Pirelli General were a long-running

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

club based in

Eastleigh Eastleigh is a town in Hampshire, England, between Southampton and Winchester. It is the largest town and the administrative seat of the Borough of Eastleigh, with a population of 24,011 at the United Kingdom 2011 census, 2011 census. The town ...

, Hampshire. For a time they were the top club in the town and played in the

Hampshire League The Hampshire League was a football league in Hampshire, England. During its heyday its constitution consisted of four divisions with over 60 clubs taking part - this included a vast number of semi-professional teams and Reserve/’A’ sides o ...

until they ceased to exist in

2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...

History

Pirelli General FC were founded in

1916 Events Below, the events of the First World War have the "WWI" prefix. January * January 1 – The British Empire, British Royal Army Medical Corps carries out the first successful blood transfusion, using blood that has been stored ...

as the works side of the Pirelli General cable making company. They initially played in the Winchester & District and Eastleigh Leagues before transferring to the larger Southampton League. By

1933 Events January * January 11 – Australian aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith makes the first commercial flight between Australia and New Zealand. * January 17 – The United States Congress votes in favour of Philippines independen ...

the club were playing at Dew Lane (a lovely venue, fondly locally known as 'Eastleigh Wembley') and were fielding six sides, with the 1st Team elected to the

Division 2 where they finished runners-up in their debut season before winning the title the following year and establishing themselves in Division 1. Once normal football had resumed after World War II, Pirelli's returned to the county league where they were placed in Division 2 and 'The Cablemen' were regular FA Cup entrants at this time, although never progressing beyond the preliminary rounds. However, despite winning the Hampshire Intermediate Cup in 1955–56, it was not until 1962–63 that Pirelli's returned to top flight when they won the Division 2 title. In 1965 Pirelli's moved to their best known home ground at Chestnut Avenue in Eastleigh and with some good facilities the club remained a steady Division 1 outfit, twice finishing 3rd in the late sixties. The seventies was the golden age for Pirelli's, especially the 1971–72 season when they were Division 1 Champions. The next fourteen years saw the club remain regular title contenders and in 1976–77 they caused a big upset when they defeated favourites Farnborough Town 1–0 to win the

Hampshire Senior Cup The Hampshire Senior Cup is a cup competition open to football teams affiliated with the Hampshire Football Association. The competition was founded in 1887 and has been contested every year since, except 1914 to 1919 when it was postponed due t ...

. In 1986 the

Wessex League The Wessex Football League, known as the Velocity Wessex Football League for sponsorship reasons, is an English regional men's football league in southern England. Its members are primarily from Hampshire and Dorset, but clubs from adjoining co ...

was formed (mostly by the

's top clubs) but Pirelli's remained with the county league and were again champions in 1992–93. Despite the parent company moving out of Eastleigh, Pirelli's remained a prominent force in the Hampshire League until the controversial loss of their ground in 2003 saw the club reluctantly withdraw from the competition and fold. The saddest aspect about the club's demise, was that their much loved home ground at Chestnut Avenue sat unused until 2010 when local Hampshire League side

AFC Stoneham A.F.C. Stoneham is a football club based in Eastleigh, Hampshire, England. They are currently members of the and play at the Stoneham Football Complex. History The club was established in 1919 by demobilised soldiers under the name Royal Engin ...

took up residence. In 2020 the venue was sold for housing.

Honours

Division 1 **Champions 1971/72 and 1992/93 *

Division 2 **Champions 1934/35 and 1962/63 **Runners-up 1933/34 and 1946/47 *

Hampshire FA The Hampshire Football Association, also known as ''Hampshire FA'', is the governing body of football in the county of Hampshire, England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is loc ...

Senior Cup **Winners 1976/77 **Finalists 1968/69 and 1977/78 *

Intermediate Cup **Winners 1955/56 *Southampton FA Senior Cup **Winners 1932/33, 1935/36, 1965/66 and 1989/90 **Finalists 1933/34 *Southampton League Senior Division **Champions 1932/33 *All England Cable Makers Cup **Winners 1951/52, 1974/75 and 1978/79

Playing records

League

FA Cup

FA Vase

{, class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style=text-align:center !Season !Round !Opponents !Result , - , 1977/78, , Preliminary Round, , H v Chichester City, , W 2–0 , - , , , Round 1, , H v Farnham Town, , W 6–1 , - , , , Round 2, , A v Gosport Borough, , L 1–3 , - , 1981/82, , Preliminary Round, , H v Sholing Sports, , L 1–2 , - , 1982/83, , Preliminary Round, , H v Romsey Town, , L 0–1 , - , 1983/84, , Preliminary Round, , H v Farnham Town, , L 0–1 , - , 1984/85, , Preliminary Round, , H v Thatcham Town, , W 2–0 , - , , , Round 1, , H v Wilton Rovers, , W 3–0 , - , , , Round 2, , A v Sharpness, , L 1–2 , - , 1985/86, , Preliminary Round, , H v Lancing, , W 4–1 , - , , , Round 1, , H v Malden Vale, , W 3–2 , - , , , Round 2, , H v AFC Totton, , L 0–2

External links

Halcyon Days of the Cablemen
Nostalgic Article

1st XI - Football Club History Database 1

1st XI - Football Club History Database 2

2nd XI - Football Club History Database

Hampshire League Final Tables

Wessex League Final Tables

Hampshire Soccer Archive

References

Defunct football clubs in England Defunct football clubs in Hampshire Eastleigh Association football clubs established in 1916 Association football clubs disestablished in 2003 1916 establishments in England 2003 disestablishments in England Winchester and District Saturday Football League Hampshire League Works association football teams in England