Eastleigh FC

Eastleigh Football Club - Fixture List August 2011 FIRST XI Wednesday 3rd - Home to Southampton XI - Friendly, 7.45pm Saturday 6th - away to Worthing - Friendly, 3pm. Saturday 13th - Home to Basingstoke Town - Blue Square Bet South, 3pm Tuesday 16th - away to Truro City - Blue Square Bet South, 7.45pm Saturday 20th - away to Tonbridge Angels - Blue Square Bet South, 3pm Tuesday 23rd - Home to Woking - Blue Square Bet South, 7.45pm Friday 26th - away to Dorchester Town - Blue Square Bet South, 7.45pm Monday 29th - Home to Weston Super Mare - Blue Square Bet South, 3pm SUBURBAN LEAGUE SIDE Tuesday 2nd - away to GE Hamble - Friendly, 7.45pm Tuesday 9th - away to Blackfield & Langley - Friendly, 7.30pm Saturday 20th Saturday 27th WYVERN LEAGUE SIDE Saturday 6th - away to Ports...

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By Wendy Gee - WITH just a fortnight to go before the start of the Blue Square Bet South season Eastleigh manager Ian Baird is still fine-tuning his squad. The Spitfires boss had been optimistic of completing his 2011/12 line-up following Tuesday’s 2-1 friendly win at Sholing. But with trialists like Jordan Rose and Ryan Tafazolli still hopeful of breaking back into the Football League and a couple of loan deals for Championship players currently on ice, Baird could still have holes to fill in the side by the time Eastleigh host Saints under-21s this Wednesday (August 3rd, 7:45pm). I thought I’d know the squad by now but you’re in the lap of gods where agents are concerned,” he said. "I’d agreed a deal to take a couple of loan players – one aged 18 and one 19 - out of a Championship club, but their agents have told them they can play higher. "There’s been no problem with the Championship club. They’ve been very helpful and have tried to steer them in our direction, bu...

Wyvern Combination Football League The opening fixtures have been released for the Wyvern Combination Football League. The first fixtures for Eastleigh are as follows: Saturday 20th August Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves away Monday 5th September Wimborne Town Reserves home Saturday 10th September Sholing Reserves away Tuesday 13th September Dorchester Town Reserves away Monday 19th September A F C Totton Reserves home Monday 26th September Christchurch Reserves home North Leigh 5 Eastleigh Reserves 1 It was a young Eastleigh side that visited Southern League South & West side North Leigh. In the picturesque setting of Eynsham Park, Oxford. Darren Waterman’s young charges were trailing by two goals at the interval. The home side saw Matty Taylor bag a hat trick with singles from Lee Mills and Joe Fullerton. 19-year-old Gary Fitzehorswell netted for Eastleigh, his second goal for the club since trialling from his previous club Lyndhurst. Former Southampton winger Josh Dutton...

Eastleigh Football Club Fixture List July 2011 Revision Four Changes: Revision Four – Oxford City kick off 2pm : Guildford City match postponed. FIRST XI Saturday 30th away to Oxford City Friendly 2pm SUBURBAN LEAGUE SIDE Wednesday 27th away to Downton Friendly 7.45pm Saturday 30th away to Horndean Friendly 3pm WYVERN FOOTBALL COMBINATION LEAGUE SIDE Saturday 30th Bush Hill Friendly 3pm at Hardmoor Sports Ground Eastleigh YOUTH TEAM Saturday 30th Under 16s v Atlanta Spurs 10am at Hardmoor Sports Ground, Eastleigh

SHOLING v EASTLEIGH TUESDAY 26th JULY 2011 Pre-Season Friendly Report by Jamie Montigue EASTLEIGH: Mike Green, Billy Tsovolos, Ross Bottomley (Liam Hibberd 70), Jamie Brown (Ben Wilson 53), Tom Jordan (c), Andy Forbes, Jack Boyle (Sam Wilson 66), Danny Smith, Jamie Slabber, Jordan Rose (Ryan O'Hara 59), Andrew White.   Un used Subs: Gareth Barfoot, Jack Vallis, Gary Pride. Ian Baird's side beat Sholing by two goals to one at Portsmouth Road this evening thanks to a penalty kick in either half.  Jamie Slabber opened the scoring for the Spitfires a minute before half time before Barry Mason hit back early in the second half to equalise for the hosts. Eastleigh had the final say in this friendly (which they deserved to win) thanks to a second penalty; this time courtesy of Andrew White who converted twenty minutes from time. In goal for the Spitfires was ex-Bristol Rovers goalkeeper Mike Green and in front of him was a back four consisting of Portsmouth FC's Billy Tso...

