SAINTS fans are being asked to dig deep in their pockets tomorrow in aid of a statue to celebrate the life of club legend Ted Bates.

Bates served Saints as a player, manager and official for 66 years until his death in November 2003. He was 85.

Led by the True Saints Association, various supporters club groups have set up the Ted Bates Trust to work alongside Saints in a bid to raise funds to erect a statue in honour of the man known fondly as Mr Southampton.

The projected cost of a bronze statue somewhere at St Mary's is between £80,000-£100,000 and the trust is aiming to have collected £50,000 by the end of May - though whatever figure is raised will be matched by chairman Rupert Lowe.

The current aim is to have the statue unveiled by the end of November to coincide with the second anniversary of Bates' passing away.

It is likely that it will be sculpted by Warsash based Saints fan Ian Brennan and though the trust has so far raised less than £2,000, officials are confident a capacity crowd for tomorrow's televised clash with Arsenal will support a bucket collection in the stadium.

TSA press officier Nick Illingsworth said: "We would like to think we can raise £15,000. If we did we would be well on the way to our target."

The trust has also organised a sporting dinner and auction at St Mary's on May 1, where it is anticipated that Saints' directors and a selection of former players will attend.

The TSA has also set up a celebrity evening of football talk with their president, Saints legend Mick Channon, and his fellow 1976 FA Cup winner Peter Osgood at the Holiday Inn, Southampton, on Wednesday, March 9.

Tickets cost £10 for TSA members or £15 for non-members, but supporters can join the TSA on the night and pay a reduced price.