 | |||
| Full name | Pirelli General Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Cablemen | ||
| Founded | 1916 | ||
| Dissolved | 2003 | ||
| Ground | Jubilee Sports Ground, Chestnut Avenue, Eastleigh | ||
Pirelli General were a long-running amateur football club based in Eastleigh, Hampshire. For a time they were the top club in the town and played in the Hampshire League until they ceased to exist in 2003.
Pirelli General FC were founded in 1916 as the works side of the Pirelli General cable making company. [1] They initially played in the Winchester & District and Eastleigh Leagues before transferring to the larger Southampton League. [2]
By 1933 the club were playing at Dew Lane (fondly known locally as 'Eastleigh Wembley') and were fielding six sides. The 1st Team enjoyed an excellent season, winning the Senior Division 1 title and the Southampton Senior Cup for first time. This saw them elected to the Hampshire League Division 2 where they finished runners-up in their debut season before winning the title the following year and establishing themselves in Division 1. [3]
Once normal football had resumed after World War II, Pirelli's returned to the county league where they were placed in Division 2 and 'The Cablemen' were regular FA Cup entrants at this time, although never progressing beyond the preliminary rounds. [4] However, despite winning the Hampshire Intermediate Cup in 1955–56, it was not until 1962–63 that Pirelli's returned to top flight when they won the Division 2 title.
In 1965 Pirelli's moved to their best known home ground at Chestnut Avenue in Eastleigh and with some good facilities the club remained a steady Division 1 outfit, twice finishing 3rd in the late sixties.
The seventies was the golden age for Pirelli's, especially the 1971–72 season when they were Division 1 Champions. [5] The next fourteen years saw the club remain regular title contenders and in 1976–77 they caused a big upset when they defeated favourites Farnborough Town 1–0 to win the Hampshire Senior Cup. [6]
In 1986 the Wessex League [7] was formed (mostly by the Hampshire League's top clubs) but Pirelli's remained with the county league and were again champions in 1992–93. [8]
Despite the parent company moving out of Eastleigh, Pirelli's continued to play in the top-flight of the Hampshire League until the loss of their ground in 2003 saw the club withdraw from the competition and fold. [9]
| Season | Division | Position | Significant events |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1933/34 | Division 2 | 2/12 | Runners-up, not promoted |
| 1934/35 | Division 2 | 1/16 | Champions, promoted |
| 1935/36 | Division 1 | 6/16 | |
| 1936/37 | Division 1 | 4/16 | |
| 1937/38 | Division 1 | 15/16 | |
| 1938/39 | Division 1 | 16/16 | Relegated |
| 1939-46 | |||
| 1946/47 | Division 2 | 2/12 | Runners-up, not promoted |
| 1947/48 | Division 2 | 5/12 | |
| 1948/49 | Division 2 | 9/14 | |
| 1949/50 | Division 2 | 8/14 | |
| 1950/51 | Division 2 | 5/14 | |
| 1951/52 | Division 2 | 5/14 | |
| 1952/53 | Division 2 | 12/14 | |
| 1953/54 | Division 2 | 12/14 | |
| 1954/55 | Division 2 | 7/14 | |
| 1955/56 | Division 2 | 6/16 | |
| 1956/57 | Division 2 | 4/16 | |
| 1957/58 | Division 2 | 9/16 | |
| 1958/59 | Division 2 | 5/16 | |
| 1959/60 | Division 2 | 9/16 | |
| 1960/61 | Division 2 | 10/16 | |
| 1961/62 | Division 2 | 11/16 | |
