Eastleigh have agreed an initial month’s loan deal for Reading teenager Frankie Raymond and intend throwing him straight into tonight’s friendly against a Saints XI at the Silverlake Stadium (7.45pm).

The 18-year-old central midfield er/left-back has already had Blue Square Bet South experience on loan at Basingstoke Town.

And despite his tender age, Spitfires boss Ian Baird believes the Royals’ Academy graduate, who turns 19 in November, possesses the ideal mentality for senior men’s football.

“I looked at him last season just before he went to Basingstoke and missed out on him,” said Baird.

“But every time I’ve seen him play I’ve been impressed.

“He’s got a bit of aggression about him and a will to win and what I like about him is that he wanted to come here. Frankie’s been down and trained with us and he seems a nice lad. He can play in a couple of posi tions and hopefully he’ll be a good acquisition.”

With Richard Gillespie out with a sore hip and Jamie Brown still ham pered by a knee problem, Raymond is guaranteed a game against Saints assuming the paperwork goes through in time.

Eastleigh have also confirmed the signings of former Bristol Rovers goalkeeper Mike Green and mid fielder Ryan O’Hara.

Green, who turned 23 last month, has been trialling with Cheltenham Town during the summer, but has agreed to join Eastleigh on a non- contract basis after impressive pre- season showings against Weymouth, Sholing and Oxford City.

Ex-Dundee United, Gretna, Salisbury and Forest Green wide man O’Hara, 22, has featured in all the Spitfires’ pre-season squads so far after arriving from Gloucester City.

He has agreed an initial three- month contract for the Spitfires. Eastleigh are also close to striking a deal with Australian right-back Billy Tsovolos after his contract was terminated by Portsmouth, but Baird stressed: “He’s only 18 and he’s one for the future.”

Tonight’s Spitfires squad will also include three home-grown young sters – Ben Wilson, Sam Wilson and Liam Hibberd – who have signed up to the new full-time player develop ment programme along with ex- Reading and Gillingham forward Andrew White and England school boys’ defender Jack Vallis from Shrewton United.

The Stoneham Lane club are also running the rule over Adam Murray, a striker/attacking mid fielder who hails from the Reading area.

“These young lads will get a first- team chance this season, whereas last year they wouldn’t,” said Eastleigh’s director of football Dave Malone.

“But we’re aware that we can’t afford too many injuries to sen ior players because we would get hammered with a team of under-20s playing in the Conference South.”

Saints will also have a youthful look about them tonight, although it’s possible that a sprinkling of sen ior squad members could feature.

Ryan Doble, Ben Reeves, Jack Stephens, Tommy Forecast and James Ward-Prowse are likely can didates for a Silverlake Stadium appearance, along with Jason Puncheon and Joseph Mills who could be on the move from St Mary’s.

Admission tonight is £12 adults, £7.50 concessions and £4 under-16s.