Twenty-year-old midfielder Chris Mason has joined Winchester City in pursuit of regular first-team football having spent the best part of four years on the first team fringes at Eastleigh and gathering Southern League experience with Bashley. Mason graduated from Eastleigh’s youth to first team in November 2007 but struggled to dislodge more experienced players from Ian Baird’s Blue Square Bet South side. He has spent much of the last two seasons on a dual-signing at Bashley where he had 61 outings for Steve Riley’s men, scoring two goals. Winchester owner Paul McCarthy knows Southampton-born Mason well through his son Conor. "Chris was at Saints and Pompey as a youngster with Conor and I’ve always rated him highly," he said. "He is somewhat of a small legend on the south coast. "He’s a well-respected individual and is a great signing for us.”

By Wendy Gee - IAN Baird has likened Eastleigh’s task next season to "trying to climb Everest in a pair of flip-flops." It’s a challenge the ex-Saint is fully geared up for, but Baird knows that competing in the tough world of the Conference South with a core of just nine senior players will be a tall order. Tom Jordan, Jamie Slabber, Danny Smith, Ross Bottomley, Gareth Barfoot, Richard Gillespie and Jamie Brown are all that remain of last season’s squad who just missed out on the play-offs. Long-time Spitfires servant Andy Forbes has returned to the club after a spell with Woking and Sutton, while former Gillingham first-year pro Andrew White is one of the first to sign up for the Spitfires’ full-time player development programme. Three promising home-grown youngsters - Ben Wilson, Sam Wilson and Liam Hibberd – have also started full-time training with the Stoneham Lane club as has England Schoolboys defender Jack Vallis from Shrewton United. "It’s an inter...

By Wendy Gee - Eastleigh handed a trial to former Saints teenage defender Ryan Tafazolli in Wednesday’s 0-0 friendly stalemate at Weymouth. But like fellow Spitfires trialist Jordan Rose, the giant 6ft 5in centre-back has his sights set on breaking straight back into the Football League. Defender Rose had been expected to feature at Weymouth after an encouraging run-out for Eastleigh at Romsey Town last Saturday, but instead he is heading off for trials with Bristol Rovers and Crewe. Tafazolli, meanwhile, is off to try and show Championship outfit Reading that he has what it takes to carve out a professional career. “Ryan’s trained with us a couple of times and he did okay at Weymouth,” said Eastleigh boss Ian Baird. “He’s off to Reading now and we’ll see what happens there.” Eastleigh have 13 players tied down for next season – nine seniors, including ex-Reading and Gillingham youngster Andrew White, plus teenagers Ben Wilson, Sam Wilson, Liam Hibberd and England School...

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By Wendy Gee - EASTLEIGH are running the rule over former AFC Bournemouth defender Jordan Rose following his release from Stockport County. Rose started his career as a 12-year-old at Saints before moving with his family to France where he played youth football for Stade Malherbe Caen. On returning to England, he completed a two-year scholarship with the Cherries and then did the non-League rounds with Salisbury, Bashley, Brockenhurst, Weymouth, Paulton Rovers and Bath City. He joined Stockport last July, via the Nike Academy, but was one of 11 players released by County following relegation from npower League Two – and that despite being named young player-of-the-year at Edgeley Park. Rose, 21, played in central midfield and then in central defence for Eastleigh in Saturday’s 4-0 friendly win at Romsey Town. Manager Ian Baird said: “We’re looking at Jordan and he’s looking at us. We haven’t talked money but he’s the kind of person we’d like to bring in as a full-time play...

