SOUTHAMPTON star James Beattie is backing fundraising efforts to help AFC Portchester build a £1m training complex in Fareham.

The Saints player sponsored runners who took part in a special fun run to raise more than £9,000 towards the new football school that will hopefully be built at Wicor Recreation Ground in Portchester.

As reported in the Daily Echo earlier this week, 300 children and adults took part in the event at Portchester Castle on Saturday, clocking up more than three times the amount club bosses had hoped for.

Now club secretary, Paul Kelly, said they will use some of the enormous sum raised to pay the cost of submitting plans to the council before Christmas.

He said: "We can't believe how well the fun run did. It was great that someone like James Beattie decided to back this as we need all the help we can get.

"The next step is to take our plans to the council and we want to do that in the next few weeks."

Plans for the exciting new football school got underway earlier this year after the 500-strong Portchester club was awarded the county's first ever FA Community Club Award.

The FA has pledged 65 per cent of the £1m needed to construct the dream complex in the town, which will boast a boardroom, training gym, changing rooms, bar and floodlit all-weather pitch, if the club funds the rest.

AFC Portchester already coach a large number of teams and it is hoped that the new facilities will benefit an even wider spectrum of the community.

Paul Kelly said: "We're overwhelmed by the support we're getting. So many people have phoned up after seeing our progress in the Echo and offered their help."

To find out more or pledge your support to the project call Paul Kelly or club chairman Steve Wood on 07802 605507.