Eastleigh FC

By Wendy Gee - EASTLEIGH have hit a financial brick wall in their efforts to bring Adam Everitt (pictured) back to Stoneham Lane. The Spitfires lodged seven days' notice of approach for the 29-year-old Staines Town left-back, who had a spell at the Silverlake in 2007/08, but he was out of their price range. "There's a very small amount of money available (for a new player) and I have made a number of enquiries, but the money these players are earning is way off our remit," revealed manager Ian Baird, whose sude entertain lower league Cinderford Town in the FA Cup second qualifying round tomorrow. "We put in an approach for Adam Everitt but his wages are far too much for us." Everitt made a gob-smacking return to the Silverlake Stadium with Staines last Saturday, catching keeper Gareth Barfoot out with an audacious 45-yard free kick with just six minutes gone. Eastleigh hit back to win 2-1, but Baird feels his new-look side need ext...

Eastleigh Football Club Fixture List October 2011 FIRST XI Saturday 1st -  Home to Cinderford Town - FA Challenge Cup Second Qual. Round, 3pm Tuesday 4th* - *If required, away to Cinderford Town - FA Challenge Cup Second Qual. Round Replay, 7.45pm Saturday 8th - away to Eastbourne Borough - Blue Bet South, 3pm Tuesday 11th - away to Aldershot Town -  Hampshire Senior Cup Second Round, 7.45pm Saturday 15th -  Saturday 22nd - Home to Welling United - Blue Square Bet South, 3pm Monday 24th - away to Chelmsford City - Blue Square Bet South, 7.45pm Saturday 29th - away to Thurrock - Blue Square South, 3pm SUBURBAN LEAGUE SIDE Saturday 15th - away to AFC Hiltingbury - Southampton Senior Cup Second Round, 2.30pm Saturday 22nd Saturday 29th ...

Match Preview by Kieran James Ian Baird's Spitfires start their FA Cup campaign on Saturday, home at the Silverlake Stadium against 5th placed Evostik Division One South and West outfit Cinderford Town. The Spitfires come in to this game having beaten Staines Town 2-1. The Swans opened the scoring with a 45 yard lob through Adam Everitt. Eastleigh hit back 12 minutes later with the Spitfires' top goalscorer from 2010/2011 Jamie Slabber equalising for the hosts with a well taken goal.   Jamie Brown put Eastleigh 2-1 ahead when Jordace Holder-Spooner's shot from distance, which troubled Louis Wells in goal, saw the visiting goalkeeper spill the ball. Brown was on hand to net a 25th minute winner for is first goal of the season. The Forresters, with an average crowd of 135 this season, have won their last two games against Mangotsfield United in the league 3-0 at home and 2-0 at home to Merthyr Town (one league below Cinderford) in the FA Cup 1st Round Quali...

EASTLEIGH 2-1 STAINES TOWN SATURDAY 24th SEPTEMBER 2011 Blue Square Bet South Match report by Jamie Montigue Eastleigh secured their first win since the end of August with a 2-1 win over Staines Town thanks to goals from Jamie Slabber and Jamie Brown to end a run of four games without victory. The Spitfires were forced to do it the hard way and come from behind having conceded an early goal, but it was a game today where the result was more important than the performance. Staines may feel aggrieved to have not taken a share of the spoils after a spirited second half display, but the Eastleigh defending to see the game out was heroic at times with the likes of Tom Jordan, Ross Bottomley, Henrik Breimyr and Andy Forbes all making valuable tackles, blocks and headers throughout the course of the game to ensure the points went their way. Special mention must also go to Danny Smith, who was named as the sponsor’s man of the match for a typically combative displ...

Ian Baird reflected on today’s victory over Staines Town, a 2-1 win at the Silverlake Stadium where goals from Jamie Slabber (18th minute) and Jamie Brown (25th) saw the Spitfires come from behind to seal all three points. It was Eastleigh’s third win of the season and their first victory since the end of August where a 2-1 win at home was enough to beat Weston-super-Mare on bank holiday Monday. Baird made just once change to the starting line-up from the side beaten in midweek by Paul Doswell’s high-flying Sutton United, with Jordace Holder-Spooner replacing Andrew White. Eastleigh fell behind in the sixth minute of the game when former Spitfires defender Adam Everitt scored from a 50-yard speculative free kick which caught Barfoot off his goal line. Baird said: “He’s (Everitt) put the ball down, he’s seen Barfoot off his line and he’s hit a tremendous strike. “From our point of view it’s ever so disappointing. You talk about things and you prepare, but once again we’ve conce...

