The 20th of March 2013 was perhaps the darkest day in the history of New Milton Town Football Club.
A 3-0 loss away at AFC Portchester confirmed that New Milton would finish the season at the very bottom of the Wessex Football League Premier Division, meaning that they would play in Division One for the first time in their history.
This was despite that just nine years prior, under the name Lymington and New Milton, the club were promoted from the Wessex League as champions.
However, since 2013, New Milton- nicknamed ‘The Linnets’, have languished in the lower reaches of the Wessex League Division One with a top-half finish becoming a luxury over the past few years.
The situation at the club could’ve become far worse during 2020/21 season, with the club sat 18th in the table after 11 games.
Fortunately for the Linnets, the campaign was voided due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Had the season been completed, it is likely that New Milton Town would have been relegated to the 11th tier of English football- the basement of the ‘structured’ football pyramid.
This was a much-needed sign that the club needed someone who could sort the results out on the pitch, and Chairman Lou Fern set out in finding the right person for the job.
Enter Paul Turner, who had just left Poole Town FC, a club that play in the Southern League Premier South, three divisions above New Milton.
“When I first came in, I knew this club was completely different from Poole,” said Turner.
“But even though there was a difference in the sizes of the two clubs, there were lots of similarities too.
“The sense of community and the sense of always wanting to be better and improve, when I got the feeling of that, it’s when I knew I belonged here.”
With Turner came a new-look coaching set-up and a host of new players, and results immediately started to improve.
In his first season, Turner’s team finished 9th, and never looked at all in danger of the relegation that was staring them in the face just a year before.
On top of this, the Linnets enjoyed their best run in the FA Vase in their history, reaching the fourth round, eventually falling to Brockenhurst of the league above.
This season, New Milton Town have gone from strength to strength, finishing 3rd in the league and qualifying for the playoffs.
One factor for this is the Linnets ruthless scoring record, with the club being the top goal scorers in the division with a staggering 116 goals and scoring five goals or more on eight occasions this season.
“I’m very proud of our scoring record,” said Tuner.
“The fact that we can score so many goals fills me and the players with confidence.
“And for that I have to thank our brilliant attackers because they’ve been on fire this season.”
Turner is right- his attacking players have some outrageous statistics this season.
In the squad, four players have surpassed the 20-goal milestone this season: George Deem; Ben Cooper; Tyrell Sampson and finally Luke Stone, who has an impressive 27 goals in 27 appearances this season.
That quartet, combined with a solid defence which has conceded a respectable 50 goals over the season has given the Linnets a foundation which has allowed them to succeed and surpass their pre-season expectations.
However, New Milton’s season isn’t over yet.
Turner’s side will face Hamworthy Recreation in the playoff semi-finals, with the winner facing off against either Newport Isle of Wight or Petersfield Town for a place in the Wessex League Premier Division next year.
Promotion for the Linnets would see them take one step closer to the ‘glory days’ of the early 2000s.
In 2004, Lymington and New Milton won the Wessex League and were promoted to the Isthmian League Division One, the 9th tier of English football.
The club spent two years in the 9th tier but were relegated back to the Wessex League in 2007, despite not finishing the season in the relegation zone.
Lymington and New Milton resigned from the league after a large number of resignations from club officials, and the club was renamed New Milton Town after the relegation, which triggered an era of obscurity.
That included relegation to the Division One in 2013, but a decade on the Linnets have their best chance of returning to the Premier Division yet.
When asked what he made of the challenge ahead, manager Turner simply replied: “We are ready for anything.”
