THE Hampshire FA are starting their own five-a-side football competitions - to stop the flow of money from them going out of the sport.

The Southampton-based organisation are the first county FA in the country to set up their own small-sided leagues.

They will be starting in the next few weeks at six regional centres in Hampshire with the first due to kick off at Wyvern Technical College at Fair Oak later this month.

Hampshire FA chief executive Lawrence Jones said: "We are a forward-thinking county and this seems an obvious thing to do.

"There are a lot of commercially-run centres giving people the chance to play small-sided football.

"I don't have a problem with that but the money they make is not being reinvested back into football in Hampshire.

"We are a non-profit making organisation and any money we make from our small-sided leagues will be ploughed back into improving football in the county.

"Surely that's a good thing."

The county leagues will be run on a seven-week season with another competition starting as soon as the previous one finishes.

It is planned to run a Hampshire Cup in 2005 with the winners progressing to a national small-sided competition.

Hampshire FA press officer Paul Creeden, who is also the county's small-sided development officer, insists the increase in the small-sided game has not been to the detriment of the traditional weekend adult leagues.

"I don't think more small-sided teams means less 11-a-side teams," he said. "I run an 11-a-side league (the Southampton Commercial Houses Sunday League) and if anything we've grown in recent years.

"We were able to add an extra division this year and next season we're looking to make that division even bigger. If anything, more small-sided teams can boost the 11-a-side game.

"A team of work colleagues can start a five-a-side team, enjoy it, and progress to playing in an 11-a-side league."

In recent years the likes of Kickers in Eastleigh, Roko in Portsmouth and the Littledown Centre in Bournemouth have all started offering regular small-sided leagues.

The Pitch Invasion group have a handful of sites in the county while Vida are soon opening a centre in Millbrook, Southampton.

As Creeden states: "We had to do something, or risk being left behind."

Anyone wishing to enter one of the Hampshire FA five-a-side leagues can contact Creeden on 02380 6816, or email fafives@hampshirefa.com.