IT WORKED for Sir Alex Ferguson when Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs was a schoolboy prodigy at Old Trafford at the beginning of the 1990s.

A few years later and Joe Cole was not so lucky. When Chelsea midfielder Cole was a 14-year-old at West Ham, he was ludicrously described as 'an English Maradona', and is still struggling to match that hype.

Now Saints are doing their best to protect Theo Walcott from the media glare.

Walcott will become the youngest player to play for Saints' reserves if he takes the field at home to Watford on Wednesday night, two and a half years after Andrew Surman first played for the second string at the age of 15 years and 196 days.

Newbury lad Walcott is 15 years and 171 days today, but reserve team coach Henderson is all too aware of the dangers of building up a schoolboy, no matter how talented.

He said: "There's already been a lot of publicity about Theo and if we're not careful he's going to have a hell of a lot to live up to.

"He'll play when I feel it's right for him to be involved whether that's on Wednesday or another time, but it's a complete nonsense when people say he's the next Wayne Rooney or whoever.

"He's Theo Walcott. I don't liken him to anybody, but he's an exciting player because of his pace, his intelligence and the fact that he's developing into a very good finisher.

"He's got a little bit going for him bu we have to remember that he's still at school. He's very level-headed but it might still adversely affect him if he is over-hyped.

"As one of the youngest players in the England under-17 squad he's going to attract attention but we want to look after him and manage him properly."

If he does not feature against Watford, Walcott will still break Surman's record if he plays at Portsmouth in ten days' time or at home to West Ham the week after.

Walcott played in pre-season friendlies for the reserves and several teenagers featured in the 1-0 defeat at Charlton this week.

Henderson added: "If I feel that it's right for him to be involved then I will not have any hesitation in playing him and the same goes for any player.

"It doesn't make any difference if he's at school, if he's a scholar or if he's a professional. Theo did play for the reserves in pre-season but at that particular time he happened to be in training.

"He's back at school now so that changes things a little bit but if he continues to perform as he has done then he will definitely be involved this season and at the moment he's extremely close."