SAINTS have played their part in ensuring football throughout Hampshire at all levels, from Premiership to grass-roots, is enjoying a boom period.

Hampshire FA chief executive Laurence Jones has praised Saints for their achievements this season and the behaviour of their fans at the FA Cup final.

Jones is also delighted with Portsmouth's promotion to the Premiership, resulting in the end of the 15-year wait for Saints v Pompey league derbies.

And his personal hat-trick was completed at the Millennium Stadium last Saturday when Bournemouth thrashed Lincoln 5-2.

Cherries fan Jones - who insists football in Hampshire at all levels is "alive and kicking" - said: "The FA Cup final was fantastic. The Saints fans were a credit to the club and the city of Southampton.

"That was the most amazing aspect of the day.

"I have been to many cup finals in the past but I've never seen the losing fans stay behind for the ceremonies like the Southampton fans did.

"Last year the Chelsea end was half-empty and it was the same the year before when Liverpool beat Arsenal.

"It was great to see the Saints fans staying on and it was something that sums up all that's good in football. People went to make a day out of it.

"Many people said to me afterwards that you didn't know which team had won the cup by looking at the fans.

"Perhaps the Arsenal fans have become too familiar with the occasion - if they had, that's sad because the FA Cup is a wonderful competition."

Jones, pictured right, a former Football League linesman, said it had been a wonderful year for football on the south coast.

"Saints have got to the Cup final and are in Europe, Portsmouth have done outstandingly well to finish as First Division champions, and Bournemouth have battled back from a lot of problems to reach the play-off final; they have done tremendously well too.

"These success stories have caused a real feelgood factor in their communities. Southampton was buzzing in the build-up to the final, and Bournemouth was buzzing last week. I must thank the Daily Echo for helping to swell that feelgood factor.

"Football can be used as a medium for building better communities. That's one of the key things I want the Hampshire FA to be involved in.

"But it's not just the three professional teams who have helped make Hampshire football really alive and kicking this season.

"You had Aldershot winning the Ryman League, you had Eastleigh winning the Wessex League and you had Winchester winning the Hampshire League.

"You also had Havant getting to the semi-finals of the FA Trophy, Farnborough to the fourth round of the FA Cup, and Winchester in the quarter-finals of the FA Vase.

"Elsewhere, we're just about to hold the first-ever county FA girls' football festival at Christchurch, more clubs are getting involved with child protection issues and more clubs are getting involved with the FA Charter standard.

"It's been an exceptional season for Hampshire football at all levels.

"Everywhere you go people are talking about football - that's the power of the sport.

"My wife runs a florist's shop in Bournemouth and she gave over the front window display to Bournemouth last week.

"She was getting people coming into the shop talking about the football who have previously never been interested in it."

Asked if he was surprised at the south coast success stories, Jones added: "Football is always full of surprises.

"What our three professional teams have shown this season is that they are capable of achieving. Portsmouth have had a truly outstanding season and I am sure they can go from strength to strength.

"Saints have got a magnificent stadium and are playing to full houses almost every time they are at home, and there's not many clubs who can say that.

"There can't be many teams who have also doubled their fan base in the last two years, so that's a real success story there.

"Hampshire football is a success story, and we at the county FA are basking in reflected glory - success is the end result of what hard work can bring."

Jones added: "Football is on the up in Hampshire, and that breeds an interest in the game. We always need more players and we always need new referees.

"Participation levels are going up, but we have been seeing a change in when people want to play their football.

"Before they always wanted to play on a Saturday or a Sunday, but now more and more people are wanting to play the small-sided game in midweek.

"We also have more girls and women wanting to play, and we have to cope with that."