Sholing

Sholing were formed in 1960 as Vosper Thornycroft FC, a works team for the Southampton shipbuilding company, and later played as VTFC before adopting the name Sholing in 2010. The club’s roots stretch further back through teams connected with Woolston, while their present home reflects their Southampton identity. Their rise through the local leagues began in earnest in the 1990s, eventually taking them into the Wessex League and then the Southern League.

The club’s biggest achievement came in 2013–14, when Sholing won the Wessex Premier Division and the FA Vase, beating West Auckland Town 1–0 at Wembley through Marvin McLean’s goal. They won the Wessex title again in 2018–19, before reaching Step 3 for the first time through the Southern League play-offs in 2022–23. Their 2020–21 FA Cup run also saw them reach the fourth qualifying round, their best performance in the competition.