will find a shooting fucking star being launced into your penalty area at 180mph Very good mate Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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