# Sholing F.C.

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English football club

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Football club

Sholing Full name Sholing Football Club Nickname The Boatmen Founded 1960 Ground The Mortgage Decisions Stadium, Sholing Capacity 2,500 Chairman Mick Budny Manager Paul Doswell League Southern League Premier Division South 2025–26 Southern League Premier Division South, 6th of 22 Home colours Away colours

**Sholing Football Club** is an [English](/source/List_of_football_clubs_in_England) [football](/source/Association_football) club based in [Sholing](/source/Sholing), [Southampton](/source/Southampton), [Hampshire](/source/Hampshire). Formerly known as Vosper Thornycroft FC and later VTFC the club changed its name in 2010 to Sholing FC. In 2013–14, they won both the [FA Vase](/source/FA_Vase) and the [Wessex League](/source/Wessex_League) Premier Division and have three times been runners up in the Wessex Premier, in 2007, 2009, and 2016. They are currently members of the [Southern League](/source/Southern_Football_League) Premier Division South. The club has twice won the [Hampshire League](/source/Hampshire_League), in 2001 and 2004. Sholing are also eight times [Southampton Senior Cup](/source/Southampton_Senior_Cup) Winners.

## History

### Vosper Thornycroft FC

Sholing FC have a long fragmented history. They were re-formed in 1960 as **[Thornycrofts (Woolston)](/source/Thornycrofts_(Woolston)_F.C.)** - successors to the previous club which had folded several years earlier, although teams from the [Woolston Works](/source/Woolston_Works_F.C.) had competed as early as 1878 under various names.[1] During one remarkable season in [1920](/source/1919%E2%80%9320_FA_Cup), they held [Burnley](/source/Burnley_F.C.) to a 0–0 draw in the [FA Cup](/source/FA_Cup), losing the replay 0-5. [2]

In its post-1960 incarnation, they initially played in the [Southampton League](/source/Southampton_Football_League) - becoming **Vosper Thornycroft** in 1970.[3] After a number of successful years, they were promoted to the [Hampshire League](/source/Hampshire_League) Third Division in 1991, rising to the Second Division the following season, followed by the First Division in 1998.[4] A year later, they were relegated when the competition was re-organised, but at their first attempt, they won promotion to the new Premier Division.[5]

In 2003, Vospers were renamed as **VT FC**, after their parent company, and in their first season under their new name, they were champions and won promotion to the [Wessex League](/source/Wessex_League). After winning the Wessex League Cup in 2005, VTFC were league runners-up in 2008 and 2009. VTFC arrived in the Southern League Division One South and West for the 2009–10 season when they finished 4th. They lost in the subsequent play-offs to [AFC Totton](/source/A.F.C._Totton) and the Southern League Cup to [Cambridge City](/source/Cambridge_City_F.C.).

### Sholing F.C.

Sholing won the FA Vase in 2014.

In June 2010, the club changed its name to Sholing F.C. as the parent company VT Group no longer existed. The change also reflected the district of Southampton in which the club is based.

After four years in the Southern League Division One South and West, where they finished runners-up in 2011 and reached the play-offs in all four of those campaigns, the club resigned from the Southern League in 2013 for financial reasons and stepped back into the Wessex League Premier Division.

During the [2013–14 season](/source/Wessex_Football_League), Sholing won the [FA Vase](/source/FA_Vase) for the first time in their history, beating [West Auckland Town](/source/West_Auckland_Town_F.C.) in the final at [Wembley Stadium](/source/Wembley_Stadium), with Marvin McLean scoring the only goal in the game in the 71st minute.

They also finished as champions of the Wessex League Premier Division and secured promotion back to the [Southern League](/source/Southern_Football_League) for 2014–15.

