5 July - New Shirt Sponsor : MSP Capital

We are delighted to announce that MSP Capital will be our home shirt sponsor for 2021/22 !  The Poole based Property Financing company will have their logo on our red & white home shirts this season as well as branding around the pitch.  Chairman, Gerry Roberts, said : "This is a big coup for Sholing to be supported by MSP Capital and we can't wait to work with them this season". "MSP Capital are also the shirt sponsors at AFC Bournemouth, so their pedigree in supporting football is clear and we look forward to a successful partnership on and off the pitch".

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18 May - FA Revised League Structure Revealed

The FA have issued the revised Non League Structure and its disappointing news for Sholing. We have been kept in a South West division (as have Winchester & Totton), but Basingstoke & Thatcham have moved to a South Central Isthmian league (Moneyfields gone back down to the Wessex as per their request).

With Plymouth Parkway joining our league, our traveling & associated costs will actually go up from previous seasons. This was supposed to be one of the main drivers for the restructure, to reduce clubs traveling. In fact, if we get promotion to Step 3, we'd probably travel less.


SO, WE WILL NEED YOU, OUR SUPPORTERS, SPONSORS & VOLUNTEERS MORE THAN EVER!

We remain an ambitious club that wants to grow on and off the pitch and despite these repeated challenges thrown at us by the football authorities, we know we can make Sholing FC the best little club around.


AFC TOTTON

BARNSTAPLE TOWN

BIDEFORD

BRISTOL MANOR FARM

CINDERFORD TOWN

CIRENCESTER TOWN

EVESHAM TOWN

FROME TOWN

HIGHWORTH TOWN

LARKHALL ATHLETIC

LYMINGTON TOWN

MANGOTSFIELD UNITED

MELKSHAM TOWN

PAULTON ROVERS

PLYMOUTH PARKWAY

SHOLING

SLIMBRIDGE

WILLAND ROVERS

WINCHESTER CITY


8 May - Friendly Result & Highlights, Alresford Town 1-4 Sholing

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21 April - RIP Ray Routledge

Everyone at Sholing FC is devastated to learn that club photographer and long time supporter, Ray Routledge, has passed away. Ray brilliantly captured our matches & many other club occasions over the past 15 years. His photos are treasured by so many players and fans and were vitally important in helping to raise the profile of the club in the media as we rose through the leagues.

The vast majority of the photos on this website and our social media were taken by Ray, who had the rare skill of capturing not only the big moments like goals, but also the funny and historic moments that make non-league football special.  He not only covered the first team, but the Reserves and Youth & Ladies sides over the years. 

Ray was also a great club man, pitching in on match days, always smiling & polite, a fantastic ambassador for Sholing. He will be hugely missed by all of us. Deepest condolences to Ray's family & friends from everyone at the club

Dave Diaper said : "Ray was a massive part of Sholing Football Club and his excellent action shots and photography enhanced the profile of the Club over the last 15 years. R.I.P Ray"

Byron Mason : "Sad news for everyone at the boatmen RIP Big Ray, a top bloke"

Marv McLean : "They don't come any nicer then Ray, what a nice caring and lovely man. RIP Ray I will miss ya"

Micky Travers : "Original member of the traveling trio – Photo Ray, Away Day Andy, and Micky T. Tales of Credit Control at British Gas, helicopter flights in Bosnia, and photo tourism in the far east; Pitchero photos and conversations; The second visit to Cove (little place, set back in the woods) and his refusal to remember the first visit; The (fake) tyranny of the Memsaab; My “Sholing for the Cup” profile photo on Facebook (for the last ten years) and the “missing” photo of Mary (SO19) with Captain Kev; Emergency trips to Bedford; On the pitch at Wembley; Flying Saucers; Packets of Skittles and the sweet smell of success; Various health scares and the same number of recoveries; Giro d‘Italia, Tour de France and the shrill ringing of Shimano Cow Bells piercing the “quiet” of the Ultra’s shed; More cruises than P & O; Doht, doht, do doht, Paparazzi! God rest your soul Ray, thanks for the memories."

RIP Ray
 
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9 April - RIP James Goodway

Everyone at Sholing FC send their deepest condolences to the friends & family of James Goodway, who tragically passed away recently.  James was just 36 and had been watching the Boatmen for the past couple of seasons, getting hooked enough to become a season ticket holder and regular at away games.  James always seemed to have a smile on his face watching games at the Mackoy Stadium and some of his colleagues have said that he often talked about Sholing at work.  He will be sorely missed.  RIP James.

