Folland Sports F.C.
Association football club in England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Folland Sports Football Club is a football club based in Hamble-le-Rice, near Southampton, in Hampshire, England. They are currently members of the Wessex League Division One and play at Folland Park.
| |||
| Full name | Folland Sports Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | The Planemakers | ||
| Founded | 1938 (as Folland Aircraft) | ||
| Ground | Folland Park, Hamble-le-Rice | ||
| Capacity | 1,000 (150 seated)[1] | ||
| Chairmen | Ian Josephs & James Langdown | ||
| Manager | Jayda Chiutare | ||
| League | Wessex League Division One | ||
| 2025–26 | Wessex League Division One, 2nd of 22 | ||
|
| |||
History
The club was established in 1938 by workers of the Hamble-le-Rice aircraft factory under the name Folland Aircraft.[2][1] The club won the Hampshire Senior Cup in 1940–41.[3] The following season saw the club win the Hampshire League and the Hampshire FA's Russell Cotes Cup.[4] By 1948 the club had left the Hampshire League and were renamed Folland Sports. After a spell playing in the Southampton League, they rejoined the Hampshire League in 1968, becoming members of Division Three East.[5]
When league reorganisation in 1971 saw the regional third divisions replaced with Division Three and Division Four, Folland Sports were placed in Division Three.[6] However, in 1975–76 they finished second-from-bottom of Division Three and were relegated to Division Four.[6] In 1979–80 the club were Division Four champions and moved up to Division Three as Division Four was disbanded;[6] the season also saw them win the Hampshire Intermediate Cup.[4] They won Division Three the following season, earning a second successive promotion, this time to Division Two.[7] In 1985–86 the club were Division Two runners-up and were promoted to Division One.[8] After finishing third in Division One the following season, they moved up to the Wessex League.[8]
In 1990 the club were renamed Aerostructures S&S.[8] In 1997–98 they won the League Cup,[9] before adopting another new name, this time becoming Hamble ASSC.[10] When the Wessex League gained a second division in 2004 the club became members of Division One.[11] The division was renamed the Premier Division in 2006, and despite finishing bottom of the table in 2006–07 they avoided relegation to Division One. However, after finishing second-from-bottom of the division in 2008–09, the club were relegated to Division One.[11] They went on to win Division One the following season, earning an immediate promotion back to the Premier Division.[11] In 2011 the club were renamed GE Hamble,[11] although the new name lasted only two seasons as they reverted back to their former name of Folland Sports in 2013.[12]
Folland Sports finished bottom of the Wessex League Premier Division in 2015–16 and were relegated to Division One.[8] They finished fourth in Division One in 2021–22, qualifying for the promotion play-offs; the club subsequently lost their semi-final against Newport (IOW) on penalties. They were Division One runners-up in 2025–26, before losing 1–0 to Whitchurch United in the play-off semi-finals.
Ground
The club play at Folland Park. When they joined the Wessex League in 1987 the ground was upgraded, with floodlights and pitch barriers installed.[4] The ground has a small stand with wooden bench seating on one side of the pitch, with uncovered standing at both ends.[13] It has a capacity of 1,000, of which 150 is seated and covered.[1]
Honours
- Wessex League
- Division One champions 2009–10
- League Cup winners 1997–98
- Hampshire League
- Division Three champions 1980–81
- Division Four champions 1979–80
- Hampshire Senior Cup
- Winners 1940–41
- Southampton Senior Cup
- Winners 1944–45, 1984–85, 1986–87[14]
- Reg Mathieson Cup
- Winners 1984–85, 1986–87[4]
- Hampshire Intermediate Cup
- Winners 1979–80