SAINTS are joining forces with the Hampshire FA to set up their own referees academy.

The scheme will start next season and mirror the one which has been voted a "tremendous success" at Bournemouth.

The Hampshire FA are also starting one up at Portsmouth FC.

Youngsters passing their referees exams will be given the chance to take charge of Saints academy matches which take place on a Sunday morning from Under-8 level upwards.

County FA training officer Eric Trengrove believes that will help build up their confidence more than just being thrown straight into the deep waters of adult football.

Young whistle-blowers will be appointed a mentor who will watch them during matches and offer advice during intervals.

As they improve, the referees will be handed youth league matches in the Southampton area before progressing onto adult games.

The county FA are building on the successes of the Bournemouth system in a bid to improve their refereeing numbers.

Last autumn the Daily Echo revealed how the county FA were around 400 refeeres short of having enough to fulfil all their commitments.

"The Bournemouth scheme has been running for about five years and has been a great success," said Trengrove.

"It's all about building up the referees' confidence and their knowledge, but mainly about building up their confidence.

"It can be pretty daunting going out to referee a game for the first time.

"We allow our newly-qualified referees the chance to run the line at an academy or centre of excellence Under-11 match and after about four or five games on the line they'll move up to refereeing.

"After the refeeres have proved themselves and got their confidence levels up, they'll be given youth league matches in front of parents - that can be quite daunting too."