SAINTS legend Alan Ball is selling off his World Cup winner's medal.

Ball said he wants to use money raised from auctioning off the treasured piece of footballing history to provide for his family's future following the death of his wife Lesley.

The former midfielder is expected to raise between £80,000 and £120,000 for the medal when it goes under the hammer.

He said he decided to sell the medal after Lesley lost her battle with cancer last May.

"Winning the World Cup in 1966 will stay with me forever, but it is time to look to the future, not the past," he said.

Ball was just 21 and the youngest member of the legendary England team which triumphed over West Germany in the World Cup Final at Wembley.

He was best remembered for his energetic performance during the famous match and it was his pass that set Geoff Hurst up for England's "disputed" third goal.

He was also a favourite at the Dell after joining Saints in 1976. He then turned manager taking the top job at both Portsmouth and Southampton.

Ball, now 59, said: "My wife passed away a year ago, and my priorities have changed since then."

"I have three children and three grandchildren, and the most important thing for me is to make sure that they are looked after as well as possible.

"It is always going to be impossible to split a medal three ways so I have decided that the most sensible thing to do is to offer these items at auction, and use the proceeds to secure the future of my family."

The medal will be sold at Christie's in London on May 19 along with Ball's 1966 tournament cap which is thought likely to fetch up to £25,000.

It is the second high profile medal connected with Saints that has gone under the hammer in recent months.

In October the Daily Echo reported how Amanda Lane, daughter of Southampton hero Peter Rodrigues auctioned off her father's FA cup medal for £10,200, which was bought by Saints.