| 1962/63 | Division 2 | 1/16 | Champions, promoted |
| 1963/64 | Division 1 | 11/16 | |
| 1964/65 | Division 1 | 8/16 | |
| 1965/66 | Division 1 | 9/16 | |
| 1966/67 | Division 1 | 7/16 | |
| 1967/68 | Division 1 | 3/16 | |
| 1968/69 | Division 1 | 3/16 | |
| 1969/70 | Division 1 | 10/16 | |
| 1970/71 | Division 1 | 4/16 | |
| 1971/72 | Division 1 | 1/16 | Champions |
| 1972/73 | Division 1 | 5/16 | |
| 1973/74 | Division 1 | 7/16 | |
| 1974/75 | Division 1 | 3/16 | |
| 1975/76 | Division 1 | 7/16 | |
| 1976/77 | Division 1 | 7/16 | |
| 1977/78 | Division 1 | 7/16 | |
| 1978/79 | Division 1 | 6/16 | |
| 1979/80 | Division 1 | 5/16 | |
| 1980/81 | Division 1 | 14/20 | |
| 1981/82 | Division 1 | 19/20 | Not relegated |
| 1982/83 | Division 1 | 5/20 | |
| 1983/84 | Division 1 | 3/20 | |
| 1984/85 | Division 1 | 5/20 | |
| 1985/86 | Division 1 | 9/20 | Re-organisation due to formation of Wessex League in 1986 |
| 1986/87 | Division 1 | 14/18 | |
| 1987/88 | Division 1 | 16/18 | |
| 1988/89 | Division 1 | 3/17 | |
| 1989/90 | Division 1 | 7/18 | |
| 1990/91 | Division 1 | 7/18 | |
| 1991/92 | Division 1 | 4/18 | |
| 1992/93 | Division 1 | 1/17 | Champions, not promoted |
| 1993/94 | Division 1 | 4/20 | |
| 1994/95 | Division 1 | 7/20 | |
| 1995/96 | Division 1 | 9/20 | |
| 1996/97 | Division 1 | 16/21 | |
| 1997/98 | Division 1 | 8/20 | |
| 1998/99 | Division 1 | 14/19 | |
| 1999/00 | Premier Division | 8/22 | Re-organisation |
| 2000/01 | Premier Division | 5/21 | |
| 2001/02 | Premier Division | 12/21 | |
| 2002/03 | Premier Division | 16/20 | Left competition |
| Season | Round | Opponents | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1947/48 | Extra-Preliminary Round | A v Andover | L 0–7 |
| 1948/49 | Extra-Preliminary Round | H v Romsey Town | L 2–5 |
| 1949/50 | Preliminary Round | H v Cowes | L 3–4 |
| 1950/51 | Extra-Preliminary Round | A v Thornycroft Athletic | D 5-5 |
| Replay | H v Thornycroft Athletic | W 3–2 | |
| Preliminary Round | H v Hamworthy United | L 1–2 |
| Season | Round | Opponents | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977/78 | Preliminary Round | H v Chichester City | W 2–0 |
| Round 1 | H v Farnham Town | W 6–1 | |
| Round 2 | A v Gosport Borough | L 1–3 | |
| 1981/82 | Preliminary Round | H v Sholing Sports | L 1–2 |
| 1982/83 | Preliminary Round | H v Romsey Town | L 0–1 |
| 1983/84 | Preliminary Round | H v Farnham Town | L 0–1 |
| 1984/85 | Preliminary Round | H v Thatcham Town | W 2–0 |
| Round 1 | H v Wilton Rovers | W 3–0 | |
| Round 2 | A v Sharpness | L 1–2 | |
| 1985/86 | Preliminary Round | H v Lancing | W 4–1 |
| Round 1 | H v Malden Vale | W 3–2 | |
| Round 2 | H v AFC Totton | L 0–2 |
Pirelli General played at the Jubilee Sports Ground at Chestnut Avenue in Eastleigh. The venue had three adult pitches, with the main one enclosed with floodlights and a wooden stand.
After the club's demise, the ground sat unused until 2010 when AFC Stoneham took up residence. [14] In 2020 the venue was sold for housing.
Scottish striker Craig McAllister [15] began his career with Pirelli before joining neighbours Eastleigh in 2001 then going on to play professionally for a number of clubs. [16]
With there being so many teams in the area, Pirelli General had many local rivals. These mostly included Eastleigh, AC Delco, Eastleigh Athletic, BTC Southampton and Ford Sports (formerly Briggs Social).
