HARRY REDKNAPP believes Saints' current crop of youngsters are comparable to his golden generation at West Ham.

The Saints manager oversaw the development of some of the best British players of recent years at Upton Park - Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Michael Carrick all going on to achieve huge success.

And Redknapp has been genuinely excited by the quality he has witnessed on the training-ground during his opening ten days at Saints.

"The young kids are as good as I've seen," he said. "The future of this club is in fantastic shape. If we can survive this year, the next two or three years could be the really exciting years because there is some great kids here.

"It's an absolutely unbelievable group of lads, as good as I've seen in a long time. It's similar to what I had at West Ham when I had all them great kids come through.

"The future looks good but it's hanging in there this year which is the all-important thing."

Saints' under-19 team won the national championships last season, while the under-18s are unbeaten throughout the whole of 2004.

Indeed, this season they have won an amazing 16 consecutive league games.

Dexter Blackstock, Martin Cranie, Matthew Mills and Theo Walcott have all won England international call-ups in their age groups, while Leon Best, Blackstock and Cranie have all featured for the first-team this season.

There are also French youngsters Yoann Folly and Leandre Griffit pushing for a place in the first-team.

"I've seen them in training," said Redknapp.

"Best and Blackstock are terrific prospects, Cranie looks an outstanding young player to me. The younger group are also excellent. It's a good group."

He added: "At the moment we are in a relegation battle and it not easy to just drop them in.

"When the right time comes though I am always happy to bring kids in and if they are good enough I will give them a chance."