Matt Le Tissier is back at Southampton FC in an official ambassadorial capacity, three years after stepping away from the role amid controversy over his social media posts about Ukraine.
The 57-year-old former midfielder, who spent 16 years dazzling fans at the club, reckons there's been a genuine shift in public attitudes since his departure.
"The whole kind of wokeism... there's been a lot of kickback," he said. "There's a lot of people now who realise that perhaps it just went a bit too far."
Le Tissier believes we're heading towards a calmer middle ground where people can share their views without facing professional consequences.
"At some point it's going to swing back where everyone's more calm and settled," he said. "And you can speak your mind without fear of getting cancelled from jobs because you had an opinion that was outside the government narrative."
The Southampton legend remains convinced his departure from Soccer Saturday in 2020 was directly linked to his outspoken presence on social media regarding Covid lockdowns and the Black Lives Matter movement.
"It cost me my job at Sky and anyone who tries to tell you different doesn't really know what they're talking about," he said. "But I'd do the same again."
Le Tissier accepts he won't be returning to mainstream television punditry, but that doesn't trouble him one bit.
He's adamant that staying quiet isn't an option, warning that silence only emboldens those who want to shut down debate.
"I think that's dangerous if everybody takes that view; then you just let yourself be bullied into silence," he explained. "Rational debate is the way we move forward as a society."
Le Tissier acknowledges he's made errors along the way, particularly regarding a post about Ukraine where he appeared to question reports of Russian atrocities in Bucha.
"That was one of the mistakes I made," he admitted. "I posted the wrong example and I apologised for it."
He voluntarily stepped back from his unpaid ambassadorial role in 2022 to spare the club from the backlash he was receiving.
His family were at one point worried about his mental health during this turbulent period.
In a perhaps unexpected turn, Le Tissier has found faith in recent years, becoming a regular churchgoer in 2023 after attending the funeral of Dave Merrington's wife, the former Southampton manager who mentored his generation.
He was baptised last year.
Beyond his ambassadorial duties, Le Tissier has been spending time at Southampton's training ground, fascinated by how data has transformed the modern game.
He's particularly curious about injury prevention metrics and how technology now influences decisions that players once made themselves.
The club have welcomed his input, with Le Tissier occasionally sharing thoughts with manager Tonda Eckert.
"If I see things that maybe we could improve on then I'll just give my thoughts," he said. "It doesn't mean they're always going to take my advice, but they're happy for me to give my opinion."
On politics, Le Tissier favours Swiss-style direct democracy and believes local governments should hold more power than Westminster.
He's been asked about entering politics himself but isn't keen, describing the current system as "a bit rigged."
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