Road-Sea Southampton F.C.

Road-Sea Southampton F.C.
Full nameRoad-Sea Southampton Football Club
Founded1970
Dissolved1987
GroundRoad-Sea Park, Marchwood

R.S. Southampton were a semi-professional football club, based at Marchwood - a village near Totton in Hampshire.

Commonly referred to locally as Road-Sea, they were best known for directly moving from Sunday parks football into the semi-professional Southern League.

History

The club was originally known as Echo Social and played in the City of Southampton Sunday League with great success. In 1973, they were re-named Road-Sea for sponsorship reasons - after the freight shipping company owned by player-manager Peter Price.[1] In 1976–77 they reached the semi-final of the national FA Sunday Cup.[2]

With considerable financial backing, the club purchased some land at Marchwood, and soon developed the site into an impressive facility. This resulted in an ambitious application to join the semi-professional Southern League being surprisingly accepted in 1982, despite having no previous history of playing Saturday football.[3]

The club then became known as RS Southampton and soon silenced their critics as they pushed for promotion from the Southern Division. After finishing a creditable 3rd in their debut season behind Fisher Athletic and Folkestone, they were champions in 1983–84.[4] They also enjoyed a fine run in the FA Vase, reaching Round 5 before being eliminated 1–2 away at Leyton Wingate.

Road-Sea continued to thrive in the highly competitive Premier Division as they then finished 5th in 1984–85. The following season was much tougher and they finished mid-table.[5]

In 1986 Road-Sea became founder members of the newly created Wessex League.[6] They just missed out on the inaugural title, finishing runners-up to Bashley, but it was a memorable campaign in the local cup competitions. They reached the final of the Hampshire Senior Cup for the first time, which they lost 0-2 against Portsmouth Reserves at Fratton Park - but won both the League and Russell Cotes Cups.

There was further cup success on 19th May when Road-Sea won the South-West Counties Transformer Vase, defeating local Sunday side Clump Inn 4-1 in the second-leg of the final at Marchwood. [7]

However, this would soon prove be their last ever game as Price suddenly retired and disbanded the club.[8]

Honours

Playing records

League

FA Cup

FA Trophy

FA Vase

Ground

Road-Sea Southampton played at the self-titled Road-Sea Park, Long Lane in Marchwood, near Totton.[10]

Following their demise, the ground was renamed 'Staplewood' and later sold to Southampton F.C., who initially used it for reserves and youth team games.[11] The venue has since been redeveloped in to a large training complex with world class facilities. [12]

Notable players

Local rivalries

Road-Sea had a number of local rivals during various stages of their unusual career, ranging from Sunday park sides to the likes of the regions semi-professional Southern League clubs. Their closet neighbours were AFC Totton who they met during their solitary season as members of the Wessex League.[13]

References

  1. ↑ A Century of Southampton Local Soccer 1908-2008 by John Moody
  2. ↑ Hampshire Football Association Centenary History 1887-1987 by Norman Gannaway
  3. 1 2 "Football Club History Database - R S Southampton". www.fchd.info. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  4. ↑ "Road Sea Southampton Fixtures - Margate Football Club History". www.margatefootballclubhistory.com. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  5. ↑ The official centenary history of the Southern League. Paper Plane Publishing Ltd
  6. ↑ "History". www.wessexleague.co.uk. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  7. ↑ The Romsey Advertiser, page 16, 22nd May 1987
  8. ↑ "Back in the old routine". Daily Echo. 7 February 2006. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  9. ↑ Hampshire Football Association Handbook 2004/05
  10. ↑ The Cemetery End by Vince Taylor (Groundtastic Productions)
  11. ↑ https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/24055456.southampton-use-staplewood-remind-playing-stars-club-history/
  12. ↑ https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/our-locations
  13. ↑ https://www.fchd.info/lghist/wessex1987.htm
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