SAINTS youngster Martin Cranie was today due to make his AFC Bournemouth debut - thanks to the generosity of some Cherries fans.

The 18-year-old, pictured, has joined the Fitness First Stadium club on a month's loan and was set to play at left-back against Barnsley this afternoon.

But Cranie has only got a chance to gain more first-team experience thanks to Bournemouth's Playershare scheme, which involves fans paying into a fund used purely for manager Sean O'Driscoll to bankroll new signings.

That is the reality of life in League Two for the Cherries, unlike the Premiership where clubs like Saints can pay hundreds of thousands for players of the future - Dexter Blackstock is just one obvious example - let alone the present.

Though just two divisions separate Saints and Cherries, financially the clubs exist on different planets.

The Playershare scheme was launched at the start of the 2002/03 campaign and has since raised more than £175,000.

The money has been used to bring ex-Saint Neil Moss back to Bournemouth as well as to finance the wages of free transfer signings like Marcus Browning and Warren Cummings.

And when Carl Fletcher signed a contract extension in the summer of 2003, Playershare covered the additional expense there as well.

"Playershare is our lifeline," said a Cherries spokesman. "With it Sean doesn't think we would have been relegated in 2002 and without it he doesn't think we would have been promoted in 2003. It's an absolutely brilliant scheme.

"The fans who pay in can actually see the team benefiting as a result of their donations."

The scheme attracts the wealthier of the Cherries support base as you need a minimum of a £1,000 donation to become a Playershare member. You can then invest as much or as little as you like when you like.

There is also an additional matchday raffle every home game, and £13,000 has been raised for the scheme in that way.

Cranie, meanwhile, said: "Steve Wigley told me on Thursday morning that Bournemouth were interested and asked if I fancied going for a month. I thought it would be good experience for me.

"We have a lot of defenders at Southampton at the moment so I thought it would be a good move for me to play some first-team football and for a side that are really going well."

Cranie, the England under-19 captain, has also represented the under-20 side and is comfortable playing anywhere across the defence.

While he admits his preferred spot is right-back, he is experienced at left-back and ready to step into the void left by Warren Cumming's ankle injury.

He said: "My favourite position is probably right-back because I am right-footed but I am happy to play in the middle or at left-back. My left foot is pretty decent as well so it is no big problem for me.

"I've been playing left-back regularly for the reserves this season and I've been told about Warren's injury - I am more than happy to play there or wherever I am needed."

The Yeovil-born defender has started one Premiership game for Saints, at Chelsea last May under Paul Sturrock when he was only 17, but featured in several pre-season games this term and has made one substitute appearance in the Carling Cup win at Northampton.

He said: "My Premiership debut at Chelsea was a good experience - even though I scored an own goal!

"I was asked to play left wing-back, which I had never played before, but being out on the pitch with some of those players was unbelievable."

He added: "I am here for a month at the moment and we will see how it goes.

"Depending on what happens, it might become longer - I don't know yet.

"I enjoyed my first training session and the players all spoke to me - it was a good laugh and you can tell the team are doing well.

"I've been given a little report on how Barnsley play so I've had a read of that and I'm really looking forward to it."