Eastleigh v Staines Town

Match Preview by Kieran James Ian Baird's Spitfires play Staines Town in the Blue Square Bet South at the Silverlake Stadium this afternoon. The Swans sit one place above Eastleigh in 18th place and just like Eastleigh, Staines conceded two goals away in their last match against Dartford. On Tuesday night, Eastleigh lost 2-0 away to former manager Paul Doswell's Sutton United. Former Spitfires favourite Tony Taggart scored his first goal of the season for Sutton to add to a Jamie Brown own goal and seal all three points. The Swans' last win came last Saturday when they won 4-1 with former Spitfires loanee Mark Nwokeji rounding off the scoring for them on that occasion. The last time these two teams met was at Wheatsheaf Park where the Spitfires thrashed Staines 0-5 with Jamie Slabber scoring four in the first half before (now Basingstoke Town player) Shaun McAuley made it five for Eastleigh. However the last time these two teams met at the Silverlake Stadium, the Swans pu...

By Wendy Gee - PREMIERSHIP outfit Fulham have won the race to take a closer look at Eastleigh's 16-year-old strike prodigy Sam Wilson. No fewer than five Football League clubs, including Saints, have enquired about the West End-based frontman, including two who wanted to take him on trial. Eastleigh have turned down both those clubs for the time being, but have agreed to Fulham's request to take Wilson on a week's assessment, starting on Monday. Wilson joined Eastleigh's youth set-up last season having spent a season at the Portsmouth Academy where he was initially coached by Mark Chamberlain, dad of ex-Saint Alex. He left Wilderness School in the summer and was one of the first to sign up for the Spitfires' full-time player development scheme designed to funnel youngsters through to the pro game. Eastleigh's director of football Dave Malone identified Wilson as one to watch during pre-season but didn't expect the live wire teenager to attra...

The Club are pleased to confirm that after enquiries from several League Clubs, we have agreed with Premiership Team Fulham FC to allow Sam Wilson to train with them next week. Obviously Fulham may be interested in signing the player, but negotiations (if applicable), will not be entered into until after next week. Sam will be in our squad for the home game with Staines on Saturday.

Eastleigh boss Ian Baird felt gutted for his players after last night’s 2-0 defeat at Sutton United. In Baird’s eyes, the Spitfires created more than enough chances to have beaten the high-riding Surrey side. But it was the fourth-placed Us – managed by ex-Eastleigh boss Paul Doswell – who claimed three precious Blue Square Bet South points courtesy of a Jamie Brown own goal and a smart finish from former Spitfire Tony Taggart. “Considering the possession we had and the openings we created, we did more than enough to win the game, but we missed a hatful of chances,” said Baird."I'm more disappointed for the lads than anything."    Eastleigh: G Barfoot, H Breimyr, A Forbes, J Brown, T Jordan, R Bottomley, A White(sub R O'Hara 72), D Smith, J Slabber, R Gillespie(sub S Wilkinson 79), G Montgomery (sub J Holder-Spooner 56) Subs n/u A Smallpiece, B Tsovolos. Booked: Jordan (30-foul)

By Wendy Gee - THE last time Eastleigh travelled to tonight’s hosts Sutton United, they ran out handsome 4-0 first qualifying round replay winners in last season’s FA Trophy. But the balance of power between the two clubs has shifted dramatically since then. While the culling of senior players has taken the wind out of the Spitfires’ Blue Square Bet South sails, Sutton, the newly-promoted Ryman Premier champions, have announced their arrival on the Conference scene with five wins and two draws from their first nine games. Anthony Riviere and Tony Taggart, two of Eastleigh’s goalscoring heroes in December’s Trophy romp, are now Sutton players, joining a family of ex- Spitfires at Gander Green Lane. Paul Doswell, the man who piloted the Spitfires on their rise from the Wessex League, is in his fourth season in charge of the Us and ex-Eastleigh man Karim El Salahi is one of Sutton’s defensive linchpins, although he is out tonight with a sore groin. While Eastleigh fought out a rather di...

