Road-Sea Southampton F.C.
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| Full name | Road-Sea Southampton Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1973 | ||
| Dissolved | 1987 | ||
| Ground | Staplewood, Marchwood, Nr Southampton | ||
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Road-Sea Southampton F.C. were a football club best known for moving directly from playing in amateur Sunday league parks football to the semi-professional Southern League during their short fourteen-year existence.
History
Founded in 1973, Road-Sea originally played in the City of Southampton Sunday League where they won every possible honour as they rose up through the PM divisions. In 1976–77 they reached the semi-final of the FA Sunday Cup.
Road-Sea then purchased some land at Staplewood, Marchwood, near Southampton and with the aid of some fine financial backing, and momentum from team manager Peter Price saw the facilities develop. This resulted in an ambitious application to join the semi-professional Southern League being sensationally accepted in 1982 despite no history whatsoever of playing Saturday football.
Southern League
Whilst in the Southern League Southern Division, Road-Sea silenced their critics as they pushed for promotion to the Premier Division and after finishing a highly creditable 3rd in their debut season behind champions Fisher Athletic and Folkestone, they won promotion as champions in 1983–84. Road-Sea continued to thrive in the highly competitive Premier Division as they then finished a marvellous 5th in 1984–85. The following season was much tougher as the club finished mid-table.
Wessex League & demise
In 1986 Road-Sea surprisingly decided to withdraw from the league and become founder members of the new Wessex League (formed that year mostly by the Hampshire League's top clubs with the best facilities). Road-Sea then finished runners-up, reached the final of the Hampshire Senior Cup and won both the League and Russell Cotes Cup's but the club's short but amazing history was ended when they lost their financial backing, which resulted in their sudden demise.
The club's home ground, Road-Sea Park was later sold to Southampton who use it to stage Reserve and Youth team games as well as training.
Notable former players
A number of ex-professionals played for the club including Paul Bennett, Malcolm Waldron, Pat Earles and Kevin Dawtry.
Honours
- Southern Football League Southern Division[1]
- Champions 1983–84
Records
- FA Cup[1]
- Third Qualifying Round 1985–86, 1986–87
- FA Trophy
- Second Qualifying Round 1985–86
- FA Vase
- Fifth Round 1983–84
- FA Sunday Cup
- Semi-Finals 1976–77
References
- ^ a b RS Southampton at the Football Club History Database