FORMER Saints midfielder Paul Tisdale will this weekend attempt to return to the professional ranks.

Tisdale, who played 17 top flight games for Saints in the mid-1990s, sends his Exeter City side into action against Morecambe in this Sunday's Nationwide Conference play-off final against Morecambe at Wembley.

Tisdale has guided the Grecians to their first ever Wembley appearance in his first season in charge after leaving Team Bath last summer.

His ex-Saints colleague, David Hughes, is not surprised at his friend's success.

"I go back with Tis a long way," said the Eastleigh FC assistant manager.

"We played together for England Under-18s," said Hughes, right. "We played a lot for Saints reserves under Ray Graydon and Dave Merrington.

"We were the only ones from our age group really who went through - also in the reserves were slightly older lads like Tommy Widdrington, Neil Maddison and Jeff Kenna.

"Tis had great technical ability and he should probably have played a lot more than he did.

"I always thought he would definitely made management material. He was always intelligent, hard working, conscientious."

Tisdale's side beat Jim Smith's Oxford United on penalties in their play-off semi-final after losing the home leg 1-0 but winning 2-1 at the Kassam Stadium.

"I watched both legs on Sky and was impressed with Tis' tactics and substitutions, especially in the second leg.

"I know he was up against Jimmy Quinn to get the job last summer, and it could have been perceived as a gamble to give Tis the job.

"But he's done very well and if he takes them up he's repaid the club's faith in him in spades."

Tisdale scored one Premiership goal for Saints - in the 2-1 loss at Alan Ball's Manchester City in March 1996, a game best remembered for Georgiou Kinkladze's sensational solo effort, the strike voted the greatest ever at Maine Road by City fans in 2003.