There was a real sense of community spirit from AFC Totton this week which has earned them some new supporters from ‘up north’.
When it was announced that nearby Southampton’s Sky Bet Championship clash with Preston North End had to be postponed due to a large fire in a building next to the St. Mary’s Stadium site, the Pitching In Southern League Premier South club stepped in to offer free admission to all travelling Preston fans to their SDAF Southampton Senior Cup quarter-final clash with Folland Sports.
Over 60 fans who had made the long trek from Lancashire took them up on their offer and a relationship started to develop between the two clubs.
As an added backstory, Alan Ball Sr, the grandfather of AFC Totton manager, Jimmy Ball, was at the Preston helm between 1970 and 1973.
“Football is all about community spirit,” said Stags’ Chairman, Steve Brookwell. “We know only too well the disappointment that the Preston fans would have felt travelling all that way only to find out that their game was off.
“So, we invited them along to our game as our guests and those that turned up really embraced the situation by purchasing merchandise and getting behind the team.
“The link through Jimmy’s family is also a nice one and hopefully we can organise something with them for pre-season. Their fans that joined us seemed to enjoy themselves.”
AFC Totton head to Tiverton Town at the weekend.
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