Back in the pre Premier League days, football players were well paid when compared to the average man in the street, but they weren't the multi millionaires that today's players become, so it is sad that one of our own legend's is forced to sell his medal from that great day.

Southampton supporters will be saddened to hear that Ian Turner, one of only 12 Southampton players to have won a major trophy at the club, is selling is medal next week at auction.

The Daily Echo has revealed that Turner who was the goalkeeper on that day at Wembley on May 1st 1976 when Saints beat Manchester United 1-0 to win the the FA cup for the first and only time in their history, has put his medal up for auction.

£4,000 has already been pre-bid for Turner's medal, with auctioneer Graham Budd Auctions Ltd estimating bidding should reach between £7,000 and £10,000 in the 24 hours the auction will be live.

That is quite conservative, the last medal to be auctioned was that of Hugh Fisher, although he was the unused sub on that day, his medal still went for £12,000.

In October 2004, cup final captain Peter Rodrigues' eldest daughter placed his FA Cup winner's medal up for auction without his knowledge. The medal sold for £10,200, it was subsequently announced that the medal had been purchased by Southampton Football Club, who then presented it to Rodrigues who gave it back to the club on the proviso that it would be displayed in St Mary's.

Various other members of the squad have also found it necessary to sell their medals.

Ian Turner signed for Southampton in the latter part of season 1973/74, following Lawrie McMenemy from Grimsby Town, he made his debut for the club in April 1974, replacing the legendary Eric Martin in the Saints goal.

Sadly it was just in time for the final knockings of that season which would see the club relegated, although little blame can be placed on him for that.

He would not find the route to being the first choice keeper an easy one, the following season Eric Martin started the season in goal, before Turner won his place back and by the end of that season , Turner had played 32 of the of the 42 League games.

But at the start of the 1975/76 season, one that is unarguably Southampton FC's greatest, Ian would start in the reserves and in the opening 17 games he was second fiddle to Steve Middleton, when Middleton lost his confidence, Turner was restored to the Saints side for the remaining 25 games of the season and indeed the FA Cup run that would end in glory at Wembley.

If Ian thought that his career was about to take an upward spiral, he would be wrong, he would play just 4 League games in 1976/77 after being injured in the opening game of the season, a number of loan keepers would step in, with McMenemy seemingly not keen on Middleton and although Turner would return to the side for three matches, he was still not right and he would not play again after December.

1977/78 season would be his last at the club in terms of appearances, he would start the season, but lose his place to Peter Wells who had been signed the previous December, although he would return for 4 games in the early part of 1978 as Saints pushed for promotion, this would see his last appearance and he would join Walsall in January 1979 after a couple of loans spells over the past 12 months.

He spent many years still living in the area when his playing career was over, but he subsequently worked abroad and on his return made home his home in Yorkshire, however he returned to the Southampton area to live in 2021.

In his four years at the Dell Turner would play just 77 League games, plus 30 in other competitions, he would surely have played a lot more if not for injury, but for Southampton fans one of those was the one that matters.

With thanks to Duncan Holley's excellent website saintsplayers.co.uk for information, a great site to find out more about the players of Southampton FC over the entire history of the club.

Photo: Action Images

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