VINNIE JONES helped kickstart a new coaching scheme in Eastleigh which will be used as a template for future 'academies' all over England.

The hod carrier turned international footballer turned Hollywood actor turned up at Kickers to help officially open The Football Project.

The FP is the brainchild of ex-Saints striker Gordon Watson and entertainers Mike Osman and Richard Digence.

The FP is offering a 'unique' way of coaching youngsters, with emphasis not only on developing skills but also developing characters.

Watson said: "Not everyone who comes to us will end up being a professional footballer.

"But what we aim to do is to teach the kids about things like nutrition and psychology and I think a really important one is teaching them about their social behaviour.

"Someone who doesn't have much respect for other people probably doesn't have much respect for themselves, and we want to change all that.

"We want to give the youngsters confidence so they can be a success in whatever field they go on to specialise in."

Watson, who played for Saints in the mid-1990s, is determined to see the Eastleigh scheme emerge as a real success.

"The plan is to franchise it out all over the country - that's always been the plan," he remarked. "I have good contacts in places where I've played like Newcastle, Hartlepool and Sheffield.

"We want to help turn the youngsters into flair players, we have to get away from the traditional image of English football as something with just passion, blood and thunder - though those are all important things to have.

"Everyone likes watching flair players."

Anyone requiring details of the coaching schemes that The Football Project will be providing can contact 02380 617575.