MOOR TALK | Solihull Moors vs Eastleigh | Digital Programme by SolihullMoors

CLUBDIRECTORY

Solihull Moors Football Club CIC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Solihull Moors Holdings CIC which in turn is a wholly owned subsidiary of the ultimate parent company, Solihull Moors Group Limited, Darryl Eales, Timothy Murphy and Calvin Barnett are the largest shareholders whose individual shareholdings exceed 10%.

Founded: 2007

Ground: Damson Park

Telephone: 0121 705 6770

Full Members of The Football Association of The National League Affiliated to: Birmingham Football Association

Club Colours: Yellow & Blue Away Colours: White & Red

Main Sponsor: LivingWell/VEXT

PLAYERSPONSORS FIRST TEAM 2024/25

Laurie Walker Aaron Flahavan Alex Whitmore

James Clarke

Kade Craig

JordanTunnicliffe

Joel Shambrook

Kyle Morrison

Finn Howell

Joe Newton

Olly Tipton

STUARTMAYO

Tyler Bruck

chairman notes

Welcome to this evening’s game against Eastleigh as our National League campaign enters the new year.

On behalf of everyone at the club and the foundation, I would like to wish all our fans, sponsors and stakeholders of every description a healthy and prosperous 2025

We extend a warm welcome to the supporters, players and officials from Eastleigh.

Before touching on the first team, I would like to mention a couple of subjects that frustrate me about the football world and especially our governing bodies. Firstly, the late postponement of the game on Saturday was frankly completely avoidable and verging on incompetent

I’m sure most fans read the encouraging noises posted by Aldershot, with whom by the way we have a very good relationship.

Accordingly, there was no pitch inspection on the Saturday morning despite there being a clear band of frozen pitch alongside one side of the pitch - which was surely evident the day before.

The match referee didn’t arrive until 1 o ’clock despite being local and,of course, correctly ruled the pitch as unplayable.

Whingy and Wardy were apoplectic, Moors out of pocket for around £4,000 for match days travel and players food costs etc and our fans out of pocket for their travel costs.

Notwithstanding the waste of everyone ’ s time and money, I have advocated that for late call off’s, the home team should, prima facie, be responsible for compensating the away team and their supporters, unless it can clearly demonstrated that the late call off was beyond their control.

My second issues is lack of FA Cup replays. Our local rivals Tamworth performed heroically on Sunday against Tottenham and would have historically earned a replay at the wonderful Tottenham Hotspur stadium which I suspect would have been worth close to £1m!

It is unacceptable that clubs has little or no say in this decision and is one of the reasons, amongst many, that we chose not to participate in the National League trophy - a competition which was supposedly in some way to compensate for the removal of FA Cup replays. I’d love to know which football economics adviser figured that one out!

Back to tonight’s game which is out first of 2025 after a strong finish to 2024. Consequently, we lie 6th in the division and with play off qualification firmly in our own hands!

It promised to be a rollercoaster 21 games to the end of the season - as exciting as everand the team deserve even greater support from the local population. Please encourage friends and family to come down and join the excitement

HOME & AWAY SHIRTS ON SALE

Hello and a warm welcome to all home and visiting Eastleigh fans to today’s game from the Solihull Moors Supporters Association.

Upcoming Away Travel

We have coach travel available for our upcoming away fixtures. Details can be found below:

Saturday 18th January - Braintree

Saturday 1st February - Wealdstone

Wednesday 19th February – Woking: (for this coach to go ahead we need a minimum of 20 supporters to have booked a seat by 9th February)

Spaces on all the coaches are available on the club website: https://solihullmoorsfc.ticketco.events/uk/en or you can call the away travel number 07988 579 408 or speak to any SMSA Committee Member for further details

If you have any questions or want to contact the supporters association please email: yoursmsa@gmail.com or speak to any member of the SMSA Committee on matchday’s

WELCOME,EASTLEIGH!

