Eastleigh Athletic F.C. were a long-running amateur football club, based in Eastleigh, Hampshire.
History
The Eastleigh Railway Depot was opened by the London & South Western Railway Company in 1891 and shortly afterwards workers formed a football team, initially known as Eastleigh LSWR.
The company owned their own sports ground at Dutton Lane in the town, which over the years was developed with an oval cycling track and grandstand for spectators.Association Football in Hampshire until 1914 by Norman Gannaway
In 1896 the club adopted their best known identity of Eastleigh Athletic and were one of the eight founder members of the Hampshire League, playing in the first ever match - losing 4-5 against Freemantle. Despite this, they finished the inaugural season in 4th place.A History of the Hampshire League 1896-1996 by Norman Gannaway
The 1897–98 campaign was a memorable one as they were league champions and Hampshire Senior Cup winners, after a 2–1 victory against the 2nd Gordon Highlanders (Aldershot). The final was played at the County Ground, Southampton in front of a large crowd. They also participated in the Western League (Professional Section). Also playing in this eight-team Division were Swindon Town, Reading, Bristol City and Eastville (now Bristol Rovers) - Eastleigh finished in 7th place.
The following season (1898-99) they then joined the Southern League Division 2 (South West Section), finishing 5th out of six clubs, The official centenary history of the Southern League. Paper Plane Publishing Ltd but on the scrapping of this short-lived division the main focus switched back to the more realistic Hampshire League.
In 1903 the league was divided into regional sections with Eastleigh placed in the South Division where they consolidated, however, they still maintained a strong cup pedigree. Eastleigh Athletic were regular entrants in the national competitions and in 1902–03 enjoyed their best run in the FA Cup when they reached the 4th Qualifying Round, losing 1–3 away to Dorset side Whiteheads.Hampshire Football Association Centenary History 1887-1987 by Norman Gannaway
There was further cup glory in 1908–09 when they recorded a fine double by again winning the Hampshire Senior Cup after a 2–0 victory against the 2nd Cameron Highlanders (Tidworth) and also the inaugural Southampton Senior Cup after a 2–0 victory over Bitterne Guild (both games were played at The Dell, Southampton.A Century of Southampton Local Soccer 1908-2008 by John Moody
The 1910–11 season saw the 'Railwaymen' reach another two finals; the Hampshire Senior Cup was won for the third and final time after a 4–2 success against Kings Royal Rifles Corps (Gosport) at Fratton Park, Portsmouth but they were denied another double after losing the Southampton Senior Cup final 0–3 (in a replay) against Bitterne Guild, who gained revenge for their defeat two years previously.Bitterne Football A Gimpse at the Past by Ken Prior
The club closed down for World War I but reformed once peace resumed. The early twenties saw another two appearances in the Southampton Senior Cup finalSouthampton Senior Cup – The Finals 1909-2022 by Gary Day and the West Division title won in 1922–23. However, in 1925, after a poor season, they opted to join the less demanding Southampton League, where they soon found their feet again as they consecutively won the Junior 3, Junior 2 and South Hants Division titles during the final three seasons of the decade.Southampton Football League Handbook & Directory 2018/19
In 1930 the club returned to the Hampshire League Division 2 under the name of SR Eastleigh Athletic (S.R. stood for Southern Railway, the new owners of the locomotive works in Eastleigh) and the team soon re-established themselves as they pushed for promotion. After several near misses they were champions in 1938–39 only to have their progress halted by the outbreak of World War II.A Tabulated History of the Hampshire League by Stephen Farmery
After World War II, Eastleigh again returned to the county League in 1947, where they were placed in Division 3 East and when British Rail took over the works two years later their name was amended to BR Eastleigh Athletic.
Disaster struck after when they lost the use of Dutton Lane after the Railway Goods Yard was expanded. This, along with the emergence of other clubs in the town contributed to a gradual decline in their fortunes.
