HOPING FOR A RETURN TO THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY
CLUB WANTS TO COME BACK TO TOWN TO MARK ITS 150-YEAR EXISTENCE
AMBITIOUS plans are afoot to bring the heart of football back to the Southall community.
Combined Counties Premier Division outfit Southall FC will celebrate their 150th anniversary in 2021 and are planning big things for the area.
After having to move from their Western Road Stadium in early 1992 – the ground being demolished in 1996 – the popular club had to force fans to travel long distances to support their club, which unearthed future England internationals Les Ferdinand (QPR, Spurs, Newcastle) and Alan Devonshire (West Ham United).
The club are currently in negotiations with the London Borough of Ealing and private landowners to build a brand new stadium in Southall and has a first phase funding target of £125,000, which is being run through a website (www.investmycommunity.com/southallFC).
Last season the club groundshared with Ashford Town and hopes of moving from Step 5 to Step 4 in the non-League pyramid were dashed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The club was sitting in the top five teams with games in hand and promotion a possibility, prior to the season being declared null and void.
“Our aim for the coming season 2020/2021 is to push for promotion and be playing Step 4 football next year as a semi-professional club in the heartland of Southall,” says Sanjeev Sharma, Southall chairman.
“Football for all ages is our main focus, especially encouraging the 16 to 18 year-olds to do well in their BTEC National courses by working in partnership with a local education provider in offering football and other sports.”
The forward-thinking club proposes a community-based health and wellbeing centre to be incorporated into the new stadium as a hub for sports projects, school use and educational programmes – an asset that the whole community can enjoy.
The new community stadium would offer local residents state-ofthe-art training and fitness equipment, health checks, along with sports injury prevention advice, martial arts and boxing coaching sessions.
Classes are proposed to suit the elderly, disabled, youths and community, plus female-only classes.
“Southall FC is a key part of the history of Southall and is a treasure locally,” said Virendra Sharma, local MP for Ealing and Southall.
“Over the past 150 years, Southall FC has inspired generations of young boys to play football and started some stellar careers.
“Now they welcome girls too and play a role for everyone, supporting community sport, helping kids get healthy and stay out of trouble.
“I want to see Southall FC have another 150 years of great history, connected to our community, rooted in the spirit of our society and firmly placed in the centre of Southall, providing high-quality coaching, a successful league team and paying back into our community.”
A 2021 Gold Club membership is offered to potential sponsors for £1,000 for a year, which includes programme advertising, season tickets and a replica club shirt among other great deals.
For more information, contact sanjsharma42@hotmail.co.uk.