By Wendy Gee - ANDREW White may have been a new name for Eastleigh fans to conjure with at the Silverlake Stadium last Saturday - but not for pre-season opponents Reading. The teenage striker, who has agreed to become the Spitfires' first full-time professional, spent three years with the Royals from the ages of 15 to 18. Reading boss Brian McDermott was reserve team manager when White was a first-year scholar at the Madejski Stadium and Royals' forward Jacob Walcott - cousin of ex-Saint Theo - was his old roommate. White, who hails from Epsom, Surrey, is joining Eastleigh's new player development scheme after being released by npower League Two club Gillingham where he spent last season as a first-year pro. He describes himself as "pacy and a good finisher" and proved as good as his word in Eastleigh's 3-2 humbling of Reading, producing a lively first-half performance which earned him a goal - a far-post header - and the spons...

By Wendy Gee - England Schoolboys international Jack Vallis featured for Eastleigh in Tuesday’s 1-0 pre-season defeat at Bashley last Tuesday night. The towering Shrewton United defender, who is being linked with a summer move away from the Western League Divison One club, played the first 45 minutes for the Spitfires before being replaced by fellow trialist Shawn Hinds. Vallis, who turns 18 next month, joined Shrewton from Amesbury Town youth. Considered an outstanding young centre back, he represented Wiltshire at county youth team level and was subsequently called up by England Schools. The youngster, who is believed to be on the radar of Salisbury City and Bemerton Heath, also featured for Eastleigh in their landslide summer win (6-0) against the Falkland Islands.

By Wendy Gee -   WARRIOR-like utility man Jamie Brown has signed a new deal for Eastleigh - two months after it was announced he was leaving. Brown was on a list of nine players released in May, but the Blue Square Bet South club have had a change of heart about the 30-year-old midfielder/target man. "Jamie loves playing for me and we've managed to get him on decent money for us," said Baird. "He knows the place, he wanted to come back and I know I can get the best out of him. "I played him in three positions against Reading last Saturday and he was outstanding." Former BAT and Dorchester man Brown made just nine league and cup starts for Eastleigh last term. He left the Silverlake Stadium by mutual consent last December following a breach of club discipline, but was welcomed back three months later after a spell in the Wessex League with Winchester City. Ian Herring, another of those released in May, also featured against Reading although he has...

By Wendy Gee - HAVING parted company with a dozen senior players this summer, Eastleigh are looking to attract more 'second chance' footballers like Andrew White to their player development programme. The Spitfires would like to give exciting young pros from clubs like Reading a taste of senior men's football in the Conference South. Eastleigh's director of football Dave Malone said: "If we could develop some kind of relationship with Reading, it's something we would definitely be keen on. "It's not always that straightforward, but it's something we think we could help them with. "When players are developing at the academies they always play other academy sides. "You get kicked about a bit in non-League and Brian McDermott understands that himself from his time at Slough and Woking. "The environment in non-League is different to what the kids at Reading have and, by coming here for three or six months, you can learn a lot....

Eastleigh Football Club Fixture List July 2011 Revision Three   Changes:   Revision One – Suburban League match at Fawley change of date Revision Two – Suburban League match at Totton & Eling venue changed: Wyvern game v Bush Hill venue change : Under 16 game added. Revision Three – Fawley game cancelled, Suburban Lge v A F C Bournemouth match venue change, Fixtures on 16th amended. FIRST XI Tuesday 5th away to Winchester City Friendly 7.45pm Saturday 9th Home to Reading XI Friendly 3pm Tuesday 12th away to Bashley Friendly 7.45pm Saturday 16th away to Romsey Town Friendly 3pm Wednesday 20th away to Weymouth Friendly 7.45pm Saturday 23rd away to Frome Town Friendly 3pm Tuesday 26th away to Sholing Friendly 7.45pm Saturday 30th away to Oxford City Friendly 3pm SUBURBAN LEAGUE SIDE Wednesday 13...