A temporary new home ground was found at nearby Bishopstoke, and after several steady seasons they won promotion in 1956–57 as Division 3 runners-up. However, by the early sixties Eastleigh were playing at Fleming Park (a council owned sports centre still used today) and had to leave the competition in 1961 due to the venue's inadequate facilities.
A year later they were re-admitted back after agreeing a groundshare with neighbours and league rivals BTC Southampton. They were placed in Division 3 but after several seasons of struggle, they were relegated in 1964–65 after finishing bottom. Their fortunes did not improve back in the Southampton League and they folded in August 1966.
A successor club called B.R.S.A. (British Rail Staff Association) later played in both the Eastleigh & District League and the lower junior divisions of the Southampton League before finally calling it a day in 1977.Gone But Not Forgotten (Part 5), by Dave Twydell,
Honours
1st Team Hampshire League Division 1 Champions 1897/98 Division 2 Champions 1938/39 and Runners-up 1931/32 Division 3 Runners-up 1956/57 West Division Champions 1922/23 South Division Runners-up 1919/20 Hampshire Football Association Hampshire Football Association Yearbook 2005/06 Senior Cup Winners 1897/98, 1908/09 and 1910/11 Southampton League Junior Division 2 Champions 1927/28 Junior Division 3 Champions 1926/27 South Hants Division Champions 1928/29 Southampton Football Association Southampton Divisional Football Association Handbook 2017/18 Senior Cup Winners 1908/09, Finalists 1910/11, 1919/20 and 1922/23
2nd Team Hampshire Football Association Junior 'A' Cup Winners 1932/33 Southampton Football Association Junior 'A' Cup Winners 1929/30 Junior Consolation Cup Winners 1929/30
Playing records
League SeasonDivisionPositionSignificant events1896/97Hampshire League4/8Founder Members1897/98Western League Professional Section7/8Left competition Hampshire League1/8Champions1898/99Southern League Division 2 South & West Section5/6Left competition Hampshire League6/81899/1900Hampshire League3/81900/01Hampshire League5/5Re-elected1901/02Hampshire League6/71902/03Hampshire League3/81903/04Hampshire League South Division5/91904/05Hampshire League South Division3/91905/06Hampshire League South Division4/81906/07Hampshire League South Division7/81907/08Hampshire League South Division7/101908/09Hampshire League South Division5/81909/10Hampshire League South Division7/101910/11Hampshire League South Division3/91911/12Hampshire League County Division6/81912/13Hampshire League County Division6/81913/14Hampshire League County Division5/81914-19 1919/20Hampshire League South Division2/5Runners-up, promoted1920/21Hampshire League County Division12/12Relegated1921/22Hampshire League Sectional Division5/11Re-organisation1922/23Hampshire League West Division1/10Champions, promoted1923/24Hampshire League County Division16/16Withdrew, record expunged1924/25Hampshire League East Division9/9Left competition1925-30Southampton League 1930/31Hampshire League Division 29/131931/32Hampshire League Division 22/14Runners-up, not promoted1932/33Hampshire League Division 27/13 1933/34Hampshire League Division 25/121934/35Hampshire League Division 23/161935/36Hampshire League Division 24/151936/37Hampshire League Division 25/161937/38Hampshire League Division 23/141938/39Hampshire League Division 21/15Champions, not promoted1939-47 1947/48Hampshire League Division 3 East6/121948/49Hampshire League Division 3 East8/141949/50Hampshire League Division 3 East12/141950/51Hampshire League Division 3 East9/141951/52Hampshire League Division 3 East10/141952/53Hampshire League Division 3 