AFC Totton
Hello, everyone,
My name is Stephen Robinson and I’m the new Club Chaplain for AFC Totton. I’m the Methodist minister at St. James Road (SJR) in Shirley, and also at Waterside Methodist Church in Fawley. I moved to this area just over two years ago and have been coming to games here at AFC Totton since then. I’m a very keen football fan, Arsenal being my team, but I have always believed, wherever I have lived, that I need to support and watch local ‘proper’ (non VAR!) football.
It was at the recent funeral of John Russell, a member of my church and director of this club, that I met some of the club officials and I was invited to become Club Chaplain.
So, what is a Club Chaplain? Well, first to say, lots of football clubs at all levels have them. I am not here to convert you to Christianity! I’m here as a listening presence to anyone, whether someone of faith, of little or no faith, who is associated with the club. That includes players, staff, volunteers or supporters.
As a Chaplain, I’m here as a ‘neutral’, especially for the players and the staff, as someone to talk to without being concerned of whether what they share will affect whether they get picked for the team or keep their job.
Sometimes Chaplains are called upon to take traditional functions such as funerals, weddings or acts of Remembrance. Recently, I received the National Mental Health First Aid accreditation, given my deep concern for those with mental health challenges.
I have been in and around football crowds long enough to know that there are often people who go to games on their own and don’t really interact with others while they are there, and part of my role is to be a friendly face and to offer kind words to those who need to hear them. When appropriate, I can also help people to access the large network of support services that exist to provide care and support to those in need.
While people don’t need to have faith to benefit from the help that I can provide, my own faith enables me to approach problems from a different angle and to help people to gain an alternative perspective that can often facilitate problem-solving.
I have plenty of experience of working in Non-League football. In addition to having once been a match commentator for Nuneaton Borough games for Nuneaton Hospital Radio in my youth, I was the Club Chaplain at Fleet Town FC where I also worked in the club shop with my son. Many of the regular fans knew that I was a minister, so they would often approach me to have conversations about all kinds of subjects — and I hope that you will all feel just as welcome to do likewise with me here at AFC Totton.
On home matchdays, you will recognise me as the one wearing the AFC Totton blue clerical shirt, but by no means am I only available to talk to on matchdays, or even just during the season.
I can be contacted all-year round via my new club email address at [email protected] — and I very much look forward to meeting you all very soon.
Come On, You Stags!
Rev. Stephen Robinson
AFC Totton Club Chaplain
