New Milton Town F.C.
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| Full name | New Milton Town Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Linnets | ||
| Founded | 1998 | ||
| Ground | Fawcetts Field, New Milton | ||
| Capacity | 1,500 | ||
| Chairman | Scot MacFarlane | ||
| Manager | Shane Sheridan | ||
| League | Wessex League Division One | ||
| 2023–24 | Wessex League Division One, 19th of 21 | ||
| Website | Club website | ||
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New Milton Town Football Club is a football club based in New Milton, Hampshire, England. They were formed in 1998 by a merger between AFC Lymington and New Milton Town. They were champions of the Wessex League in 1998–99 and 2004–05. They resigned from the Southern Football League in 2007 and played in the Wessex League Premier Division from the 2007–08 season until the end of the 2012-13 season, when they were relegated. The team now plays in the Wessex League Division One.
History
Formation
The club was formed in the summer of 1998 as a result of the merger of AFC Lymington and New Milton Town, as Lymington and New Milton F.C. AFC Lymington had won the Wessex League twice in succession but found their path to promotion into the Southern League blocked by difficulties with ground-grading. It was impossible to improve the facilities at their home ground in Southampton Road, Lymington, to meet the grading criteria of the higher league due to the sharing of the ground with Lymington Cricket Club. Specifically it would have been impossible to have completely enclosed the football pitch and installed the turnstiling and other safety features demanded by the Southern League. New Milton Town, on the other hand, had moved into a new purpose-built ground provided for them by New Milton Town Council, but were languishing in the Hampshire League, seemingly unable to progress to a higher level.
The merger was in effect a takeover by AFC Lymington of the New Milton club in order to gain possession of a ground suitable for progression to a higher level of football, and the new team for the 1998–99 season resembled the old AFC Lymington line-up. No New Milton Town players were included in the first team. New Milton Town F.C. continued for one season back in the Hampshire league under the manager Don Emberson at their new home at Milford-on-Sea, but due to financial constraints the club reluctantly folded. Some dissenters resented the move from Lymington to New Milton, a distance of some eight miles, and formed a new club, Lymington Town, to use the old facilities at Southampton Road, vacated by the AFC club.
Subsequent history
Lymington & New Milton FC won the Wessex League at the first attempt, and also had an excellent run in the FA Vase, reaching the last eight before losing at Taunton Town. Promotion to the Southern League was refused, however, because Fawcett's Field narrowly failed to meet the league’s ground grading requirements, the main issue being the nature of the fence erected at the road end of the ground.
The following season the club gained an even higher points total and lost fewer games than in their inaugural season but only finished as runners-up to Wimborne Town. The club also did well in the FA Cup, reaching the Fourth Qualifying Round before losing to Aldershot Town. Despite only finishing second in the league, the club made another application to join the Southern League, but lack of urgency in completing the needed improvements to the fencing again precluded promotion.
In 2000–01 the Linnets were again runners-up in the Wessex League, this time behind Andover, however this time there was to be no question of promotion because the club withdrew their application, quoting financial reasons. In 2004–05 the Wessex League title returned to Fawcett's Field with a final day victory over Gosport Borough clinching matters.[1] Another good run in the FA Cup saw another 4th Qualifying Round exit, this time against Football Conference side Woking after a replay.
The Isthmian League initially rejected the club's application for promotion, however an intervention by members of the Woking board, who had been impressed with the facilities offered by Fawcett's Field on their trip to New Milton in the FA Cup, is believed to have swayed matters, and eventually the Linnets were permitted to take their place in the Isthmian League Division One. In the summer of 2006 they were switched into the Southern League as part of a larger reorganisation of the National League System.
In 2007 the club changed its name back to New Milton Town in preparation for the 2007–08 season in the Southern League. Then in early June 2007 a walkout of the chairman, manager and assistant manager had the new committee reviewing the club's finances and future. The club tendered their resignation from the Southern League on 8 June 2007.
At the beginning of the 2013-14 season, Callum Brooks was appointed to manage the club with the aim of returning to the Premier Division. After a difficult first season in charge, fraught with injuries and budget concerns; Brooks guided the club to 11th place. Brooks, the son of ex AFC Bournemouth assistant Shaun Brooks and grandson of former England international Johnny Brooks, had previously held a role at the AFC Bournemouth academy and is currently preparing for his second season in charge of the club.
With Brooks leaving for Poole Town early in the 2015-16 season the job was given to Connor Natella who later resigned and Jordan Hiscocks was placed in charge with the aim of keeping the club in the league, which was done after some big wins against local rivals Ringwood and Christchurch.
Jordan stepped down as manager during the 2016-2017 season to take the position of Vice Chairman and after an ill fated short spell in charge from Luke Phillips, Ex player Shane Sheridan returned to the club to oversee an upturn in results.
The club has grown dramatically in recent years with Men's Reserves, Veterans, Ladies Football and Girls football all being added to the club.
Ground
New Milton Town FC play their home games at Fawcetts Fields, Christchurch Road, New Milton BH25 6QB.
Current staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Scot MacFarlane |
| Vice Chairman | Matthew Betteridge - Jordan Hiscock |
| Commercial Manager | Richard Stainer |
| Secretary | Viv Williams |
| Club Patron | John Williams |
| Director Of Football | John Sainty |
| Manager | Shane Sheridan |
| Assistant manager | Joe Sullivan |
| Coach | Mark Morris (footballer, born 1962) |
| Physio | Jason Gill |
| Goalkeeper Coach | Luke Somerscales |
| Reserve Team Manager | Chris Emms |
| Ladies First Team Manager | Lou Fern |
| Ladies Assistant Manager | Mark Joyce |
| Ladies Reserve Team Manager | Michelle Keehan |
| Veterans Manager | Nigel Allen |
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Club records (current club)
- Best league performance: 16th in Isthmian League Division One, 2005–06
- Best FA Cup performance: 4th qualifying round, 1999-00, 2003–04, 2004–05
- Best FA Trophy performance: 1st qualifying round, 2005–06
- Best FA Vase performance: Quarter-finals, 1998–99
References
- ^ Rundle, Richard. "2004-05 Wessex League". www.fchd.info. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
External links
- Lymington & New Milton at the Football Club History Database