AFC TOTTON have announced an exciting new partnership with Saints legend Matt Le Tissier.

Starting next season, Matt Le Tissier Natural Coaching will link up with the Southern One South & West club with the mutually beneficial goal of giving MLTNC’s academy graduates a good standard of football to play at, while feeding gifted footballers into the Totton ranks.

Former Saints and West Brom defender Pele, MLTNC’s community head coach, will manage Totton’s under-16s in 2016/17, feeding in players from the MLTNC academy squad.

The following season Pele and his team will step up to AFC Totton’s under-18s with a new under-16 manager and players coming in from the academy.

Le Tissier’s game was all about flair and he set up MLTNC in 2012 with aim of giving local children the opportunity of “playing with freedom”. It currently caters for under-7s through to under-15s.

‘Le God’ explained: “This is an exciting partnership for MLT Natural Coaching to enter into. Many thanks to AFC Totton for giving our boys a chance of a natural progression into local football.

“We wanted to align ourselves with a club in the local area with good facilities and good ambitions.

“We look forward to working with AFC Totton for many years to come and helping them grow stronger as a club.”

Totton chairman Andy Straker added: “This is an excellent opportunity for both club and academy. It will give young football players a real opportunity to learn and grow while at the same time having an avenue into a semi-professional club.”

Pele, a UEFA B Licence coach, provides international flair with his Portuguese-style approach.

"I am honoured to be involved with this and very excited to have the opportunity to coach Matt's philosophy at a great club and help our youth players," he said.