JamesGoodway


24 March - FA Guidance to restart Grassroots

The Football Association has issued guidance today (24 March) for the restart of Grassroots football from the 29th March.  In summary, no spectators are allowed to watch games until authorised by the Government.  Only one parent/guardian per child is allowed at Youth games & training. Use of the changing rooms and clubhouses are not allowed (apart from toilets).  This covers "Step 1" of the government's timeline. If the covid situation continues to improve, then Step 2 from the 12th April could then allow spectators into games and the serving of food & drinks outside of clubhouses.  Step 3 from possibly the 17th May would then allow the full opening of clubhouses.   Full Guidance Here.

Youth Team, U18 & U23 games will restart at the Mackoy Stadium in April, but as the above, initially they will be behind closed doors. Would everyone involved please refamiliarise yourself with the Covid Risk Assessments, Declaration forms and FA Guidance by clicking here


24 October - Buy Match Tickets Online

We have partnered with "Skiddle" to provide an online sale platform for our home game tickets.  We urge supporters to buy online to allow us to both better plan for games and to minimise the use of cash at the turnstile.  After buying your ticket online, please print it off where possible to bring with you to show at the turnstile. If that's not possible, then show your confirmation on your phone at the turnstile.  Sholing will receive all of the ticket price back into the club via Skiddle, but obviously they are providing us with a platform, website and payment system and charge booking fees to cover that.  However, we have negotiated a reduced fee for Sholing fans.   Click the links to buy tickets!


 

22 October - Chairman hoping luck holds out in FA Cup

Gerry Roberts hopes he’ll be celebrating doubly hard this weekend as Sholing FC prepare for one of the biggest games in the club’s history. For the chairman not only won the jackpot after buying the winning ticket in the My Club Lotto 50/50 weekly lottery, he hopes his side can knock high-flying National League side Torquay United out of the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday.

“We are in the fourth qualifying round and this is as far as we have ever gone. It is an historic moment for the club,” said Gerry.  The 59-year-old managing director of an electrical wholesale firm netted a cool £1,000 for himself and £100 for Sholing FC after the club joined a growing number of rugby, football, cricket and other grassroots sports clubs taking advantage of the revenue sharing scheme and other commercial services offered by My Club Market.

Roberts said: “As a club, we also won the My Club Lotto ambassador experience a few months back, as we sold the most Lotto tickets in the month. We’ve got either Sam Allardyce or John Salako coming down sometime after the pandemic is over. We have to sort out that, but we are really looking forward to that. “It would be great to see Sam Allardyce. I remember watching him when he played for Bolton and he was one of the original big animals who would kick your granny!  “A few of us put a standing order in each week to buy tickets to the Lotto. I subscribe personally, and a few members do, too. It helps the finances (of the club).

“We opened a new clubhouse last November – we’d had the same clubhouse for fifty years and it was dilapidated. We also had new changing rooms opened last month, so it will be good to show them off to those fans who perhaps coming to the The Mackoy Stadium for the first time this weekend, and to the My Club ambassador when that is arranged.”

However, Sholing will miss out on what should be a lucrative pay-day because of Covid-19 epidemic restrictions placed upon them.

“The problem on Saturday is that they have sealed our gate at 400 and we can’t have any Torquay fans in – we can’t sell any tickets to them,” “Torquay could have brought over 1,000 fans and we could have sold at least another 400 to our own fans, so we could have got around the 2,000 mark. It is disappointing, but we just have to get on with it..”

Roberts is well aware of the task facing The Boatmen on Saturday. He added: “Torquay are three divisions above us, and with my optimistic hat on, we’ll give them a game. “We won the FA Vase in 2014, so we are not a bad side and we beat a team a division above us 5-2 in the last round (Walton Casuals). We are a decent side, but logically, even if they play averagely, they should beat us. But if they have a really off-day and we have a really good day, we have a chance.”

“We have been tied up in the cups,” said Roberts. “We won three (of five games) and the weekend before last we went to Cirencester, who had won all four games and not conceded, with five players ruled out – and we won 2-0. “I would be very surprised if we were not in the top five or six at the end of the season. Optimistically, we would like to finish in the top two, but we all know what football is like.”

The Gulls will have to keep a close eye on brothers Dan and Byron Mason if they are to avoid a major upset. Striker Dan Mason, has attracted the attention of some higher profile clubs. Roberts explained: “Dan scored 64 goals the season before last and about 35 last year when we went up, but Byron is a great leader and captain. He is like a Roy Keane, a growling, angry player who drives everyone on.

