Wolves striker Sam Vokes steps into his very own hero’s paradise at St Mary’s.

The Southampton-born teenager grew up a Saints regular and, at 18, is old enough to have watched Matt Le Tissier in his pomp, then go back to his backyard and practise the technique of the club legend.

Vokes has been forced to play a watching brief for much of his fledging Wolves career, with the Chris Iwelumo and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake alliance growing in strength and goals.

His learning apprenticeship looks set to continue at St Mary’s, as Mick McCarthy’s side aim for their fifth successive win.

No one would love to score the winner more than Vokes, whose new team will be watched by the entire family travelling in from nearby Lymington.

He said: “Scoring the winner in the World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan, after coming on as sub, was pretty good.

“It would be a great feeling just to get a game at St Mary’s but if I could come on and score as well, that would make it some day.

“I like to think I take every chance I get when I come on the pitch, because with the two strikers doing so well and Andy Keogh in the running as well, there’s a lot of competition.

“So I’m just looking to take every chance I get to play and score goals. With Southampton being my home town and living nearby, that’s the club my family support.

“I was born in Southampton and lived in Lymington, which is about halfway between there and Bournemouth.

“I grew up watching Saints games. I used to go along to The Dell as a youngster and then when they moved to St Mary’s. I went there as well and that’s a great stadium.

“I went regularly to watch them. I used to go with my dad Tim and brother Matt, who’s 16 now and plays with Bournemouth. I think my dad will be there, so if I get the chance to play that will be great.

“It was great, because I grew up watching Matt Le Tissier, who was a great player and a hero of mine. I’d watch him on a Saturday and then try to do what he did – he was a player to watch out for. He’s so associated with Southampton, he’s a legend.

“Alan Shearer was probably a bit before my time, but there were some great players there. People forget but it was only a few years ago that they were a Premier League team and they still have great facilities down there.

“So it’s good to look at it from the other side now and go back play against them, because I’ve never had the chance before.”

Vokes admits playing against Saints at St Mary’s would be a dream come true, just several months after playing for Bournemouth in the depths of League One.

He said: “I really would love to play against them. A year ago the family nor me would have expected to be playing against them, because it’s happened so quickly, playing for a Championship club.”

Despite being local, there’s no chance of divided loyalties among the Vokes clan.

He said: “The family definitely want us to get the three points, there’s no doubt about that. All my family will be there, because I’m local so it will be good to have them behind me.

“Aunties, uncles, they will all be there so it will be good to catch up. I’m not sure how many will be there at the moment. I’ve got to try to get tickets for them all!

“Living down the road, there’s lots of interest so I just hope I get on!”

Being so local, it may come as a surprise to some that the young striker wasn’t scouted by his hometown team. Southampton’s loss was Bournemouth’s gain.

He said: “I don’t know whether they looked at me or not, I’m not sure, but I played for Southampton schoolboys district team and that’s how Bournemouth spotted me.

A few years on, it’s still all about learning, as Vokes is finding out. But he reckons he has some excellent tutors.

He said: “At Bournemouth, I was in the team a lot, but coming here, there’s a lots of experience in Chris, Sylvan and Keogh. It’s a difficult battle, but the strikers here have done fabulously since pre-season.

“I’ve learned a lot since I’ve been here, especially from the big man Chris. I talk to him a lot and it helps he plays in the same position.

“Every day we talk about things and try to improve. We both play in the same position, so anything he can pass down to me is invaluable information. I just need to try to impress.

“They all talk to me which is great and they tell me how to play and how to improve, which can only be good.”