HARRY REDKNAPP has warned Saints fans not to get too carried away with the talented crop of youngsters in the academy.

Saints' under-18s are bidding to win the FA Youth Cup for the first time in the club's history, and next week host Wolves in the first leg of the semi-final.

Martin Cranie and Leon Best are the two members of the under-18s who have played in the Premiership this season.

Meanwhile, Dexter Blackstock and Matthew Mills - too old for the Youth Cup - plays alongside Cranie for England's Under-19s tonight while Theo Walcott plays for England Under-17s even though he was only 16 earlier this month.

But Redknapp will be stunned if half of the current Saints Under-18s go onto become regular Premiership players with the club.

Redknapp famously oversaw the development of SIX England players during his time as West Ham manager.

They included man of the moment Joe Cole and Redknapp's nephew, Frank Lampard.

Rio Ferdinand, Jermain Defoe, Michael Carrick and Glen Johnson complete the amazing sextet.

But the Saints manager has warned the St Mary's faithful not to expect such rich pickings from his current club's academy.

Redknapp was recently back at Upton Park to watch Saints thrash West Ham 4-1 in the quarter-finals of the Youth Cup.

He said: "I was saying to the chairman at West Ham that night, when I look back a few years at the six players that West Ham produced I don't think any club will ever produce six kids like that again ever.

"You know, I really believe that.

"No one will ever produce a Lampard, Ferdinand, Cole, Carrick, Johnson and a Defoe. No club.

"It was strange watching a youth team game back at West Ham.

"At half-time I was watching Chelsea play (against Barcelona) and there was three kids playing for Chelsea that I was watching playing in the youth team here for West Ham only a couple of years back.

"It was a strange feeling."

Redknapp, though, DOES hold the current Saints Under-18s in high esteem, saying: "They're a good group, there's lots of talent there and hopefully some of them can come on and be regular Premier League players.

"Certainly they've all got a chance and I'm sure one or two of them will go on to be first-team players.

"But if you start talking about five or six of them I don't think you're in the real world.

"If you get one or two out of it then it would be great."

Redknapp's theory is backed up by looking at the last Saints team to reach the FA Youth Cup semis.

Of the team that lost to Coventry over two legs five years ago, only two are still at the club, Northern Ireland international Chris Baird and third choice keeper Alan Blayney.

And they have made less than ten first-team starts between them.