“We played Slough Town in the FA Cup a couple of years ago and we drew with them up there, and took them to extra-time at our place. We have had some quite good runs in the Cup. Weymouth subsequently came in for Dan and made him a couple of offers and Gosport Borough have also been in for him. “In this part of the world, we are a pretty high-profile club and we have a good side. So, we get lots of people coming to look at our guys.

“Either way, win, lose or draw, this will be another big opportunity for our players to show what they are about. We just wish more people were allowed in to watch.”

https://sholingfc.myclublotto.co.uk/


5 October - Club Announcement : Sholing U23's

Sam Scott has been appointed as manager of Sholing U23's and will be assisted by Paul Judd from our U18 HYCL side with immediate effect.

Dave Diaper would like to put on record his sincere thanks to Patrick McGonigle for all the hard work he's put in managing the U23/Reserves/Development sides over the past 4 years. Over a dozen players have advanced to play for the first team in Pat's time at the club, a record to be proud of. We understand Patrick is going to take a break from football for a short while, but we are hopeful he will continue to be part of the club in some capacity.  Good luck to Sam & Paul!
 
Please give the U23's your support & the team is openly looking for sponsorship to help cover the costs of kit & equipment. Get in touch with Claire Paine 07887 778266 or Greg Dickson 07496 804555 if you would like to back the U23 Boatmen.

30 July - We need your help!

Following a ground grading visit this week, the club has been given a list of jobs to complete to enable spectators to be allowed access to the ground when the season starts in September.  The clock is ticking & we have no alternative but to ask for your help to fund this work.   We have set up a Crowdfunder page for people to make donations, with every penny raised going directly to the club and only being used for ground grading work.  Please donate if you can.  Donations can be anonymous and payments can be made by Debit/Credit Card and also Google/Apple Pay.   Please click here to make a donation. Thank you!

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18 July - Season to restart in September

The FA have received approval from the Government to their proposals for the return of grassroots football.  There are several detailed documents for us to look through & comply with, but the headlines are :  Competitive training now allowed in July (limit of 30 people including coaches).  August, pre-season friendlies can begin.  September, football restarts with the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round on the 1st.  Step 4 Leagues such as ours, restart on Saturday 19th Sept.  FA Trophy 1st Qualifying on Saturday 26th.  Full Guidance documentation on the FA Website Here

FootballRestart


12 July - Season Tickets on sale now!

Find below details of our Early Bird season ticket offer for the upcoming season.  It looks increasingly likely that we will start our league season in September or October, which would allow for a full season of 19 home games.  For those who held season tickets last season, we are offering a 10% discount due to the 19/20 season being cut short. 

We have made every effort to keep prices as low as possible, but there are economic reasons why they have increased.  The club is now VAT registered, so all prices now include it.  Being VAT registered has enabled us to afford the ground redevelopments that have, and still are, taking place. 

We built and fitted out the new clubhouse last season and this summer we are on track to open a new changing room block and improve the paths & fencing at the ground, as well as renovate the pitch, demolish redundant buildings and install contactless payment terminals at the Turnstiles.  We have been helped by generous grants from the Football Foundation, but still had to fund the difference, whilst keeping the club afloat during the Covid-19 crisis.  Apart from the generosity of our sponsors & committee members, there has been no income for the club since early March. 

Whilst many clubs at our level have made public crowdfunding appeals for cash, we were only willing to do that as the very last resort.  As well as the redevelopments (with more in the pipeline, such as a new covered stand), the day to day costs of running a grassroots football club are only increasing. Therefore, to keep the club afloat, competitive and continue our ambitions to grow Sholing FC on and off the pitch, we hope you will understand the need for a modest increase and back us in our plans.

To purchase a Season Ticket, please contact Claire Paine, sponsor@sholingfc.com - 07887 778266

Also available to buy, is Clubhouse Membership, which gives you discount on food, drink and venue hire.  Speak to Claire for more details.

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12 July - NHS Staff Free Admission

As a token of our appreciation and thanks to NHS Staff, anyone holding valid NHS identification will gain free admission at our home games during the 2020/21 season (please show a NHS pass at the turnstile).


16 June - Clarke Willmott extend change shirt sponsorship

Hot on the heels of yesterday's announcement, we are excited to follow it up with the news that CLARKE WILLMOTT SOLICITORS have extended their sponsorship of our change kit.   Many thanks to Peter Swinburn for showing faith in the Boatmen by continuing to support the club.

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15 June - South Coast Building Group continue shirt sponsorship

Delighted to announce that SOUTH COAST BUILDING GROUP have extended their sponsorship of the Sholing FC first team home shirt.  This will be the second season that their logo will appear on our red & white home kit.  We are very grateful to Jamie Chalmers, South Coast Building Group Managing Director and his team, for continuing to back the Boatmen during these challenging times for everyone.

