Inside Southampton boss Russell Martin's relationship with lads' mags favourite Lucy Pinder

Southampton boss is being supported through their struggles by lads' magazines icon .

The 38-year-old as the currently occupy bottom spot in the table with just one win and one draw after 11 games. However, it appears he does not share such tribulations in his personal life after it was revealed he has been dating actress and model.

Pinder was a staple in magazines such as FHM and Loaded in the early 2000s. She appeared topless in Nuts Magazine and frequented FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World" list on several occasions.

The pair's meeting comes after the former defender split from his wife Jasmine, with whom he shares three children, last year. In what has possibly made their coupling even smoother, Pinder is reportedly a huge fan and the duo apparently have "grown closer" in recent months.

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Pinder made their romance public in August as she took to to post a photo of her and Martin in , where the football manager was receiving an honorary degree in his hometown. A source told that the pair are now head over heels for one another.

It's claimed that Martin's new relationship with the model had no connection to split between him and Jasmine. "They’re a match made in heaven - or at least in Southampton. They’re mad for each other," the source said.

“There was no crossover. Russ’s marriage ended and he was glum. It was all about looking after the kids and making sure they were OK. But amid the grief, as he threw himself into work, Russ grew intimate with Lucy.

"She is a regular face at Southampton functions and is always around the club as a die-hard fan. Over the weeks and months their friendship grew into something more.”

Lucy first found huge fame as a Page Three girl. She then appeared on Celebrity in 2009 where she was the first housemate evicted.

The magazine star also ventured into acting and had a small role in the American film Sharknado 5: Global Swarming in 2017. Her relationship history has turned heads before as back in 2016 she was said to have been dating Captain America actor Chris Evans, with one newspaper claiming she was "smitten" with the Marvel star.

Though their relationship was never confirmed, Pinder was spotted enjoying a day date with Evans at Disneyland in January 2015. Pinder now has her own podcast 'Smashing Sundays', which she presents with comedy writer Beth Granville, and has undertaken charity work in recent years.

While his significant other's career looks to be going steady, the same cannot be said for Martin. Prior to the international break, the former coach was left fuming after his team's 2-0 defeat to due to a VAR decision that led to a chalked off goal for his side, as well as a possible foul in the build up to the second strike that wasn't reviewed.

Despite pressure cranking up on Martin, he has insisted he isn't concerned about his future. "It will be what it will be," he said after the Wolves loss. "We work as hard as we can, give as much care, love and commitment to the players as we can. The rest is out of my control. I don't sweat it or focus on it."

It doesn't get any easier for him after the international. Next up for Southampton is league leaders at St Mary's this Sunday (November 23).

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