WITH two promotions in three years, AFC Totton have reached Stag-gering heights being sat third in the National League South.
However, in the summer of 2013, The Stags were near administration as they were almost £200,000 in debt and hadn’t paid their players since January.
The chief executive of AFC Totton, Steve Brookwell, spoke about how fortunes changed and the club’s recent success stating:
“We took the club out of almost administration in 2015 and gradually rebuilt the football club. Jimmy (Ball) joined us five years later and to where we are now it’s just immense.”
“I think it’s all about continuity. We gave the manager a five-year deal and he knew exactly what he had to do and where he stood.”
The manager, Jimmy Ball, joined The Stags in January 2022 and has lead AFC Totton to their highest position in the non-league pyramid ever.
Adi Rose, who has supported the club for 20 years, has seen these positive changes which he claims is the result of:
“Just ambition, drive – dare I say people like myself around the club trying to lug us forward at every opportunity. The key is people that care and really want the best for the club.”
Louis Langdown was the manager at the Stags for four years between 2016 and 2020 before becoming the head of sports science and medical at the Snows Stadium.
He spoke of what is important for financial security saying:
“If you look back through history there was normally one or two people that were supporting the club from a financial aspect and now that’s been spread which is really key.”
The Chairman of AFC Totton, Stephen Snow, stepped down from his role on the 17th October for personal reasons with director Kevin Hebenton taking over on a temporary basis.
Snow took the reigns at AFC Totton in 2021 which meant he oversaw the appointment of Ball and the subsequent promotions.
Steve Brookwell added further comment on the departure of Snow saying:
“I keep calling him every three or four days trying to get him to change his mind but he’s got a lot going on in his world with business and family but he’s passionate about the football club.”
“He’s still the stadium sponsor, still the main sponsor of the football club, still bringing money into the football club and still bringing his passion and his friends to keep it going.”
AFC Totton will now travel to Macclesfield in the 1st round proper of the FA Cup and a win would put them in the second round proper for the second time ever.
You can listen to the story of AFC Totton’s recent rise below.
