SAINTS striker Jamie White is expected to be drafted straight into Eastleigh’s squad for tomorrow’s FA Cup third qualifying round tie at home to Basingstoke Town.

Ian Baird’s Spitfires have agreed a month’s loan for the highly rated 19-year-old Southampton-born frontman, whose career has been stalled by serious injury.

The former Woodlands Community College pupil was voted the Saints Academy’s 2006/07 player-of-the-season, but had to accept the award on crutches after suffering a cruciate injury in training.

He recovered to make his first team debut in a 1-0 win at Derby last August and then spent a brief loan spell at League Two club Shrewsbury Town, scoring once, before being recalled as first-team cover in January. But, cruelly, White’s progress was halted once again by injury when he suffered a fractured fibula and a dislocated ankle playing for the reserves against Aldershot.

Eastleigh boss Baird, who needs cover for injured strike duo Jamie Brown and Andy Forbes, has been chasing White ever since he first arrived at the Silverlake Stadium in October 2007.

He is delighted to have finally set up a deal with reserve team coach Stewart Henderson.

“I’ve been trying to get Jamie for the last two years but, for one reason or another, he’s always been out of my reach,” he said.

“I spoke to (first team coach) Wally Downes, who said Saints were looking to get some lads out for regular first-team football.

“Jamie White’s agent was trying to get him out on loan to a League club, but it hasn’t happened, so it’s great he’s coming to us.”

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