FORMER Southampton chairman and one of the south coast’s most successful businessmen, Leon Crouch, has died at the age of 70.

Mr Crouch was born and raised in Lymington and made his fortune as a major employer in the New Forest town, founding the Fullers Group in 1978 specialising in precision-engineered products.

Southampton FC paid tribute to Mr Crouch, with a statement saying: "It is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing of our former chairman, Leon Crouch.

"The deepest sympathies of everyone at Saints FC go out to his loved ones at this time.

"Thank you for everything, Leon."

In 2015 he sold his company Lymington Precision Engineers (LPE), which employed more than 220 people, for around £46m.

Mr Crouch was a lifelong Saints fan and paid more than £1.6m to purchase a significant stake in the club in 2006 and became acting chairman in March 2007 during a turbulent period at St Mary’s.

He returned to the position permanently in December 2007, where he served until the end of the 2007/08 season.

Mr Crouch is credited with keeping Saints afloat in their hour of need, dipping into his own pocket to pay wages and bills while they were in administration in 2009 before the takeover by Swiss billionaire Markus Liebherr.

He also paid for the Ted Bates statue to be rebuilt in 2008 after the original was taken down following widespread criticism.

Mr Crouch retained a box at St Mary’s which he shared with fellow local businessman Patrick Trant and regularly hosted his friend Lawrie McMenemy, Saints’ greatest ever manager who guided the club to their 1976 FA Cup win.

He also gave generously to charity, was previously a town councillor and served as a trustee of Friends of Lymington New Forest Hospital.