Flash and PHP Variable Issue

Everyone, I am at my wits end, i just cannot figure this out. All I am trying to do is declare a variable in PHP and pass that variable to my flash file. Right now i am simply trying to do 1 easy variable, more will happen in the future but i need to figure this out first.

Can someone show me how to do this simply, I have used other forums and they say try this and that, but nothing i do seems to work. here is my code.


<?php 
$fname = $_POST['John'] ; 
echo '&firstName=' . $fname;
?>

[AS]
var request:URLRequest = new URLRequest( “myPhp.php” );
request.method = URLRequestMethod.POST;
var variables:URLVariables = new URLVariables();
variables.firstName = “Test”;
request.data = variables;
var loader:URLLoader = new URLLoader(request);
loader.addEventListener( Event.COMPLETE, loadCompleteHandler);
loader.dataFormat = URLLoaderDataFormat.VARIABLES;
loader.load( request );

function loadCompleteHandler( event:Event ):void
{

var data:URLVariables = new URLVariables( loader.data );
statusTxt1.text = loader.data.firstName;
trace( data.firstName );
}
[/AS]

I have no clue, please help