Match Preview by Kieran James Ian Baird's Spitfires play Sutton United away at Gander Green Lane in the Blue Square Bet South on Tuesday. Former Spitfires manager Paul Doswell has got off to a good season with The U's having won five, drawn two, and lost two with his Sutton side sitting comfortably in 4th place. As well as the manager, Sutton United have six former Eastleigh players in their squad including last season's Tony Taggart and Anthony Riviere as well as goalkeeping legend Wayne Shaw who is the U's goalkeeping coach and substitute goalkeeper. The last time these two teams met was at Gander Green Lane in an FA Trophy replay. The original fixture at the Silverlake Stadium saw Tony Taggart earn Eastleigh the replay in the 88th minute when he equalised from close range in a 1-1 draw. The replay was a different story when Eastleigh eased to a 0-4 victory with now Sutton United players Tony Taggart and Anthony Riviere scoring against The U's. Chris...

Eastleigh have been blessed with home advantage in next month’s FA Cup second qualifying round and will take on the winners of tomorrow night’s (Tuesday’s) replay between Cinderford Town and Merthyr Town. FA Cup second qualifying round, southern section (matches to be played on Saturday, October 1 ): Chipstead v Billericay Town, Oxhey jets v Hendon, Hanworth Villa v Aveley, Cray Wanderers v Erith Town, Arlesey Town v Hampton & Richmond Borough, Redbridge v Bury Town, Slough Town v Boreham Wood, East Thurrock Utd v St Albans City or Berkhamsted, Southend Manor v Chertsey Town, Dover Athletic v Carshalton Athletic, North Greenford Utd v Hythe Town, Chelmsford City v Tonbridge Angels, Sutton Utd v Dulwich Hamlet, Wroxham v Concord Rangers, Dartford v Harrow Borough, Margate v Thamesmead Town, Bromley v Welling Utd, Leighton Town v Barton Rovers or Hatfield Town, Whitehawk v Cambridge City or Maldon & Tiptree, Staines Town v Beaconsfield SYCOB, Burnham v Horsham or Lingfield, D...

By Wendy Gee - Eastleigh's Ian Baird was happy with the ammunition new Aldershot loan signing Graeme Montgomery (pictured) supplied on his debut against Hampton & Richmond on Saturday. But the Spitfires lacked the firepower to make full use of it in a disappointing 1-1 home draw against the Blue Square Bet South basement boys. Having taken a 36th-minute lead when Jamie Slabber glanced home a header from Montgomery's pin-point free kick, naivety again let Eastleigh down. Four minutes into the second half, they carelessly lost possession from their own throw-in and the impressive Nathan Collier punished them with an outstanding left-foot strike. The result halted a run of two straight defeats for Eastleigh, but drops them to 19th in the table ahead of tomorrow's trip to Paul Doswell's high-riding Sutton United. "The new lad Montgomery created the first goal from a set-piece and his strength is getting balls into the box," said Baird. ...

EASTLEIGH 1-1 HAMPTON & RICHMOND BOROUGH SATURDAY 17th SEPTEMBER 2011 Blue Square Bet South Match report by Jamie Montigue Ian Baird was left ruing “two points dropped” at the end of today’s encounter between the Spitfires, (who came into the game on the back of two defeats) and bottom of the table Hampton & Richmond (who had registered just two points from eight games prior to today’s ‘six-pointer’). Eastleigh made two changes to the starting line-up who were defeated 3-0 away to Dartford last weekend. The Spitfires welcomed Danny Smith back from injury and handed a debut to new loan signing Graeme Montgomery from Aldershot Town. The 23-year-old left sided midfielder joined the club this week and linked up with fellow Shots loanee Henrik Breimyr at the Silverlake Stadium. Breimyr has had his loan stay extended into a second month following a string of impressive performances in midfield and at right-back. Former Havant & Waterlooville midfielder S...

Eastleigh manager Ian Baird spoke to Radio Spitfire before and after today's 'six-pointer' against bottom of the table Hampton & Richmond Borough. Ian Baird interview with Radio Spitfire v Hampton & Richmond. Pre-match >> http://t.co/5Jk0YDJQ and Post-match >> http://t.co/YUT292TB Speaking before kick off Baird spoke of the importance of today's game: “No game is easy and at this stage of the season some could say it’s a relegation battle. "It’s an extremely important game because we’ve come off the back of two losses. I'm not too disappointed with the performances just disappointed with silly mistakes, we need to get back on track." On the subject of player news, Baird confirmed the signings of Graeme Montgomery and Shaun Wilkinson. "Frank (Frankie Raymond) has gone back to Reading but we've bolstered the squad by bringing Graeme Montgomery in from Aldershot. "We've also brought Wilky (Shaun Wilkinson) in,...

