Former Saints skipper Adam Lallana has taken the bold move of placing a full page advert in today’s Daily Echo to thank the fans for 14 glorious years at the club.

The 26-year-old yesterday sealed a £25m move to Liverpool, and marked his exit from St Mary’s by making the highly unusual gesture as a sign of his respect for the club’s supporters.

Lallana has paid for the full page advert, which appears on page 75 of today’s paper, and has written a message he wishes to deliver directly to the club’s fans, rather than taking the option of an interview.

In the advert, Lallana pays tribute to the club’s supporters and insists his memories of his long spell at Saints will last a lifetime.

Lallana has privately admitted the heartache of leaving the club that has been such a massive part of his life, and his desire to do all that he can to ensure that the fans understand his reasons for leaving and how much they have meant to him down the years.

Lallana made more than 250 appearances for Saints since joining from Bournemouth at the age of 12, and was a vital part of the club’s rise from the depths of League One to eighth place in the Premier League last season.

Daily Echo: The advert in today's Daily Echo

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