SouthCoastBuilding


8 June - Boatmen receive Pitch Grant

Good news for Southampton as Sholing FC have been awarded a £1500 Pitch Preparation Fund grant from the Premier League, The FA and the Government’s Football Foundation.

The Pitch Preparation Fund was set up in support of the game, which is currently facing unprecedented challenges because of the COVID-19 outbreak.  The Fund is providing grants to clubs that have lost out on normal revenue streams during this difficult period.

The funding will enable us to prepare our football pitches so that they are match-fit for when it is safe to play football again, following Government advice.

We will use the grant to help pay for the cost of the extensive renovation work taking place at the Mackoy Stadium pitch at the moment.  Recently the pitch has been weed killed, scarified, had 60 ton of sand spread over it before being slit, seeded and fertilised.

Clubs are also being given access to the Football Foundation Groundskeeping Community.  This is a free online resource the Foundation developed with The FA and the Grounds Management Association, containing advice and guidance.  Anyone in Southampton can sign up at https://thefa.hivelearning.com/groundskeeping.

Dave Diaper, said: “This generous grant has come at a crucial time for Sholing as we cope with the challenges of the Covid-19 crisis, which meant the premature end of last season and subsequently, no income being generated for the club.  It will help us pay for the much needed pitch renovation currently taking place at the Mackoy Stadium”

Robert Sullivan, Interim Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “This is a vital grant to help clubs get their pitches match-fit. “The Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation exists to help provide quality infrastructure at the lower-levels of the game.  Pitch Preparation Fund grants like this one are giving a helping hand to clubs across the country to get their playing surfaces ready for when the game is allowed to begin again following government advice.”

The Football Foundation is a charity funded by the Premier League, The FA and the Government, through Sport England.

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5  June - Club Newsletter

A revamped and refreshed Sholing FC Newsletter is now available!  With news and features across all the club sections, you can download & read it by clicking the following link (automatically downloads as a PDF) - Click Here to Download


1 June - Updated FA Guidance for Grassroots

FA1JuneGuidance


20 May - Win Money & Support Sholing

We have joined forces with "My Club Lotto" to launch our own lottery, where you could win a first prize of £3000 !  Every ticket purchased through the link below will benefit the Boatmen : https://sholingfc.myclublotto.co.uk/

MyclublottoTwitter


 

19 May - Sponsorship Opportunities

To discuss sponsoring Sholing FC (1st Team, Reserves, Youth Teams & Pan Disability Teams), please contact Claire Paine : sponsor@sholingfc.com - 07887 778266 - 10% renewal discount available for current sponsors - Shirt Sponsorship, Pitchside Banners, Clubhouse, Matchdays & Player sponsorship available.  

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Many thanks to all our wonderful sponsors who have backed us over the last 12 months and beyond. With normality edging closer, please support these businesses who have back their local community football club :

SponsorThankyou2021


15 May - FA Guidance for Grassroots Football Activity

Today the Football Association has issued the updated guidance :

Consistent with Government advice, published on Wednesday 13 May, the following outdoor football activity is currently permitted:

• playing football individually (individual skills or fitness activities);
• playing football with your family or other people living in your household;
• an individual can play football with one other person who is not from their household.
• coaching an adult player one-to-one.

All social distancing guidelines must be followed.

Additionally, maintaining a grass or artificial football pitch is permitted, as long as social distancing and appropriate hygiene practices are adopted.

If an individual is symptomatic, living in a household with a possible COVID-19 infection or if you are classified as extremely vulnerable on health grounds, the guidance is that you should remain at home.

The following football activity is not permitted at this time, consistent with Government guidelines:

• coaching a child (U18) from a different household one-to-one. In order to comply with our safeguarding policy, a child must have a parent/carer with them, which doesn’t comply with Government social distancing requirements;
• two or more people from one household playing with one person or more from outside their household.


1 May - Sholing FC Code of Conduct

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ

Football belongs to, and should be enjoyed by, everyone equally.

Sholing Football Club is committed to creating and maintaining the safest possible environment for supporters, officials, players and volunteers. This applies to everyone, irrespective of their age, culture, ability, gender, sexual identity, language, racial origin or religious belief.

Sholing Football Club will not tolerate racist or sexist abuse at our games, be they home or away.

Sholing Football Club will not tolerate bullying, verbal abuse or physical assault.

If you hear or see any of the above at one of our games or on our property, please report it to a club official immediately.

Thank you


News Archive :  2019/20  -  2018/19  -  2017/18  -  2016/17  -  2015/16  -  2014/15