Eastleigh v Hampton & Richmond Borough

Blue Square Bet South club Eastleigh have signed experienced midfielder Shaun Wilkinson and have taken former Wealdstone favourite Graeme Montgomery on a month`s loan from npower League Two side Aldershot Town.   Graeme Montgomery Montgomery signed for Ryman League Premier Division side Wealdstone prior to the 2005/06 season, making his debut in a League Cup tie against Croydon Athletic in the November. Over the next three seasons he improved his game which brought him to the attention of professional clubs. Having trialled at Watford and Yeovil Town and after making 141 appearances for the Stones, scoring seventeen goals, he gave up his administrative job with Hertford Council and made the step into the pro game by signing for League Two side Dagenham & Redbridge in December 2008 for an undisclosed four-figure fee and made his League debut as a last-minute substitute against Barnet the following month and appeared four more times from the bench (all in the final...

By Wendy Gee - EASTLEIGH have sacrificed loan full-back Frankie Raymond in favour of introducing some pace and experience further up the left flank. With Raymond returning to Reading after a suspension-interrupted month at the Silverlake Stadium, Spitfires boss Ian Baird has replaced him with another loan signing Graeme Montgomery from Aldershot Town. After a promising start to his month at Eastleigh, Raymond was sent off for an alleged head butt at Tonbridge on his fourth appearance for the club and received a three-match ban. Prior to that, Baird had been looking to take him on a season-long loan but, on reflection, the boss felt the squad needed strengthening elsewhere. "It's nothing to do with Frankie's ability," said Baird. "It's just that we've got one or two players who can fill the left-back role and we've had to make Frankie the sacrificial lamb because we need to strengthen in a different area. "I've s...

  Ex-Saints are playing a charity match in aid of "Help for Heroes" against a Combined Services Eleven at Eastleigh FC at The Silverlake Stadium on Sunday 25th September. Kick off is at 2.30pm. NAMES OF PLAYERS COMMITTED FOR THE GAME: Matt Le Tissier - Team Captain Paul Jones Dave Beasant Fracis Benali Steve Wood David Hughes Paul Tisdale David Howells Glen Cockerill Jimmy Case Graham Baker Steve Baker Andy Cook Ian Baird Nicky Banger Rod Wallace Nick Holmes Russell Osman Gordon Watson Guest Appearance of Paul Merson Guests attending the game: John Sydenham James Beattie Hughie Fisher Peter Rodrigues And a host of other legends and ex-players.

Match Preview by Kieran James Ian Baird's Spitfires will be looking for a win at the Silverlake Stadium against Hampton and Richmond Borough on Saturday, who occupy the last position in the Blue Square Bet South table; to get back on track in league form. Although the Beavers have not won a game this season and have lost six times, they have scored two more goals than the Spitfires this season. 18th placed Eastleigh have two wins and one draw to their name this season. The last time these two teams met was at the Silverlake Stadium when Danny Smith opened the scoring with a placed header in the first minute. Suspended Jamie Brown scored the second with a powerful header and Tony Taggart (now playing for Sutton United) scored the third for the Spitfires. The away fixture at the Beveree Stadium saw the Beavers take the lead with David Stephens opening the scoring for the home side. The Spitfires hit back in the second half with Richard Graham (now playing for Dartford)...

Suburban League Eastleigh Reserves 3 Hemel Hempstead Town Reserves 4 Eastleigh suffered their second Suburban League home defeat of the season in this seven-goal thriller at the Silverlake. At one stage the side were three goals behind but fought their way back into the game but it was Hemel Hempstead who held our for their first win of the season. Ben Chambers notched two and Liam Robinson one for the Spitfires. Their next game is Saturday 17th September when they travel to Camberley Town in the League Cup First Round First Leg. Eastleigh at home to Hemel: Andrew Smallpiece, Luke Davies, Ellis Martin, Liam Hibberd, Will Aimson, Mitchell Goldring (Billy Goddard 30), Callum Casson (Joe Maxwell 40), Will Sturgess, Ben Chambers, Matt Gray, Liam Robinson – Lewis Hunt, Jordan O’Donnell, Sam Moore not used. Wyvern League Sholing Reserves 1 Eastleigh Reserves 1 Manager David Hazelgrove's side earned a creditable 1-1 draw at early season pace-setters Sholing. Despite being on the ...

