DAVID PRUTTON is backing his former England under-21 team-mate Peter Crouch to quickly win over the Saints fans.

Crouch scored twice and was involved in several other goals during Saints' 8-0 drubbing of Swedish Third Division team Asebro.

He particularly showed his use as a target man and won countless aerial knock-downs in dangerous areas for midfielders like Prutton to run on to.

There were lots of negative comments from Saints fans when news first broke that Crouch could be on his way to St Mary's, but Prutton is convinced any doubters will soon be silenced.

"Crouchy and Brett deserved their goals," said Prutton, a former England Under-21 international colleague of the 6ft 8in striker.

"They are both working hard and it looks like Crouchy will get accepted once people see how good he is.

"There will be times in games when you need to knock it long.

"Fans will know that and Crouchy is that man.

"I've always told everyone that he has fantastic feet for such a big fella and he has showed that.

"You don't play for so many big clubs if you can only play in the air and he has showed that he has got a good all-round game."

Prutton has looked dangerous in front of goal all week in training, with Paul Sturrock urging his midfielders to get themselves into dangerous positions.

His goal on Saturday was well finished from the edge of the penalty area and he also went close with several other efforts.

"The manager is always talking to the strikers about one getting across the front post, one going to the back and a midfielder making a bit of a nuisance of himself in the box," he explained.

"And if I'm one of the midfielders doing that, it has got to be good for the team.

"It's good to score goals and get into that habit.

"Obviously it's a world away from the fantastic teams in the Premiership.

"To score in the Premiership on a regular basis would mean a lot to me.

"It was good run-out for us and we want to transfer it to the better teams in the Premier League.

"You make a game like that what it is. You can either do it at walking pace or you can quicken it up which I think is what we did."

Prutton has found himself playing left, right and in the centre of midfield during Saints' two pre-season victories in Sweden.

There is fierce competition with the likes of Matt Oakley, Yoann Folly, Rory Delap, Anders Svensson and Paul Telfer in the centre, but that's where Prutton wants to play.

He added: "I prefer to play in the middle because I get my bearings more.

"If I play on the left, I tend to cut inside because I'm right footed.

"If I play on the right I have a better percentage of chance to get right footed crosses in.

"But I prefer to play in the centre.

"You get more chance of getting into the box from the centre because you are arriving more within the six-yard box rather than from different angles."