ROY BEAZLEY has special reason to celebrate 25 years of running the Ex-Saints.

He's had to overcome incredible odds to keep the fund-raising operation going.

Former Saints players have been raising money for charity since 1975, with cancer-related organisations high on their list. And their total money-raising has topped the £3m mark.

The former professionals scene is something close to Roy's heart because he has courageously fought back from not just one cancer scare but two. He says: "I have had prostrate cancer and throat cancer which has left me with a speech impediment, but running the ex Saints and carrying on my work coaching football in local schools, has been good therapy.

"But Sheila, my wife, has been my main strength. She's had leukaemia but she's in remission and without her I wouldn't be doing any of it."

Roy is employed by Southampton FC within their Academy and Community network. Before illness struck, he was heavily into the club's Shirley Regeneration scheme which involves visiting local schools and coaching.

"Over three years we have coached 64,000 children - boys, girls, kids in wheelchairs ... It's a lovely job, although I can't do the coaching bit any more," said Beazley, whose boss is Ian Juryeff, another of his former Saints.

Beazley played for Saints as a youth team player but injury prevented him making the big jump up into the senior ranks and he played most of his football with the likes of Cowes Sports, who were one of the leading sides of the day, before going on to manage the county rep side.

He made great friends at The Dell. Players like Terry Paine, Mick Channon and John Sydenham, who went on to become household names. Those friendships have been lasting and have formed the basis of the ex-Saints organisation.

Each year they embark on a series of fund-raising matches, not just in Hampshire but also in places like Sussex and Surrey.

"Our last match was up at Horley near Gatwick where we raised a few hundred pounds and Nicky Banger scored a hat-trick," says Beazley.

"Our main charity is the Steve Mills Leukaemia Fund in memory of the fine young Saints player who was struck down by the illness.

"Over the years the likes of Painey, Mick Channon and Matt Le Tissier have all played for us."

The Channel Island legend is among Beazley's current options which include Jimmy Case, who captains the side, Francis Benali, Mark Dennis, Nicky Banger, David Hughes, Tony Funnell, Bill Beaney, Leroy Whale, Barry Blankley and Forbes Phillipson-Masters.

Daddy of the side is Steve Flood, who is well into his 40s.

The former Saints are next in action at Lymington Town's Sports Ground on May 1 when they face a team made up from the cast of the theatre production Le Miserables.

Since former Saints Micky Judd and Denny Pring combined with Beazley to set the ball rolling 28 years ago, the ex-players have raised a fantastic £3m.

And the remarkable Roy Beazley has defied huge odds to make it happen.