Thank you for taking the time to read about AFC Stoneham and our plans and vision for the future. We currently have 136 teams and over 1500 players supported by 400 volunteers ranging from our minnows right through to our senior adult teams.

Within the predominately male structure, we have between four and ten teams in most age groups with a clearly defined player pathway into a very good standard of adult football with our first team currently playing at Step 5 in the Wessex Premier League.

In our female structure, we have increased the number of teams from one to twenty three since 2019 and expect this growth to continue whilst we look to replicate the male structure and player pathway.

Our young male and female players are the future of the club. Whilst always loving to win we do recognise as a true community club that we offer football at all ability levels understanding that the "beautiful game" is a vehicle to teach young people both life lessons and disciplines through team sport which they will hopefully utilise through their lives as they progress and develop.

We aim to align our different age group teams into foundation, development and advanced teams to ensure that children play and train at the correct level to maximise their enjoyment whilst understanding that children play for different reasons and all develop at different rates.

At the older age groups our structure, for both male and female, creates a player pathway which allows our most developed players to maximise their potential at AFC Stoneham. Our club is fully committed to promoting our young players into our senior teams at the earliest opportunity to make that, sometimes, underestimated transition into the adult game.

Our clubs progress and growth over the last couple of years has been rapid and includes:

  • An increase from 9 to 136 teams and 1500 players in the last 9 years

  • Promotion to the Wessex Premier league

  • Growth and Development of Female football to 32 teams

  • The introduction of our own Girls Wildcats Centre

  • The introduction of our own Development Centre

  • The forming of “AFC Stoneham in the Community” and supporting local projects

  • Our own Saturday Morning Fun Clubs 

  • Moving to our new £10M home in January 2020

  • Increased sponsorship and support

  • Increased profile and awareness of our club in the local community

  • Promotion to the Womens Southern Regional league

  • The creation of both new disability and deaf teams.

  • Three Star FA Accreditation

  • National recognition as one of the largest grassroots community football clubs on the UK

The move to our new facility in 2020, aligned to the growth and development of the club, allows for a wonderful opportunity to surpass our vision and leave a legacy of a community grassroots club with outstanding facilities for future generations to expand on.

AFC Stoneham are very ambitious and we want to be the best we can in all areas of the club. We would love to have more volunteers, sponsors and players from the local community to help and support us in both creating and achieving our vision.

Mark Stupple, AFC Stoneham Chairman

07841696579

chairman@afcstoneham.co.uk