SAINTS B team defender Olly Lancashire revealed how he had copped some “abuse” from younger opposition about his age.

The centre-half, an academy graduate at St Mary’s, returned to his boyhood team in July in a bid to mentor the club’s young talents, while playing alongside them.

But speaking on talkSPORT earlier this month, 32-year-old Lancashire revealed how he had taken some stick from those at other clubs in the development leagues.

Asked whether teams had been surprised by his inclusion on a matchday, the former Crewe, Swindon and Rochdale man said: “Yeah pretty surprised.

“I have actually had a little bit of abuse, should you say, from some of the younger players.

“But it was all good.

“They just called me really old, which wasn’t very nice to hear!”

Asked how his role at Saints came about this season, the Basingstoke-born defender, who is doing his coaching badges, said: “Last year I was at Crewe in League One and once that season finished, I pretty randomly just got a phone call from Matt Crocker, who is the director of football down here.

“He was my academy manager when I was here the first time and he basically just talked me through the idea he had.

“Coming down here during the summer, I thought it was a role that could really benefit the players here and also myself with my transition out of playing professionally into coaching as well.

“When I look back to when I was 18 or 19, you learn a lot from the football coaches but you learn a lot from the senior players.

“These days, with the under-23 leagues, some players may not train or have any relationships with senior pros until they are 21 or 22, which is probably too late to understand the behaviours and characteristics to have a career in football.”

Lancashire played 90 minutes as Saints B overcame Reading 1-0 away from home in Premier League Two Division Two on Monday.

Dom Ballard netted in the second half to give the visitors all three points.