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Matt Le Tissier details "very, very wrong" encounter with former Southampton coach Bob Higgins

Former England and Southampton footballer Matt Le Tissier has revealed that he was given a "naked...



Matt Le Tissier details "v...
Soccer

Matt Le Tissier details "very, very wrong" encounter with former Southampton coach Bob Higgins

Former England and Southampton footballer Matt Le Tissier has revealed that he was given a "naked massage" by a coach at the centre of the sex abuse allegations, Bob Higgins.

Higgins, who was a former youth officer with Southampton, has been accused by a number of former players of sexual abuse.

Speaking to BBC South, Le Tissier detailed a "very, very wrong" encounter along with a number of other boys.

"Everyone was kind of naked and getting thrown on this bed... and a very quick massage - it was uncomfortable," he said. "It's very, very wrong for a start - looking back on it, you think it's wrong but as a young boy you thought 'is this normal?'

"It's pretty disgusting. What went on is not normal behaviour. When you hear the stories of naked soapy massages, hairy bum competitions... you look back at it now and think 'hang on, what was going on?'

"Obviously boys talk at that age, they take the Mickey, it kind of gets covered up as a bit of banter at that stage. But as you grow into an adult, you look at it and think 'that's not right'."

He added: "I would like to think the bravery of the boys that have come out will encourage everyone else who experienced those kind of things."

Mr Higgins has denied all allegations and was acquitted of sexual abuse charges in 1992.

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