MICK Budny has confirmed he will not be involved in first-team affairs at AFC Totton next term.

After two influential seasons as Stags director of football, the Titchfield-based businessman is taking a break from non-League to spend his Saturday afternoons watching Saints.

Budny, who has contributed heavily to Totton’s playing budget since their promotion to the Southern League, will no longer be putting money into the team.

But he is keen to stay involved with Totton’s youth section and is in the throes of setting up a football acade my for the Stags’ upcoming, new ground at Little Testwood Farm, working in conjunction with a local school/college.

Like everyone at Totton, Budny was choked that, for a second season running, the Stags narrowly missed out on promotion to the Zamaretto Premier.

But even if they had won the South & West play-offs, his sights were already set on St Mary’s.

His Buckinghamshire-based com pany, TTL Automotive, sponsored Saints’ final game of last season at home to Southend and Budny has two Saints-mad sons keen to cheer Alan Pardew’s men to promotion from League One.

“I was a Southampton fan before Totton came into my life,” he said.

“But I enjoy being involved with the youth side at Totton and I can still do that because they play on Sundays.

“Had Totton been promoted, it wouldn’t have made any difference.

My family are 100 per cent my priority.

“My sons are not as interested in non-League as they are Saints and I have to put them first."

*Full story in today's Southern Daily Echo.