Last campaign was their lowest finish in the National League to date, a tally of 50 points left the Spitfires eight points above the drop zone, largely thanks to their run of one loss in five to round off the season.
Eastleigh lost 12 of their 21 National League fixtures (5W, 4D) from mid-January onwards, a run of form to forget. Understandably, the turbulent season resulted in the club appointing three different managers over the year before settling with ex-Eastbourne Borough boss Matt Gray this summer.
History
Located on the outskirts of Southampton, the Spitfires were established in 1946 as Swaythling Athletic – however, their aircraft-inspired nickname did not arrive until 2005. The World War II fighter jet was constructed in Southampton and first flown from Eastleigh Aerodrome, now Southampton Airport.
The Hampshire-based outfit’s quick rise from Step Five to Step Two in the early 2000s was a romantic tale, driven by Paul Doswell, who was forced to step down in 2006 with the club now in the Conference South.
Nine years in Non-League’s second tier have been followed by a steady 13 year stay in the National League. Eastleigh have placed between 9th and 17th consistently for seven straight seasons, firmly establishing themselves as one of the league’s longest-serving members.
Historically, having spent the majority of the 20th century in the Wessex League, Eastleigh’s greatest achievement arrived when they lifted the Conference South title in 2014.
Manager – Matt Gray
The 44-year-old is yet to manage a competitive game for the club, but is more than a familiar face around Eastleigh. Gray took his first steps into coaching with the Spitfires as an assistant manager between the years of 2007 and 2001.
Gray took over permanently from the aforementioned Doswell at Sutton United ahead of the 2019/20 season. In 2021, he wrote history with the Us, leading the team to promotion into the English Football League for the first time in their 123-year history.
After collecting the National League Manager of the Year award for the 2020/21 season, Gray pushed Sutton a step further, reaching the EFL Trophy final (losing 4-2 to Rotherham United after extra time) and placing 8th in League Two.
A brief spell at Eastbourne Borough occurred last term, but the tactician was relieved of his duties in October following a poor start to the campaign.
Previous Meetings
Worthing first played Eastleigh in 1982/83 in an FA Cup tie, when the Reds were victorious on the way to an appearance in the Second Round Proper. There has only been one season when the pair have met in league football, this being the 2004/05 season, when both were members of the Isthmian League Premier Division. The last meeting between the two was in 2011 in a pre-season friendly.
Stadium – Ten Acres
Eastleigh’s stomping ground is Ten Acres, widely known as the Silverlake Stadium for sponsorship reasons. It has been the common home of Southampton FC Women since 2024 and holds a capacity of 5,192 spectators.
The Spitfires have played there since 1957, but over the years it has gradually been modernised, especially since the club’s ventures into the National League.
Like most stadiums in the league, it is a grass pitch, and the biggest crowd to ever walk through its gates was the 5,025 who turned up to watch Eastleigh play Newport County in the 2023/24 FA Cup Third Round.
Distance from Sussex Transport Community Stadium: 52 Miles
Originally published by Worthing FC ↗