Saturday, 16 July 2011 News of Cup draws from around the club this week includes: F A Challenge Cup sponsored By Budweiser We are exempt until the Second Qualifying Round of the competition. The Second Qualifying Round is to be played on Saturday 1 st October with the draw being made on Monday 19 th September. F A Challenge Carlsberg Trophy In the F A Trophy we are exempt until the Third Qualifying Round, which is due to be played on Saturday 26 th November. The draw for this stage of the competition is made on Monday 7 th November. The publicised prize fund amounts for the F A Trophy are as follows: Preliminary Round Winners £2,000, First Round Qualifying Winners £2,200, Second Qualifying Round Winners £3,000, Third Qualifying Round winners £4,000, First Round Proper Winners £5,000, Second Round Proper Winners £6,000, Third Round Proper Winners £7,000, Fourth Round Proper Winners £8,000, Semi Final Winners £16,000, Final Runners Up £25,000, Winners £50,000. ...

BASHLEY v EASTLEIGH TUESDAY 12th JULY 2011 Pre-Season Friendly Report by Jamie Montigue EASTLEIGH - Grant Blackmore (Jamie Banasco-Zaragoza 45), Ross Bottomley (c), Ben Wilson (Jordan Wells-Gardner 45), Chris Mason (Liam Hibberd 69), Billy Tsovolos, Jack Vallis (Shawn Hinds 45), Nick Chrysanthou (Jamie Davis 45), Nathan Munroe (Ryan O'Hara 60), Troy Powell-Quarry, Carl Walshe (Sam Wilson 45), Jarmeel Jno-Baptiste (Bradley Gray 45). Ross Bottomley was the only recognised first team player to feature for Eastleigh in this pre-season friendly, which consisted mainly of trialists and young reserve players. The game was another ideal opportunity for Ian Baird and Kevin Braybrook to run the rule over a number of prospects in competitive action. Eastleigh were taking on Bashley's first team which contained the likes of James Stokoe and Jack Smith (both ex-Eastleigh), Dave Allen and Mark Gamble. Manager Ian Baird nearly got a game in goal as Jamie Banasco-Zaragoza's car b...

Eastleigh Football Club Fixture List July 2011 Revision Two FIRST XI Tuesday 5th away to Winchester City Friendly 7.45pm Saturday 9th Home to Reading XI Friendly 3pm Tuesday 12th away to Bashley Friendly 7.45pm Saturday 16th away to North Leigh Friendly 3pm Wednesday 20th away to Weymouth Friendly 7.45pm Saturday 23rd away to Frome Town Friendly 3pm Tuesday 26th away to Sholing Friendly 7.45pm Saturday 30th away to Oxford City Friendly 3pm SUBURBAN LEAGUE SIDE Wednesday 13th away to Totton & Eling Friendly 6.45pm at Hatchers Farm, Lockerley SO51 0GN Saturday 16th away to Romsey Town Friendly 3pm Tuesday 19th away to New Milton Town Friendly 7.45pm Wednesday 20th Home to A F C Bournemouth Under 18s Friendly 2pm Friday...

EASTLEIGH v READING XI  SATURDAY 9th JULY 2011   Pre-Season Friendly Report by Jamie Montigue   Eastleigh’s first home pre-season friendly of the summer at the Silverlake Stadium saw the Spitfires play host to a young Reading side. The game was set up as part of the transfer that saw striker Brett Williams move from Eastleigh to the Royals in the January transfer window. Williams was given a warm reception on his return to the club and was presented with a framed shirt before the game by opposing managers Ian Baird and Brian McDermott. Despite a number of trialists, Eastleigh’s starting eleven wasn’t entirely unfamiliar. Captain Tom Jordan, midfielder Danny Smith and last season’s top goal scorer Jamie Slabber all played; as did released pair Ian Herring and Jamie Brown. Andy Forbes was also welcomed back to Eastleigh following a spell away from the club with Woking and Sutton United. In the opening ten minutes, Tom Jordan saw his looping header fall nar...

