Former Southampton player Matt Le Tissier (picture) has said he experienced naked massages during his younger days that made him feel “very uncomfortable”.

Speaking a day after the FA widened its inquiry into historic sexual abuse in the game, the former England international said what he witnessed was “disgusting”.

Although Le Tissier said he himself was not a victim of abuse, the ex-England international added that what went on was “very, very wrong”.

Le Tissier spoke after manager Harry Redknapp said he was “amazed” a youth coach at his old club Southampton, who was accused of abuse, continued working in football.

In 1989, the Football League wrote to clubs saying that if they were considering working with the Bob Higgins Soccer Academy they should “give this office the opportunity of appraising them of the situation before taking steps in this direction”.

Redknapp told BBC he had watched a programme in the 1990s in which a Southampton player spoke about Higgins, adding: “I thought that would be the end of him, but yesterday I suddenly saw his name pop up and I’m just amazed that he’s still been involved in football ever since that day.”

He said Higgins had been a “leading” figure in youth development at Southampton and had signed future top players.

Speaking of his experiences, Le Tissier said: “Everyone was kind of naked, got thrown on this bed. It was a very, very quick massage. It was uncomfortable. It wasn’t something I was ever used to, growing up.

“Even at school you were shy about your body at that age and didn’t even undress in front of other people. I remember feeling very uncomfortable at the time.

“It’s very, very wrong for a start. You look back and think it was wrong but as a young boy I saw everybody else doing it and thought, ‘Is this normal?’. Looking back, it’s disgusting. What went on is not normal behaviour.”

Asked what he wanted to happen now, Le Tissier, who spent his career with the Saints, added: “I think the bravery of the boys that have come out would encourage everyone else that experienced those kinds of things, and the people who were the perpetrators of these of things get brought to justice.”

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