East13/14Re-elected1953/54Hampshire League Division 3 East6/141954/55Hampshire League Division 3 East8/111955/56Hampshire League Division 3 East10/161956/57Hampshire League Division 32/16Runners-up, promoted1957/58Hampshire League Division 210/161958/59Hampshire League Division 27/161959/60Hampshire League Division 26/161960/61Hampshire League Division 29/16Left competition1961/62Southampton League 1962/63Hampshire League Division 314/161963/64Hampshire League Division 314/161964/65Hampshire League Division 316/16Left competition1965/66Southampton League Folded
FA Cup SeasonRoundOpponentsResult1895/961st Qualifying RoundH v CliftonW 9–0 2nd Qualifying RoundA v ReadingL 1–21896/971st Qualifying RoundH v Royal Artillery PortsmouthL 1–71897/981st Qualifying RoundA v Oxford CygnetsW 6–2 2nd Qualifying RoundA v Reading AmateursW 4–1 3rd Qualifying RoundA v Eastville RoversL 0–21898/99Preliminary RoundA v Staple HillL 1-2 1899/19002nd Qualifying RoundH v FreemantleW 5-0 3rd Qualifying RoundA v Bristol RoversL 0-5 1901/021st Qualifying RoundH v FreemantleL 0-3 1902/031st Qualifying RoundA v Basingstoke TownW 2–0 2nd Qualifying RoundA v North Hants IronworksD 2-2 ReplayH v North Hants IronworksW 3–0 3rd Qualifying RoundH v StaplehillW 7–0 4th Qualifying RoundA v WhiteheadsL 1–31903/041st Qualifying RoundA v FreemantleL 0-2 1904/053rd Qualifying RoundH v CowesD 3-3 replayA v CowesL 1-3 1905/061st Qualifying RoundA v Ryde SportsW 2-1 2nd Qualifying RoundA v CowesL 1-2 1906/071st Qualifying RoundA v Winchester CityW 4–2 2nd Qualifying RoundH v CowesL 0-11907/081st Qualifying RoundA v CowesW 1-0 2nd Qualifying RoundA v Ryde SportsW 5-1 3rd Qualifying RoundH v Salisbury CityL 1-3 1908/091st Qualifying RoundH v Bitterne GuildL 2-5 1909/101st Qualifying RoundH v Royal Engineers (Aldershot)L 0-1 1910/111st Qualifying RoundH v Salisbury CityW 2-0 2nd Qualifying RoundH v Royal Engineers (Aldershot)L 1-2 1911/121st Qualifying RoundH v Southampton CambridgeW 10-1 2nd Qualifying RoundH v Bitterne GuildL 1-3 1912/13Preliminary RoundH v Poole TownW 4-0 1st Qualifying RoundH v Basingstoke TownL 2-41913/14Preliminary RoundA v WeymouthD 2-2 ReplayH v WeymouthW 2-0 1st Qualifying RoundH v ChristchurchW 5-1 2nd Qualifying RoundA v Gosport UnitedL 1-2 1914/151st Qualifying RoundH v Thornycroft AthleticL 4-8 1919/20Preliminary RoundH v Basingstoke TownL 0-2 1921/22Extra-Preliminary RoundA v Thornycroft AthleticL 1-3 1922/23Extra-Preliminary RoundH v Portsmouth AmateursL 1-4 1923/24Preliminary RoundA v BournemouthD 0-0 ReplayH v BournemouthW 3-2 1st Qualifying RoundA v Bournemouth TramwaysL 2-4
FA Amateur Cup SeasonRoundOpponentsResult1934/351st Qualifying RoundA v HamworthyW 4-1 2nd Qualifying RoundH v Ryde SportsW 2-1 3rd Qualifying RoundA v Winchester CityW 3-2 4th Qualifying RoundA v HMS VictoryL 0-21935/361st Qualifying RoundH v Ringwood TownW 6-0 2nd Qualifying RoundA v Portsmouth Gas CompanyL 1-4
Ground For many years, Eastleigh Athletic played at Dutton Road in Eastleigh but were forced to leave when the railway yard was expanded after World War II. They then spent the Fifties playing on a pitch at Chickenhall Lane, Bishopstoke but after losing the ground they had a rather nomadic existence which eventually contributed to their demise.
Notable players During their long history, the club had many fine players - all of whom also worked at the site. The best known of these is Terry Paine, who went on to enjoy a long professional career with Southampton and becoming an England international. https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/terry-paine/
See Eastleigh Athletic players for full list.
Local rivalries