By Wendy Gee - Skipper Tom Jordan respects Eastleigh's young striker Sam Wilson for surviving the rough, tough world of the Conference South at the age of 16. With the Spitfires ravaged by injury and suspension, Wilson was handed his first Blue Square Bet start against Bromley last Saturday. He was the youngest of six teenagers in a youthful starting eleven which also included Jordace Holder-Spooner, Billy Tsovolos, Andrew White, Henrik Breimyr and Mark Cooper. Leading the line is quite a responsibility for the former Wildern schoolboy, who spent a year at the Porstmouth academy and is one of the first batch of youngsters to venture into full-time football with Eastleigh's new player development scheme. But Wilson, who turns 17 in October, is growing in confidence week by week and experienced team captain Jordan enjoys watching him and his fellow teens blossom. He said: "The young ones are learning fast - and they need to. "They're ...

By Wendy Gee - IAN Baird has warned that Eastleigh's young guns must grow up - and grow up fast - if the club are to avoid a season of struggle in the Blue Square Bet South. Once again, the Spitfires showed plenty of promise at high-flying Dartford on Saturday, but their naivety was ruthlessly punished in a 3-0 defeat at Princes Park. "It wasn't a 3-0 loss. In patches of the game, we did very well and we more than matched them," said Baird. "But once again our naivety showed in the way we conceded the goals. "You can forget the third goal, that was scored in 93rd minute when they broke on us. "But as for the first two, you can't concede goals like that and expect to win games of football. "It's so frustrating when you consider what Dartford have got compared to what we've got and yet all we could hear at half-time was their manager absolutely berating their side. He made me look like Timmy Mallett! "B...

  DARTFORD 3-0 EASTLEIGH SATURDAY 10th   SEPTEMBER 2011 Blue Square Bet South Report by Ray Murphy Eastleigh fell to their second successive defeat with this fixture at Dartford. Dartford with a hundred per cent home record from their three games so far; suffered their first defeat of the season the previous Saturday away at Basingstoke Town. Eastleigh welcomed Ross Bottomley back from injury who filled a midfield berth with Sam Wilson dropping to the substitutes bench. Also amongst the subs was 31-year-old Carlos Geteski a Brazilian born midfielder who the club have been waiting for international clearance since arriving in the country from Cyprus side Omonoia Araddippou. Dartford made the first change of the season to their starting eleven from their opening seven fixtures with striker Elliott Bradbrook making way for Lee Noble. Included in the Dartford line up being ex-Eastleigh winger from last season Richard Graham. The game started slowly and had li...

Continuing with the theme of ex-Eastleigh players now in pastures new, a few more have come to light. Matt Bodkin – Signed for Eastleigh in August 2008 from Grays Athletic then made twenty appearances scoring three goals - the most notable one being the winner against local rivals Havant & Waterlooville in a league fixture. Matt moved on to Grays Athletic again but more recently has been with Thurrock but moved in the summer to Southern League side Margate. Rocky Baptiste – Also donning the colours early season at Thurrock was striker Rocky Baptiste who made one appearance in a friendly for Eastleigh in 2008. The thirty-eight-year-old striker though has now joined Kingstonian in the Ryman League. Brett Poate – Having signed for Eastleigh from Havant & Waterlooville in May 2009, Brett made sixty appearances for The Spitfires netting five goals before departing in the summer to join Southern League South & West Division side Gosport Borough. Fred Toomer – Young go...

By Wendy Gee - EASTLEIGH boss Ian Baird admits he is puzzled by criticism of Jamie Slabber by what he terms 'frienemies' of the club. With teenagers out-numbering senior players in the squad right now, Baird has sacrificed the experienced Slabber's goalscoring prowess in order to shore up central midfield. But that has not met with the approval of the club's so-called 'friendly enemies' who don't think ex-Spurs man Slabber - Eastleigh's top scorer last season - is suited to the engine-room role. Having played Slabber in central midfield in last Saturday's 2-0 home defeat by Bromley, Baird is ready to do it again at third-placed Dartford tomorrow because Jamie Brown, Frankie Raymond, Danny Smith and Ross Bottomley are all either injured or suspended. "Jamie Slabber's best position is centre forward, but I can't go to Dartford with two 18-year-olds in central midfield. We'd get absolutely trounced," said Bair...