Three players retired after the Wembley final and three more moved to other clubs in higher leagues, so 2014–15 was going to be a transition season. The club finished 17th and reached the final of the [Hampshire Senior Cup](/source/Hampshire_Senior_Cup), losing 3–0 to [Gosport Borough](/source/Gosport_Borough_F.C.). At the end of the season, it was revealed that the club's ground did not meet the new FA Step 4 grading criteria and once again Sholing were placed in the Wessex League for 2015–16.

Sholing finished as runners-up to [Salisbury](/source/Salisbury_F.C.) in the [Wessex League Premier Division 2015–16](/source/2015%E2%80%9316_Wessex_Football_League). The Boatmen won 10 of their last 11 games to pip Blackfield & Andover to second place. Dan Mason finished as club top scorer with 39 goals, placing him second in the League golden boot competition.

The Boatmen achieved two cup wins in the space of three days at the end of the 2016–17 season, firstly winning the Wessex League Cup, beating Baffins Milton Rovers 2–1, then lifting the Southampton Senior Cup with a 3–1 victory over Team Solent at St Mary's Stadium. In the Wessex Premier Division, they finished 3rd.

Sholing, once again, finished in 3rd place in the Wessex Premier Division in the 2017–18 season. Despite the runners up, Andover Town, declining promotion, Sholing's Points Per Game (PPG) was less than other clubs in Step 5, so the club was not offered promotion by the FA. The following season, however, the club won the Wessex League championship.[6] During the course of the season, manager Dave Diaper reached the milestone of 1000 games in charge of the team.[7]

The Boatmen currently play in the Southern League Premier Division, following a play-off win over Hamworthy United in 2022–23. Manager Dave Diaper stepped down in October 2023 after 25 years at the helm and 1,210 matches with Paul Doswell taking charge in the dugout, assisted by Ross White and Ian Baird. Sholing finished the 2024-25 season in 11th place, having doubled the average attendance to over 500.

## Ground

Sholing play their home games at The Mortgage Decisions Stadium. The ground has covered seating for 288 supporters and covered terracing for 710. A new 400 capacity stand was opened for the start of the 2024–25 season by [Levi Colwill](/source/Levi_Colwill) and [Matthew Le Tissier](/source/Matthew_Le_Tissier). In the summer of 2025, a 3G pitch was installed along with further ground improvements.

Pangea Stand at The Mortgage Decisions Stadium, home of Sholing Football Club

Aerial photograph of The Mortgage Decisions Stadium, home of Sholing Football Club

## Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under [FIFA eligibility rules](/source/FIFA_eligibility_rules); some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK ENG Craig King 2 DF ENG Spencer Spurway 3 DF ENG Joe Rabbetts 4 MF ENG Blaise Riley-Snow 5 DF ENG Dan Wishart 6 DF ENG Harry Taylor 7 MF ENG Jake McCarthy 8 DF ENG Byron Mason (Captain) 9 FW ENG Dan Mason 10 MF ENG Jake Hesketh 11 FW ENG Bradley Targett 12 FW ENG Vinnie Tume No. Pos. Nation Player 13 GK ENG Charlie Searle 14 MF POR Fabio Lopes 16 MF ENG Reece Wylie 17 MF ENG Karlos Gregory 18 FW ENG Ricardo German 19 FW ENG Michael Folivi 20 MF ENG Beaux Booth 22 MF ENG Jayvon Colwill — FW ENG Gio Crichlow — MF ENG Jacob Gardiner-Smith — MF ENG Dan Jones

## Honours

- **[FA Vase](/source/FA_Vase)**[8] - Winners: [2013–14](/source/2013%E2%80%9314_FA_Vase)

- **[Southern League Division One South & West](/source/Southern_Football_League)**[9] - Runners-up: [2010–11](/source/2010%E2%80%9311_Southern_Football_League#League_table_3)

