SAINTS fans are being urged to stay on the ball ahead of the FA Cup final with counterfeit soccer goods set to swamp the streets.

Trading standards chiefs say bootleggers have already begun cashing in on the club's incredible success this season.

With the countdown to the big match in Cardiff against Arsenal on May 17 well under way, they are expecting levels of fake merchandise to escalate.

Now the club has teamed up with the city council to ensure fans are not sold a dummy on counterfeit items.

Among the sub-standard goods trading standards officers are keeping their eyes peeled for are shirts, flags and hats.

The city council's trading standards team has a duty to enforce the Trade Marks Act 1994 and the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 -- legislation which protects the public from being ripped off by sub-standard fakes and safeguards the rights of legitimate trade mark holders.

A trading standards spokesperson said: "It is not just customers who suffer.

"The football club and companies producing official, high quality products lose sales, and the FA - a not-for-profit organisation that ploughs money back into the game at all levels - earns less revenue from the commercial licensing of its FA Cup trade mark.

"Trading standards' advice is to take a good look at the packaging, take a good look at the quality of the product and always bear in mind the place of purchase - pubs, car boot sales, or temporary on-street stalls are unlikely to be official suppliers," he added.

Fans are being urged to buy official goods from outlets such as The Saints Megastore at the St Mary's stadium and the club's shop at WestQuay shopping centre to ensure its quality.

For more information on how to avoid the fakes, telephone Southampton Trading Standards on 023 8051 1649.

Watchdog is a weekly feature dealing with consumer issues. If you have a story to tell, ring the newsdesk at the Daily Echo on 023 8042 4522 or e-mail newsdesk@soton-echo.co.uk