| Full name | Netley Athletic Victoria Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1948 | ||
| Dissolved | 2006 | ||
| Ground | Castle Rec, Netley | ||
Netley Athletic Victoria were a long running amateur football club based in Netley - a village located to the south-east of the city of Southampton in Hampshire.
The club were founded in 1948 by George Holmes as a Sunday School League side called Netley Methodists.
In 1954 they began their long association with the Southampton League and made rapid progress, winning the Junior Division 2 title in 1957. [1]
The following season saw Netley enjoy great success in the cup competitions. They gained national recognition when they won the All-Britain Methodist Youth Clubs Cup after a 2–0 final win against Roker Youth Club at Roker Park, Sunderland. [2] Closer to home, they also won the Southampton Junior 'A' Cup after a 2–0 victory over West End, but were denied a unique treble after losing the county equivalent 1–2 against Locks Heath. [3]
After this, the club severed its connection with the Methodist Youth Club and adopted the name of Netley Athletic. The team continued to make steady progress in the league, reaching the Senior section where they became mainstays for many years. In 1984 they became known as Netley Athletic Victoria - in recognition of their connection with the near-by Netley Victoria Club, a popular post-match venue for players and supporters.
In 1987, Netley finished runners-up in the Premier Division and made a successful application to join the Hampshire League. [4] On limited resources, they did well to consolidate in a tough Division 2, before departing the competition in 1993 [5]
Hampshire League record 1987-93
| Season | Division | Position | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987/88 | Two | 10/19 | 36 | 14 | 7 | 15 | 52 | 59 | 35 | |
| 1988/89 | Two | 13/19 | 36 | 13 | 9 | 14 | 50 | 52 | 35 | |
| 1989/90 | Two | 16/18 | 34 | 7 | 11 | 16 | 27 | 53 | 32 | 3 points for a win |
| 1990/91 | Two | 18/18 | 34 | 4 | 4 | 26 | 31 | 76 | 16 | Relegated |
| 1991/92 | Three | 5/14 | 26 | 12 | 6 | 8 | 59 | 51 | 42 | Promoted |
| 1992/93 | Two | 18/18 | 34 | 6 | 8 | 20 | 38 | 92 | 26 | Relegated - left competition |
After this, Netley continued to operate in the more realistic Southampton League - retaining the position of their Reserves who had recently risen up to Senior Division 1. They immediately won promotion as runners-up, but after two seasons in the top-flight, they were relegated. Further struggles eventually resulted in their 1999 demise.
Two years later, the club returned as a Sunday side, but the venture was short-lived and they folded in 2006.
Netley Athletic played their home games at Castle Recreation Ground, Victoria Road, Netley Abbey, Southampton, SO31 5FA. [9]
Unusual for its sea front location, Castle Rec remains in use today. There is one adult pitch, notorious for its sideways slope. Owned by Hound Parish Council, it has a modern pavilion and plenty of car parking.
During their existence, Netley Athletic enjoyed a long running local rivalry with several clubs, most notably Netley Central Sports.
