SOUTHAMPTON fans have been left shocked by the revelation that a statue of a club ‘legend’ could be torn down.

Saints fans have been rocked by the news that a sculpture of Ted Bates outside St Mary’s Stadium could be taken down.

Some are demanding that the statue is removed while others say it should remain in place.

Bates is remembered as a player, manager, director and president of the club.

However, a Football Association report has suggested that he ignored warnings about paedophile coach Bob Higgins.

He was mentioned by a former headteacher who had raised concerns to Southampton FC about Higgins’ behaviour.

Bates died in 2003 with his statue costing around £112,000.

Meanwhile, Higgins - described as “pure evil” - was jailed in 2019 for 24 years and three months for sexually abusing schoolboy football players over more than two decades.

Commenting on speculation Bates’ statue could be ripped down, lifelong supporter Adrian Richardson, 72, inset, said Mr Bates “should not be singled out” and that “things were different” at the time.

“That man has done more for the Southampton football club than any other person,” he told the Echo.

“Child abuse in any form is a horror. Anyone that perpetrates child abuse should be rightly punished.

“Ted made one mistake. In those days, things were different. We have moved on. I am sure if Ted was alive today, he would recognise that he made an error, and that’s a mistake.

“Mistakes were made in those days because things were different, but now the statue should not be removed for one error, allegedly.

“Why should Ted be singled out? The chairman and people in a higher position than him were made aware of what was going on and chose to ignore it.

“I have been a fan for 68 years I saw my first football game when I was four-years-old, and I have been a committed Saints fan ever since. I would never ever not support this team and the club.

“I think the club should pay attention to what the majority of fans, if not all the fans, feel about that man. It’s not only the fans of the football club that feel that way about that man; it’s the people of the city.”

However, not everyone feels the same as Mr Richardson.

History and politics student Jimmy Burnard, 19, said the statue, which was erected in 2008, should be removed.

“I don’t know much about it, but if he was aware of it, then yes, I think his statue should be removed,” he said.

“No matter how big of a legend he was, if you knew something like that, then I think it should be removed.”

Shannon Brazil, 20, a film and English student at the University of Southampton, added: “It’s very unforgivable and I definitely think, 100 per cent, that it should be removed.

“I think the past informs the present, so I feel like we must recognise it so it doesn’t happen again.”

Adding to the debate, Alan Whitehead, the MP for Southampton Test, said: “Ted Bates sacked Bob Higgins in 1985 butit’s not clear whether he sacked him because he had information of these complaints and concerns or whether he sacked them for other reasons.

“As the Bernardo’s report makes clear, it was the club overall that was very much responsible for the lack of action and the fact that Bob Higgins was allowed to stay for the length he was and it doesn’t look to me that Ted Bates was singularly implicated in the way that knocking his statue over would suggest.

"It might even be the right thing to do to put a plaque up expressing the apology of the club to the hundreds of people who were groomed and compromised by Bob Higgins in his time."

As previously reported the headteacher who gave evidence as part of the FA report said: “Bates was enraged and threatened to take legal action if I persisted with what he called malicious gossip.”

He also said he subsequently received a call from Higgins who ‘pleaded not to hound him’.

Meanwhile, a victim told sports website, The Athletic: “I welcome the news that the club are considering removing the statue of Ted Bates. It may be unpopular with some Southampton fans but those fans really need to know the truth about why this is being considered.”

The Daily Echo is awaiting a response from Southampton FC.