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Southampton's 10 Greatest Players of All Time

Southampton has been the home of quite a few exceptional footballers of the years. The first one that springs to literally everyone's mind is Matt Le Tissier​ and, yes, spoiler alert: he is on this list.


But alongside Le Tissier, there's a few other brilliant footballers on this list - nine to be exact. 


So without further ado - here are Southampton's ten greatest ever players. 

Alan Shearer

Alan Shearer

Southampton Career: 1988-1992

There is probably no better feeling than scoring a hat-trick on your full debut. After coming up through the youth squad Shearer scored three against Arsenal, beating the Gunners 4-2. Consequently, he became the youngest player in the first division to score a hat-trick - giving the football world a taste of what was to come.

Three years after entering the first team, he was voted ​Southampton's Player of the Year in 1991 and received an England call-up a year later - naturally scoring on his debut against France. Shearer bagged 43 goals in 158 appearances for the Saints before moving to Blackburn for a £3.6m fee - making him the most expensive player in British football at the time. 

Major Achievements: Southampton Player of the Year 1991

Ivan Golac

Southampton Career: 1978-1983, 1984-1986

One of Southampton's first-ever foreign imports, Ivan Golac moved to England from Yugoslavia in 1978. He immediately became a favourite at the club and established himself at right-back for the next four years.

Golac played in the 1979 League Cup final, narrowly losing to Nottingham Forest 3-2 and his attacking and aggressive displays from defence saw him win their Player of the Year award in '81. He left the following year, played for three clubs and then returned in 1984 to help the Saints finish runners-up to ​Liverpool in the Football League. 

Major Achievements: Southampton Player of the Year 1981

Rickie Lambert 

Rickie Lambert,Luke Shaw

Southampton Career: 2009-2014

Penalties taken: 34. 

Penalty scored: 34. 

Rickie Lambert impressively scored all of his penalties for Southampton and his goal-scoring record overall is pretty good too - scoring 115 goals in 230 games for the Saints. 

After joining from Bristol Rovers, the forward scored on his debut and became the club's top goalscorer that season bagging 36 goals in all competitions. He also was the highest scorer in English football's top four leagues for the second season in succession. After a successful five-year spell at St. Mary's Stadium, he secured a move away to Liverpool.

 Major Achievements: Southampton's Player of the Year 2012, 2014

Terry Paine

Terry Paine

Southampton Career: 1957-1974

Scorer one of the most significant goals in Saints history, Terry Paine bagged the goal in the 1-1 draw with Leyton Orient that got them promoted to the First Division in 1966. In the same year, he won the World Cup with England - playing one match against Mexico. 

Paine played for Southampton 816 times - holding the record for the most appearances at Southampton, scoring 187 goals in that time - the fourth-most in the club's history. Paine was named Honorary President of Southampton in 2013. 

Major Achievements: Third Division 1959/60 

Steve Moran

Southampton Career: 1979-1986


Steve Moran currently spends his days as a lorry driver - carrying cranes instead of the Southampton team when they needed a goal. Even if that is a little harsh on his ex-teammates, the Englishman had the uncanny ability to be able to score goals when the team needed them most. 


In his first full season, he got 18 goals in 30 starts and in 1982 he was voted PFA Young Player of the Year which highlighted the talent he possessed. 


Major Achievements: PFA Young Player of the Year 1982

Mick Channon

Mick Channon

Southampton Career: 1965-1977, 1979-1982


From leading Southampton up-front to leading horses - Mick Channon may be a horse trainer now but was the backbone of the club during the 1970s. He also happens to be the leading all-time scorer in their history with 227 goals in 607 appearances. 


Channon was also well-known for his trademark windmill goal celebration - which is no surprise considering he was the Saints top-scorer for seven consecutive seasons. He featured in the 1976 FA Cup final and gained 48 caps for England scoring 21 goals. In honour of his achievements and time at the club, he has a suite named after him at St. Mary's Stadium. 


Major Achievements: FA Cup 1976,  Southampton Player of the Year 1974

Matt Le Tissier

Matt Le Tissier of Southampton celebrates his two goals

Southampton Career: 1986-2002

Nicknamed "Le God" Matt Le Tissier was a talented and loyal player. The Guernsey-born lad spent his entire professional club career at Southampton winning eight caps for England while he was there. 

Le Tissier was the first midfielder to score 100 goals in the Premier League and scored an impressive total of 210 goals for the Saints. Many of his goals were extraordinary and they are just one of the many reasons why Saints fans are so affectionate of him to this very day. 

Major Achievements: PFA Young Player of the Year 1990, Southampton Player of the Season 1990, 1994, 1995

Ron Davies

Southampton Career: 1966-1973

Sir Matt Busby described Ron Davies as "the finest centre forward in Europe" in 1969 after Davies had just grabbed four against Busby's ​Manchester United side in a 4-1 win. The Saints had splashed a club record fee of £55,000 on the Welshman and it certainly paid dividends.  

Davies ended the season with 37 goals in 41 games - which was more than any other player in the division. He would go on to score 131 league goals for Southampton until he left in 1973 for Portsmouth. 

Alan Ball

Southampton Career: 1976-1980, 1981-1983


When you play for a club in two separate spells and then return as a manager - you must really like the club. Alan Ball joined Southampton in 1976 from ​Arsenal despite the opportunity to go to a top-flight club elsewhere.


He then helped get the Saints promoted in 1978 and missed only one of the 42 games they played. Ball left the club only to return a few years later. Fast forward to 1994 and he had become Southampton manager! Apart from club legend Ted Bates - no other player/manager has had such an impact on Southampton as Alan Ball has.


Major Achievements: Southampton Player of the Season 1978

Peter Shilton

Southampton Career: 1982-1987

Peter Shilton holds the all-time record for the most competitive appearances in world football: 1,390. Furthermore, no player has made more appearances for the English national team than him - picking up 125 caps between 1970 and 1990. 

During his six years at Southampton, Shilton reached three semi-finals and came second in the top-flight division. Truly one of the greatest goalkeeper's of all time.

Major Achievements: Southampton Player of the Season 1985, 1986


Source : 90min