Welcome to Damson Park, Lambs fans! Thank you for travelling 127 miles to be here for this evening’s National League fixture.

the boss

KELVIN DAVIS

Eastleigh’s Head Coach is Kelvin Davis, who played for Southampton for ten years before making the step into coaching. Davis was appointed as the Spitfire’s boss in February 2024 before signing a three-year deal with the Club at the end of the season. So for this campaign, the 48-year-old has Eastleigh four points outside of the play-off places as we just about cross the half-way mark of the 2024.25 season.

ONE TO WATCH

TYRESE SHADE

Once upon a time a Solihull Moors player, we ’ ve highlighted Tyrese Shade as our man to watch as the Spitfires make the journey north to Damson Park.

Shade’s skill, flair and pace are a key part of his game and has taken to life in Hampshire well since leaving Swindon Town upon the expiry of his contract.

The St Kitts & Nevis international will look to be on top form as he returns to Solihull Moors as he faces his former teammates following his loan spell during the 2023/24 season in which he became a favourite amongst the Moors faithful.

THE BADGE

Eastleigh, established in 1946 as Swaythling Athletic, has undergone significant transformations, including changes to its emblem that reflect its evolving identity and heritage.

In 1980, the club adopted the Eastleigh Borough Council's shield as its crest, symbolizing a deep connection to the local community. This emblem featured elements representing the area ' s history and industries, such as the Bishop's Mitre, sheaves of corn, railway lines, and a winged wheel, each signifying aspects like agriculture, transportation, and progress.

In June 2020, Eastleigh FC unveiled a new badge to mark a fresh chapter in the club's journey. This modern, circular design prominently features a Spitfire aircraft, paying homage to the club's nickname, "The Spitfires," and acknowledging the historical significance of the Spitfire's first flight from Eastleigh Aerodrome. The badge also includes the club's founding year, 1946, linking the present to its origins.

1-0 1-4 2-2 1-1

2-2

Watch highlights from our last match against Eastleigh which saw Solihull fall to defeat at the Silverlake.

LAST TIME OUT

TUESDAY 20 AUG 2024

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Bradley Stevenson's first goal in a Moors shirt was not enough for Solihull, as they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Eastleigh at the Silverlake Stadium.

EASTLEIGH 2

1 SOLIHULL MOORS

STARTING XI

Walker

Clarke

Whitmore

Tipton

Tunnicliffe

Osborne

Newton

Labadie

Gale

Campbell

Stevens

SUBS

Warburton, Wilkinson, Bowen,

Stevenson, Flahavan, Howell, Pinnington

With six minutes of time to play, Chris Maguire and Quigley combined well on the left-hand side, resulting in Quigley shooting the ball on the edge of the box. But his effort was straight at Walker, who held the shot.

In the first minute of stoppage time, the Moors pulled a goal back with Bradley Stevenson netting for the first time for the club. A ball from the right-hand side was sent in following a corner and was headed in by Stevenson to make it 2-1.

The Spitfires took the lead in the third minute through their captain Jake Taylor. After the Moors lost the ball in a dangerous position, Paul McCallum squared the ball for Taylor to score into an empty net and make it 1-0.

MATCH ACTION

TUE 31 DECEMBER 2024

NATIONAL LEAGUE

SOLIHULLMOORS 2 0 TAMWORTH

STARTING XI

Barrett

Clarke

Newton

Osborne

Whitmore

Stevens

Bowen

Wilkinson

Oakley

Bostock

Adu-Poku

SUBS

Walker, Morrison, Howell, Warburton, Francis. B, Labadie, Tipton

Derby day delight for Solihull as Wilkinson brace sinks Lambs to defeat.

Conor Wilkinson netted twice as Solihull Moors claimed their third consecutive victory with a convincing 2-0 win over Tamworth in the National League at Damson Park.

This fiery West-Midlands derby began in a cagey fashion with Tom Tonks’ long throw-ins the most intriguing dynamic. But in the 21st minute, the encounter sprung into life when Wilkinson’s venomous strike from long distance opened the scoring.

