FORMER Saints defender Francis Benali goes in search of more indoor football glory tomorrow.

The Dell legend, who left Saints after a two-decade long association in January, will be donning the red and white stripes again tomorrow in the unlikely surroundings of Milton Keynes Ice Rink.

For that is the venue for the Southern Masters, a regional qualifying event of the indoor football tournament for over-35s which sees a host of ex-Premiership stars competing for their former clubs at arenas around England.

Saints will be taking on Pompey, Arsenal and Spurs with the winners progressing to the final at Sheffield later this summer.

And they are set to be backed by around 100 travelling fans thanks to cut-price tickets organised by SaintsAway Supporters group member Steve Grant.

Benali was part of an England side that won the Home Nations Masters at Cardiff Ice Rink earlier this year.

Among his colleagues were the likes of Chris Waddle, Paul Walsh, Luther Blissett, ex-Saint Mark Walters and Nigel Winterburn.

Tomorrow afternoon Benali will line-up with Matt Le Tissier, Richard Dryden, Steve Baker, Glen Cockerill, Neil Maddison, David Puckett, Craig Maskell and Steve Wood.

The format of the competition is a round-robin league stage where everyone plays everyone once with the top two teams facing off in the final.

There were rumours that ex-Saints boss Glenn Hoddle was due to appear for Spurs but they have since been dashed.

Ex-Dell midfield star Steve Williams, though, will be on show as he is included in an Arsenal squad also involving ex-Saint Perry Groves, Tony Woodcock, Anders Limpar, Brian Talbot, Paul Davis and Winterburn.

Havant & Waterlooville boss David Leworthy is expected to play for Spurs while Saints academy coach Mark Chamberlain, Neil Webb, Micky Quinn, Kevin Dillion, Alan Knight and Martin Kuhl are among the Pompey squad.

Saints beat Pompey 4-0 last season with Benali on target.

"It's a real fun tournament," he said.

"But it is physicially tough - you're running here, there and everywhere and there isn't much time to recover in between games.

"We don't have a manager as such - we run it between ourselves.

"It's always a good chance to see some old friends and catch up on what they're doing."

Other players to have played for Saints in the past three Masters tournaments include Jimmy Case, George Lawrence, Ian Juryeff, Derek Statham, Michael Gilkes, Ian Andrews and Kevin Moore.

s the Daily Echo next Monday for a report and picture spread from the Southern Masters.