TWO of the city's biggest athletics clubs will officially become one tomorrow when Team Southampton is born.

After months of negotiation, the amalgamation of Team Solent and Southampton City has been welcomed as the way forward by the local track, field, road and cross-country community.

The merger is a reverse of the last big sea-change in Southampton athletics 18 years ago when several elite members of City's forerunners, Southampton & Eastleigh AC - including top international sprinters Roger Black, Kriss Akabusi and Todd Bennett - broke away to form Team Solent.

Following their formation in 1986, Team Solent went from strength to strength, earning successive promotions through to the pinnacle of men's domestic track and field athletics in the British League Division 1.

But Southampton City's fortunes went in reverse and their decline in senior numbers reached rock bottom during the summer when they were unable to field a men's team. Solent have also hit harder times of late, dropping down to the British League Division 4, but they have a thriving women's team in the UK Division 2 and are in the top flight of both the men's and women's Southern League.

City secretary Betty Tabor, whose love affair with local athletics began in 1949 with Eastleigh AC, is delighted with the merger. She said: "For the last year we haven't had a senior men's team, which is so important for the kudos of the club.

"Although our juniors do very well, it's not the same. It's the senior athletes that make the club's name."

The new club will adopt Team Solent's red and white striped Saints-style vests, and Tabor reported: "Youngsters are buying them like there's no tomorrow. They seem really thrilled about the two clubs coming together."

Team Solent chairman and top sprint coach Mike Smith has agreed to chair Team Southampton for its first year. His daughter Janet will be secretary, veteran 400m hurdler Carol Dawkins membership secretary and Tabor fixtures secretary.

Portsmouth-born Alan Pascoe, Britain's legendary hurdles star of the 1970s, has agreed to transfer his presidency of Team Solent over to the new club, while Doreen Old, the long-serving president of Southampton City, is made president emeritus.

Southampton Margaret Tizzard will be treasurer and the two vice-chairmen of the old clubs - Solent's Vic Novell and Southampton's Christine Benning, the AAA of England regional development officer, retain their titles.

Brend Hotels, who have given Team Solent valuable support over the years, are keen to stay on board.

Smith - the coach behind the medal-winning exploits of Black, Akabusi, Bennett and Iwan Thomas among others - said: "These days clubs find it very difficult to survive with too much division and I think Southampton is crying out for a strong, central, single club. We did at one stage talk about merging with Southampton Running Club but that was a no-no because we wanted different things.

"The aims of Team Solent and Southampton City are by and large the same - to promote good athletics in the Southampton area.

"The merger will give us a bigger workforce. Life has changed a lot and you don't get as many willing voluntary helpers these days.

"It will also make our squads stronger - particularly in the women's section where Team Solent have suffered from the clashes between the UK and Southern Leagues."

The Mayor of Southampton, councillor Dennis Harryman, is to host a reception to celebrate the merger on Wednesday week (October 13).