Happy Birthday: Matthew Le Tissier, Steve Cram, Tillakaratne Dilshan

Sport360 staff 12:51 14/10/2015
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  • [L-R] Tillakaratne Dilshan, Matthew Le Tissier, Steve Cram.

    The former footballer turned TV pundit was one of the shining lights of the early days of the English Premier League and is a rarity in modern football – a ‘one-club man’.

    An outrageously gifted midfielder/forward, Le Tissier, who turns 47 today, was known as ‘Le God’ to Southampton fans, who entertained with some of the most spectacular goals the EPL has ever seen.

    He made his debut in 1986 and retired in 2002 having scored a total of 209 goals in 540 career games for the Saints.

    Le Tissier famously turned down big money moves to both Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea to remain loyal to his boyhood club. That may have been to detriment of his international career as he rather disappointingly won only eight caps. That was nowhere near enough for a man of his fantastic ability.

    1960: Steve Cram, the former world 1,500 metres champion, now a commentator (55).

    1976: Tillakaratne Dilshan, swashbuckling Sri Lankan opening batsman and former captain (39).

    1981: Gautam Gambhir, India left-handed opening batsman and Kolkata Knight Riders captain (34).

    1988: Glenn Maxwell, the big-hitting Australia all-rounder, T20 and ODI star (27).

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