Basingstoke news and sport from the Basingstoke Gazette

Saints Mad for it - Karl's wallpaper a real Dell-light

From the archive, first published Wednesday 29th Sep 1999.

Some people say that football is their particular form of worship - and in the case of young Karl Chapple his bedroom has become his shrine.

Southampton FC mad Karl's room honours all things Saints and depicts some of their finest moments and greatest players.

The pice de rsistance is a mural that was painted on Karl's wall by his nephew Justin Smith.

Karl's mum Lesley explained: "He's been absolutely Saints mad since his cousin Paul Shears introduced him to it several years ago.

"Paul now takes him to a few of the home games each year as he's a season ticket holder and now Karl's absolutely Saints mad."

The mural depicts Saints players including Jason Dodd, Matt Le Tissier and Francis Benali in a match at The Dell and is accurate right down to the smallest detail - even the Daily Echo sponsorship board on the West Stand.

On the ceiling are pinned away shirts for seasons right back into the 1970's with posters and memorabilia scattered all over the place.

Lesley said: "The mural was painted by Karl's nephew Justin Smith who was only just starting drawing and is obviously very talented and is now a tattooist.

"We got his dad to take Karl away for the week and while he was away we completely re-decorated the bedroom and now he loves it.

"Everything has to be about Saints or have Saints on it and now he spends all his money on merchandise just to keep his collection going."

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.

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