By Wendy Gee - EASTLEIGH boss Ian Baird will feel a huge sense of pride when Brett Williams returns to the Silverlake Stadium as a Reading player tomorrow. Brett Williams is set to return to the Silverlake Stadium as a Reading player The 23-year-old striker was sold to the Royals for £50,000 during the January transfer window and is ready to stake his claim for a Championship place after recovering from a minor knee operation. This time last year Baird predicted that Williams, a former part-time taxi driver, would either make a big success of his football career or end up back in pub football with the Dog & Duck. The Hedge End lad heeded that warning and six months later landed a dream move to the Madejski Stadium - little more than three years after turning out for his local Sunday League side Fountain Inn. Baird, whose Eastleigh team host a Reading XI in a pre-season friendly tomorrow (3pm), admitted: "As a football manager it does make you proud to see a lad progr...

By Kieran James Ian Baird's Spitfires will face Brian McDermott's Reading XI at the Silverlake Stadium on Saturday 9th July. Ex-Spitfire Brett Williams will be against his former team as a part of a contract agreement when the striker moved to Reading for a sum in the region of £50,000. Sean Morrison, Marcus Williams and Michail Antonio are stand out players among the names of a young 24-man squad to face Eastleigh. The Spitfires will have the usual players such as goalkeeper Gareth Barfoot and last season's goal machine Jamie Slabber, however they will showcase trialists that played against Winchester City on Tuesday. A possible return for Jamie Brown could be on the cards after the attacking midfielder was asked to play against Winchester City and played a good 45 minutes for the Spitfires. Trialists such as England schoolboy Jack Vallis and former Reading striker Andy White are expected to be in the Spitfires squad. Admission Prices: Adults: £12 ...

"To Motivate, Educate & Inspire"  Football is for all. Football can be fun. Football can motivate and inspire! Football also brings excitement into the lives of many people, young and old. Over the past 3 years Eastleigh Football in the Community Scheme has strived to develop closer links with local people, schools, clubs and organisations through their common interest... football. Every social group is catered for regardless of age, gender, race or background, and our aim is to unite as many people as possible through activities associated with Eastleigh Football Club. Football in the Community offers an extensive range of facilities, with the emphasis on each being a maximum, fun, participation and enjoyment, whilst at the same time creating a challenging environment which provides the participants with a feeling of achievement. We currently have a Summer Holiday Course: http://www.eastleigh-fc.co.uk/community-news £140 for a 5 week pass, t...

By Wendy Gee - Winchester City’s new-look side raised the curtain on pre-season with a 1-1 home draw against Blue Square Bet South neighbours Eastleigh on Tuesday night. The Spitfires fielded several ex-City players, including Andy Forbes, Jamie Brown and Danny Smith, while City named newcomers Graham Lindsey, Daryll Phillips and James Embree among their starting eleven. The game exploded into life on the half-hour when Lindsey missed a good opportunity for the Wessex League hosts. But it was Eastleigh who grabbed the lead on 40 minutes when last season’s leading marksman Jamie Slabber volleyed home from close range after Brown’s header had been cleared off the line. Slabber had a double effort saved by City’s substitute goalkeeper Rory Anderson and then squandered another opportunity as the Spitfires opened the second half the stronger. But Winchester edged back into the game and when ex-Eastleigh forward Alex Easton won them a corner on 68 minutes, Sayem Kabir’s delivery...

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Blue Square Bet South Fixtures August 2011 Sat 13th Eastleigh v Basingstoke 15:00 Tue 16th Truro City v Eastleigh 19:45 Sat 20th Tonbridge Angels v Eastleigh 15:00 Tue 23rd Eastleigh v Woking 19:45 Sat 27th Dorchester v Eastleigh 15:00 Mon 29th Eastleigh v Weston-S-Mare 15:00 September 2011 Sat 03rd Eastleigh v Bromley 15:00 Sat 10th Dartford v Eastleigh 15:00 Sat 17th Eastleigh v Hampton & Richmond 15:00 Tue 20th Sutton Utd v Eastleigh 19:45 Sat 24th Eastleigh v Staines T...