POST-mortem was due to be carried out on the body of a Hampshire man who collapsed and died outside St Mary’s stadium prior to Saints’ FA Cup clash with Manchester United.

A member of the public found the 69-year-old from the Southampton area lying on a pavement at the corner of Britannia Road and Northam Road, just metres from the stadium.

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It is thought he had been making his way to the ground to watch the game. Nearby police officers were alerted shortly after 3.40pm and attempted to resuscitate the man, who was then rushed to Southampton General Hospital by ambulance.

Just minutes before the end of the third round clash police issued an appeal to the 31,901 inside the ground for anyone who saw how the man got injured to contact them.

Police tape cordoned off the area from the thousands of fans pouring out from St Mary’s until it was established that the death was not suspicious.

A spokesman from Southampton Coroner’s Office said a post-mortem examination was likely to take place yesterday into possible causes of death.