SAINTS youngster Aaron Martin has been tipped for an impressive professional career – by the men who helped guide him at non-leaguers Eastleigh.

The 20-year-old centre half turned iside in their 2-1 defeat at Gillingham at the end of last month. Martin also impressed on his home debut, in front of a 25,000 crowd, against Southend a weekn a man-of-the-match performance for Alan Pardew’s later in Saints’ final League One game of the campaign.

The Isle of Wight-born player, who graduated through Eastleigh’s youth set-up, signed for Saints from Eastleigh last November.

Spitfires manager Ian Baird was delighted the defender has grabbed his first chances to impress at St Mary’s. And he is confident Martin will continue to improve now that he has risen up the Saints’ pecking order after Chris Perry, Wayne Thomas and Ollie Lancashire were released.

“Everybody associated with Eastleigh FC is proud that he has made his first-team debut,” Baird said. “As I’ve always said when Saints first signed him, if there’s anybody who’s going to make a professional football career Aaron will do that, because of his will to succeed and desire to be a professional footballer.

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