Matt Le Tissier says he has “stepped aside” from his role as ambassador at former club Southampton.
The former midfielder said he took the step to “separate the work I believe in from my relationship with the club.”
On Tuesday, he deleted a tweet suggesting media manipulation in the reporting on the war in Ukraine.
“My views are my own and always have been, and it’s important to take this step today to avoid any confusion,” Le Tissier wrote on Twitter.
“I will always remain a fan and supporter of everything Saints. 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.”
After deleting the tweet about the war in Ukraine, the 53-year-old said it was because people were “missing the point” and insisted he did not advocate war “in any way shape or form.”
In recent years the former England international has become known for having outspoken views, including on the media and the Covid-19 pandemic, but speaking to the Telegraph in February he rejected suggestions he was a conspiracy theorist.
Le Tissier, who was appointed club ambassador in January 2019, is Southampton’s second all-time top scorer after scoring 209 goals in 540 games between 1986 and 2002.
After retiring from playing he became a TV pundit and worked as a panellist on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday programme until August 2020.
