The Saturday Interview - this week, with Accrington Stanley's MIKE FLYNN

MATTHEW Le Tissier caressed the ball in a manner in which only the Jersey-born star could.

The ungainly Southampton striker was on the verge of rescusitating their Coca Cola Cup challenge at the death of their quarter final with a deft chip over the Stockport defence.

Saints supporters raised themselves from their seats behind the goal, in anticipatoin of a late equaliser.

But Mike Flynn's foot left them cursing.

"We were winning 1-0 when Le Tissier had the last kick of the game and made this unbelieveable chip," said Flynn, who played alongside the likes of Le Tissier, Neil Ruddock and David Batty as a teenager for England under 20s.

"The Southampton fans were on their feet thinking it was in.

"But I managed to get my toe on it and ended up tangled in the back of the net.

"I just turned round and pulled my tongue out at their fans.

"They weren't too pleased!"

It's his uncanny knack of being in the right place at the right time that has earned Flynn legendary status at most of the seven clubs his career has taken him.

And Accrington Stanley manager John Coleman hopes that the 35-year-old's solid defensive qualities will help to inspire great things for his club too.

"Accrington Stanley's probably one of the most famous clubs in the world and they deserve to be in the Football League," Flynn said.

"I've come here to hopefully help them to do that.

"I've played in some big games, but to get promotion with Accrington would rank up there among the highlights.

"It would be a nice way to finish my career."

Flynn has had his fair share of memorable matches since making his debut for home-town club Oldham at Hull City in 1987, where they lost 1-0.

"It passed very quickly and I can't really member much about it," he admitted.

"It was just a good occasion."

Thankfully for Flynn, there have been even better occasions since. Such as winning promotion with Stockport County after they finished runners up of the Second Division in 1997. In the same year, they achieved their Coca Cola Cup semi-final showdown with Middlesbrough after Flynn's goalline clearance.

"I've been fortunate to play at both Wembley and the Millennium Stadium, and I can honestly say that the Millennium's far better," he said.

Perhaps the fact Flynn lifted the LDV Vans Trophy there with Blackpool last season is a factor in his preference, while his trip to the Twin Towers was one to forget.

"When I was at Stockport we were beaten 2-1 by Burnley in the play-off final," he said.

"We had seven booked, including me, and two sent off, so we finished the game with nine men.

"It was a bad way to lose because we finished about 16 points in front of Burnley that year, and then to have two men sent off in the last game of the season just didn't seem fair."

Now the experienced centre half has put Stanley in with a shout of LDV glory with the first of the Reds' two goals in their win at Bradford City on Wednesday night.

"It's nice being on the road to the final again now," he said.

"A lot of people don't take the competition particularly seriously in the first few rounds.

"But the prize at the end of it is something very, very special."

Now in the twighlight of his career, Flynn has yet to decide what awaits him once he hangs up his boots. But it is confident it will be a career outside of football.

"I don't know what I'll do yet, but I've enrolled on a driving instructor's course," he said.

"With being a footballer you spend a lot of time away from your family. So I want to spend some more time with my children, Thomas who's 11 and Georgia who's nine, to be there to take them and pick them up from school."

But for the time being at least, Flynn is concentrating on being one of the driving forces behind Stanley's bid for promotion to the Football League.

He explained: "I'll bring experience - a wise old head you could say.

"There are a lot of young lads here who I suppose need a calming influence.

"But with the experience in players like Paul Cook and Ged Brannan, and the good young lads that we've got here, the manager's got a good squad together to challenge.

"I had no qualms at all about coming here.

"With the standard of players in the Conference now, it's possibly on a par with the Third Division.

"Accrington is a very ambitious club and everything's done right.

"We've got to look to at least be looking to get into the play-offs."