- **[Wessex League Premier Division](/source/Wessex_Football_League)**[10] - Champions: [2013–14](/source/2013%E2%80%9314_Wessex_Football_League), [2018–19](/source/2018%E2%80%9319_Wessex_Football_League) - Runners-up: [2007–08](/source/2007%E2%80%9308_Wessex_Football_League), [2008–09](/source/2008%E2%80%9309_Wessex_Football_League), [2015–16](/source/2015%E2%80%9316_Wessex_Football_League)

- **[Hampshire Premier League](/source/Hampshire_Premier_League)**[10][11] - Champions: 2000–01, 2003–04

- **Wessex League Cup**[12] - Winners: 2004–05, 2016–17

- **Hampshire Senior Cup**[13] - Runners-up: 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15

- **Southampton Senior Cup** - Winners: 2001–02, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2013–14, 2016–17

- **Russell Cotes Cup (Hampshire FA Benevolent Cup)** - Winners: 2019–20, 2020–21

## Club records

- Best League performance: [Southern League Premier Division South](/source/2023%E2%80%9324_Southern_Football_League) 15th, 2023–24

- Best [FA Cup](/source/FA_Cup) performance: 4th Qualifying Round, 2020–21

- Best [FA Trophy](/source/FA_Trophy) performance: 1st Round, 2019–20

- Best [FA Vase](/source/FA_Vase) performance: Winners, 2013–14

- Record attendance : 1,888 ( v Chelsea U19, 26 July 2025 )

- Record league attendance : 1,005 ( v AFC Totton, 13 August 2024 )

- Appearances : Marvin McLean, 801

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Association Football in Hampshire until 1914 by Norman Gannaway

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Hampshire Football Association Centenary History 1887-1987 by Norman Gannaway

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** A Century of Southampton Local Soccer 1908-2008 by John Moody

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** A History of the Hampshire League 1896-1996 by Norman Gannaway

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** A Tabulated History of the Hampshire League by Stephen Farmery

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Football:Portland to host champions Sholing"](https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/sport/17589001.football-portland-to-host-champions-sholing/). *Dorset Echo*. 22 April 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Dave Diaper: Sholing FC manager reaches 1,000 games in charge of non-league club"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45207478). BBC Sport. 30 August 2018. Retrieved 22 April 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-favase_8-0)** ["Sholing win the FA Vase"](http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/11205090.Sholing_win_the_FA_Vase/?ref=twt). Southern Daily Echo. 10 May 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-fchd_9-0)** ["Football Club History Database – Sholing"](https://www.fchd.info/SHOLING.HTM). Fchd.info. Retrieved 5 August 2012.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-fchd2_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-fchd2_10-1) ["Football Club History Database – V T F C"](https://www.fchd.info/VTFC.HTM). Fchd.info. Retrieved 5 August 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-fchd1_11-0)** ["Football Club History Database – Vosper Thornycroft"](https://www.fchd.info/VOSPERTH.HTM). Fchd.info. Retrieved 5 August 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-lcup_12-0)** [Sydenhams League Cup](http://www.wessexleague.co.uk/public/Sydenhams%20League%20Cup.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20121023171315/http://wessexleague.co.uk/public/Sydenhams%20League%20Cup.pdf) 23 October 2012 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) Sydenhams Football League (Wessex)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-fchd5_13-0)** "AFC Totton beat Sholing to win Hampshire Senior Cup". BBC Sport. 26 May 2011.

## External links

- [Official website](http://www.sholingfc.co.uk)

- [Sholing FC](https://www.fchd.info/SHOLING.HTM) at the *Football Club History Database*

- [VT FC](https://www.fchd.info/VTFC.HTM) at the *Football Club History Database*

- [Vosper Thornycroft FC](https://www.fchd.info/VOSPERTH.HTM) at the *Football Club History Database*

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[50°53′35.75″N 1°20′17.24″W / 50.8932639°N 1.3381222°W / 50.8932639; -1.3381222](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Sholing_F.C.&params=50_53_35.75_N_1_20_17.24_W_region:GB_type:landmark)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sholing F.C.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sholing_F.C.) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sholing_F.C.?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.