HE laid the foundations for the famed Southampton Academy and worked with future England stars Adam Lallana and Theo Walcott.
Tributes have been paid to former Saints assistant manager, academy director and scout John Sainty, who died last month aged 77.
Sainty, who was at the club in the late 90s and early 2000s during the tenures of four Saints managers - Dave Jones, Glenn Hoddle, Stuart Gray and Gordon Strachan - set up 'The Lodge', a Hill Lane home from home for Southampton scholars.
He was one of the heroes of Bournemouth's first promotion in the 70s, was once the Cherries' leading goalscorer, and played or coached at Manchester City, Spurs and more during a 42-year career in football.
The book about his life Last Man Standing (From Saint to Saints & Beyond) was close to completion, a project that will be taken on by his second wife of nearly 20 years Lindsay.
Speaking from their home in Verwood, she told the Daily Echo: "He was a one off, absolutely unique and so loved by me and his family, friends and colleagues. I was so proud of him."
READ MORE: Tribute to wife of an ex-Saint and former Echo employee
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Born in Poplar, East London in 1946, forward Sainty progressed through the youth ranks at Tottenham Hotspur and represented England Schoolboys as well as gaining his coaching badges.
He played for Reading and Bournemouth and was on the coaching staff at Norwich City, Manchester City and Burnley among others.
He formed a formidable partnership with Dave Jones at Stockport County, which led to the Saints gig. Jones dubbed Sainty 'the quiet assassin' in the dressing room where he would take stock of everything and add clever observations.
Sainty had many roles at The Dell, but loved to coach and explain the team selection to fans, a task always made easier when Matt Le Tissier was in the starting line-up.
He turned his hand to many other roles during his life, painting and decorating in the close season, cutting the grass at Burnley, taking on a pub in Stockport and working as a porter and theatre cleaner at the Nuffield hospital in Bournemouth.
John was also a highly regarded match day analyst for Press Association and occasionally worked for the Premier League.
He leaves his children Mark and Joanna and two granddaughters.
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