Whitmore’s tantalising pass unleashed Marcel Oakley, who fed Wilkinson. The striker dribbled into the box and outfoxed the onrushing Haydn Hollis with a sublime fake shot before he coolly slotted into the bottom corner. It was Wilkinson’s 12th league goal of the season and his tenth in as many games in all competitions.

Unlocking the power of pitches

The Football Foundation is the Premier League, The FA and the Government’s charity. We award grants and work with partners to deliver outstanding grassroots football facilities across England.

S earch Football Foundation to find out more

WOMENS

SOLIHULLMOORS

BOLDMERESTMICHAEL 0 2

Richard Stearman's First Years won 2-0 in their first game of 2025 as goals from Charlie Footes and Taylor Needs secured the points for the Elite Academy side.

Richard Stearman’s first years started their first fixture of the new year on the front foot as Brooklyn Cater and Charlie Footes combined well down the right before Footes was pulled back for offside.

Skipper, Nate Timbrell, shrugged two men off his shoulder before sending a teasing ball forward for the on-rushing Footes who fell just short of the ball as Boldmere cleared the danger.

Taylor Needs shimmied past two Boldmere players before finding Cater out wide, continuing the attack before his final ball was cut put by the opposition’s defence.

Fin Holmes was next to break forward, this time down the left-flank where he was able to beat his man before firing a cross into the box, with Cater just missing out on the final ball.

Boldmere came close to taking the lead through their number 11, but the shot wasn’t kept low enough as the ball rose over Cian Quinn’s crossbar.

Stearman’s side would come close to gaining the lead following a well timed through ball from Needs, which Footes was able to latch onto before forcing the Boldmere keeper into a save with his feet from close-range.

Moors would come extremely close to taking the lead through Eddy Sietambi, as the defender rose highest in the Boldmere penalty area following a corner, but the visitors do well to clear off the line.

The visitors went close to taking the lead early on in the second-half, but Footes was well placed on the goal line to clear the danger Moors took the lead through Footes on the 70th minute, with the forward latching onto a long ball forward before chipping the Boldmere goalkeeper to put Solihull infront with 20 minutes to go

With ten minutes to go, Solihull’s lead was doubled by Needs who was in the right place to capitalise on Timbrell’s initial shot.

Solihull Moors Foundation brought the community together over the Christmas period with three unique activity days filled with excitement, joy and holiday cheer.

The Foundation hosted a series of memorable activity days, offering exciting and engaging opportunities to the local community. These days offered a variety of experiences tailored to participants of all ages (adults too!).

The excitement kicked off with pre-match football Olympics, where the children showcased their skills and enjoyed fun-filled, friendly competition before watching the match.

The very next day, the foundation hosted a heart-warming Christmas meal at the Regency Hotel, bringing people together to share the festive spirit over delicious food, lots of entertainment and good company.

As the new year started, families attended an exclusive experience day at the Solihull Moors training ground at Studley, giving them a unique behind-the-scenes look of the training environment and the opportunity to meet staff and players.

We’d like to thank everyone who came along and hope you all had as much fun as we did.

DATE OPPONENT ATT RESULT

SOLIHULLMOORS COMMERCIAl

MATCHDAY HOSPITALITY

The prestigious Jerroms Vice-Presidents Suite, located within the newly refurbished Damson Homes stand, has recently undergone a rather extensive makeover.

Distinguished guests have access to a private balcony where they will enjoy the game in premium seating on the halfway line.

The suite remains a first-class dining affair offering a high-quality three-course meal courtesy of The Forest Hotel

Guests will be greeted by our maître d' who will be at your service during your whole experience with us.

You will enjoy the company of the chairman and home & away directors. Bar and table service is available throughout your time with us serving a selection of premium wines, beers, spirits, and soft drinks.

Guests are encouraged to wear smart casual attire (no football shirts).

The match-by-match JVPS hospitality price will range from £75-£125 + VAT