AFC Totton
VENUE:
Miller Park, Salisbury Road, Totton, Southampton SO40 2RW
Saturday 27 July 2024 | Kick-Off at 12:00-noon | £5 Entry | U16s FREE
AFC TOTTON AND TOTTON & ELING FC are to rename their annual pre-season cup encounter in memory of a long-serving fan of both clubs.
Mally Thomas was once an AFC Totton player and became a regular supporter of both The Stags and The Millers until well beyond his playing days.
Widely recognised throughout the New Forest community as a gentleman, Mally became so popular among fellow supporters that part of AFC Totton’s stadium and the fans who congregate there during home matches both adopted the great man’s name.
Mally’s Corner is located in the standing area closest to The Stags Bar, and it is there you will find a motley crew known as Mally’s Muppets on matchdays, making most of the noise at the 3,000-capacity Snows Stadium.
Following the sad passing of Mally Thomas in May, the two neighbouring clubs – whose respective home grounds are barely a stone’s throw apart – have decided to rename the annual cup tie previously known as The Linden Cup to The Mally Thomas Trophy.
The inaugural Mally Thomas Trophy match will take place at Totton & Eling’s Miller Park ground this Saturday (27 July 2024), kicking-off at 12:00-noon. Entry will be £5 for adults, with U16s going FREE.
Speaking after his team’s 1-1 draw at Banbury United in Oxfordshire at the weekend, AFC Totton Manager Jimmy Ball said:
“Naming it The Mally Thomas Trophy is fantastic. He was a wonderful man and this makes sure that, as a football club, we will never forget him.”
Totton & Eling Club Chairman Andy Tipp commented:
“Jimmy Ball and AFC Totton’s CEO Steve Brookwell approached us about scheduling in our annual game, and Jimmy suggested renaming it after the late, great Mally Thomas. We thought it was a great idea to honour the memory of such a kind, lovely man.
“Mally supported all football in the area and I’m sure he would have loved this fixture – and we’re delighted to be playing our part in it.”
Totton & Eling will host AFC Totton at Miller Park, Salisbury Road, Totton SO40 2RW on Saturday 27 July 2024. Kick-off will be at 12:00-noon. Entry is £5 for adults, while U16s will get in FREE.
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Image courtesy of Craig Hobbs Photography
