Silverlake: Eastleigh FC

From Eastleigh FC

Ten Acres, known as Silverlake Stadium at the time of writing thanks to a sponsorship deal, has been the home of Eastleigh Football Club ever since the club moved from its previous home of Walnut Avenue back in 1957. It would be untrue to suggest that it is the most amazing ground in non-league football, but it is decent enough and fits in with what most people have comer to expect from such a stadium over the years. The most vocal fans can usually be found in the Shed End, which stands behind the goal at the clubhouse end, but in the 2016-2017 season work was started on a new double-storey building to cater for an increased fanbase.

Swaythling Athletic was formed in 1946 and joined the Hampshire League four years later. The name was changed to simply Swaythling in 1977 and then another alteration was made in 1980, at which point the club became known by its current moniker. Founder members of the Wessex League ahead of the 1986-1987 campaign, Eastleigh’s existence has largely been spent in the non-league divisions in the likes of the Isthmian League and the Conference South. The club didn’t have a nickname for most of its existence, but a competition that was run in 2005 saw them become the ‘Spitfires’, owing to the fact that the Spitfire was first flown from Eastleigh Aerodrome.

Stats

Silverlake Photos

Silverlake Stadium - The Clubhouse End

Silverlake Stadium - South Stand

Silverlake Stadium Main Stand
Credit Steve Daniels

Silverlake Seating Plan and Where to Sit

Whilst the fact that the ground is currently known as the Silverlake Stadium, you shouldn’t confuse it for an American-style sports arena that stands out from the crowd of non-league grounds. It remains quite basic, albeit having undergone some big renovations in recent years. The Main Stand is found on the west side, having been extended in recent years to allow for more seating. The Mackoy Community Stand is to the south, whilst the east side has a covered terrace that was bought from Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club in 2014. The tall building behind the Clubhouse End looks a bit weird, but is where corporate clients are located.

Eastleigh FC Ticket Prices

There are three main things that will affect how much you end up paying for tickets to Eastleigh matches, which are your age, where in the ground you wish to sit and when you buy the tickets. That is because you can get them for cheaper if you buy them on the day, whereas they’re a couple of quid more expensive if you buy them on the day of the game.

Here is how much you’ll have paid during the 2023-2024 season, depending on your personal circumstances:

How To Get Eastleigh FC Tickets

If you’re hoping to get tickets to see Eastleigh play live then the good news is that you can get them online. Of course, not everyone is particularly au fait with using the internet and Eastleigh are in no position to turn supporters away, so you can also buy your tickets on the turnstile.

Where to Buy

• Ticket Compare

Getting To Silverlake

Train – Southampton Airport Parkway is the closest railway station, being around half a mile away and taking around 20 minutes or so to walk. You can get trains here from Southampton itself as well as London Waterloo.

Bus – Anyone hoping to get a bus will be looking out for the number 2, which drops you off just a short walk away.

Car – If you’re planning on driving to Ten Acres then you’re going to want to get onto the M27 until Junction 5, taking the Stoneham Lane exit. You will actually pass the stadium if you leave that way, so you’ll need to head on to the next roundabout to make it back to your destination.

By Air – For anyone planning to fly into Southampton from further afield, Southampton Airport is the place to be aiming for. It is an international airport that serves both Southampton itself as well as the surrounding areas. Of course, the fact that you can get a train from London Waterloo to Southampton Airport Parkway means that you might consider flying into London and travelling out if it is easier and cheaper for you to do so.

Taxi – You might want to get a taxi from Southampton Airport Parkway rather than walking, so you can expect to pay about £10 for the privilege. It might be less than that depending on the traffic, but obviously that’s something you’ll struggle to know for sure until the day.

Parking Near Silverlake

There is a car park at the ground itself that has enough room for 600 cars, but only just over 100 of them are available on a first come, first served basis. Instead, you might be better served parking at Southampton Airport Parkway and walking from there.

• See Available Parking Near Silverlake

Useful Resources

• Parking - Just Park

Pubs and Bars Near Silverlake

About Eastleigh FC

On the 22nd of May 1946, Derik Brooks and a group of friends met in the Swaythling public house in Southampton and set up a football club. They named it Swaythling Athletic, playing matches initially on Southampton Common before moving to Westfield in Swaythling. The club joined the Hampshire League in 1950, then in 1957 they moved to Ten Acres, the ground at which they continue to play their games today. They were always one of the stronger teams in the Hampshire League, which probably helps to explain why they moved to help establish the Wessex League in 1986, having changed their name to Eastleigh six years before.

The club remained in the Wessex League until the arrival of Paul Doswell as manager, which kick-started three successive promotions and a rise through the lower leagues of English football. A promotion to the Conference South in 2005 saw the club reach its highest league position, then six years later a takeover by Bridle Insurance Limited, who had been Oxford United’s main sponsor, resulted in the club winning its first silverware in seven years. They defeated Totton 2-0 in the Hampshire Senior Cup. The club has enjoyed numerous ups and downs over the years, including winning the likes of the Russell Cotes Cup, the Hampshire Intermediate Cup and the Hampshire Senior Cup.

Silverlake History

When the club was first formed, games were played in numerous different locations before they settled on Walnut Avenue. They eventually left there in 1957 in order to move to Ten Acres. It took nearly 20 years for the club to install floodlights at the new ground, then in 2004 the old wooden stand was knocked down in order to build a grandstand with 352 seats. The area opposite that grandstand was a hard standing section backing into fir trees until 2006, at which point a metal back and roof were added to it, as well as an electronic scoreboard being put on the roof of the Premier Telecom Stand. In 2009, more seats were added to the Silverlake Stand, allowing the club to meet the requirements of the Conference South.

In 2014, there were further extensive redevelopments carried out to the stadium. Pitch-side fencing was installed after the previous fencing had sustained damaged during Eastleigh’s championship winning game. The former East Stand was re-built along the side by the Premier Telecom Stand, as well as behind the clubhouse goal, whilst a new 2,290-seat South Stand was opened in the December of 2014. In 2018, the 352 seat grandstand had more seats added to it in order to being its total capacity up to 900, which meant that the capacity of the stadium itself was 5,500. Although known as Ten Acres to most people, the official name at the time of writing is the Silverlake Stadium because of sponsorship.