HAMPSHIRE POLICE have contacted the English Football Association as they decide whether to launch a formal investigation into Matt Le Tissier’s admission that he attempted a betting scam while playing for Southampton.

Le Tissier has not yet been contacted by officers and is so far not commenting, following the revelation in his recently published autobiography that he tried to make money by betting on the time of the first throw-in in a Premier League match against Wimbledon in 1995.

A police spokesman said a senior officer was reviewing the case and added: “Police in Southampton have been made aware of a historic spread betting scam allegation at a Southampton football match in the 1990s.

“We have raised this matter with the FA and are discussing it with them.”

A spokesman for the FA confirmed police had been in touch and said: “We will consider what action to take, if any.”

Factors in the governing body’s deliberation may be the length of time since the episode and Le Tissier’s lack of direct involvement with football.

The 40-year-old now works as a pundit.

In his autobiography the former England midfielder admitted he orchestrated the attempted scam. Le Tissier said he tried to kick the ball out of play only for it to be kept in by his Southampton team-mate Neil Shipperley, who was unaware of the bet.

Le Tissier said in his book that, as Southampton captain, he had persuaded Wimbledon to give his team the kick-off in exchange for allowing them to kick towards their own fans.

“It seemed to be going like clockwork,” wrote Le Tissier.

“We kicked off, the ball was tapped to me and I went to hit it out towards Neil Shipperley on the left wing.

“As it was live on television, I didn’t want to make it too obvious, so I tried to hit it just over his head.

“But, with so much riding on it, I was a bit nervous and didn’t give it enough welly.

“The problem was that Shipps knew nothing about the bet and managed to reach it and even head it back into play.”

Le Tissier then faced the prospect of losing money.

“I have never run so much in my life. Suddenly it was no longer a question of winning money.”

The ball found touch after 70 seconds, leaving Le Tissier to claim he neither won nor lost money, and Southampton won the game, with Le Tissier scoring the first of their two goals.

“I’ve never tried spread betting since,” he claimed.