Recent History
Salisbury FC is a phoenix club, formed in December 2014 when Salisbury FC Ltd was incorporated and created by a consortium of five. After buying the remaining assets of the predecessor club, Salisbury City FC, from the administrators, they started the huge task of creating a football club from scratch.
By early 2015, a new lease had been obtained on the Raymond McEnhill Stadium, which had been purpose-built in 1997 for the old club. This enabled Salisbury FC to apply to the FA, seeking a competitive league for the 2015/2016 season. However, the stadium had been locked and shuttered for a year; the grass on the pitch was 18 inches high, and much work was needed both on and off the pitch to bring it back into use. Supporters of the old club, desperate to see football back at the ground again, worked hard with other volunteers to get it all up and running in time for the first game on 28th April 2015, when a friendly against AFC Totton was watched by 729 people, ending in a 2-2 draw.
Ten years, three promotions and one global pandemic later, the Whites are back in the National League South following a Play-Off triumph in the Southern Premier Division last season. A penalty shootout victory over AFC Totton in the final meant that the Whites had earned their place in the sixth tier.
Form
Salisbury are currently 19th in the division, five points clear of safety with a game in hand. Last time out, they earned a point on their travels away at Chesham United.
Before their defeat against Dorking Wanderers a fortnight ago, Brian Dutton’s side had been on a seven-game unbeaten run in the National League South, but frustratingly, had only won two of those seven matches. Only St Albans City (13) have drawn more matches than Salisbury (12) so far this season.
Last Six
18/02 – Chesham United (A) – Drew 2-2
15/02 – Chelmsford City (H) – Lost 3-1
11/02 – Weston-super-Mare (A) – Won 1-2
08/02 – Dorking Wanderers (H) – Lost 0-2
01/02 – Hornchurch (A) – Drew 1-1
25/01 – St Albans City (H) – Drew 1-1
The Gaffer
Brian Dutton managed Salisbury’s 2024 Southern League Premier Division South play-off final triumph.
The versatile central defender had spells at Pickering, Cambridge United, Weymouth, Eastleigh, Mangotsfield and Dorchester before joining Salisbury in August 2008. He then played for Harrogate and Northwich, returning to Salisbury in July 2010.
Skippering promotion to the Conference South in 2010-11 and Conference National in 2012-13, he netted 11 goals in 167 games overall. He joined Havant & Waterlooville in June 2014 and later coached under Darrell Clarke at Bristol Rovers and Walsall before rejoining Salisbury as manager in October 2022.
The Skipper
Following the departure of Canice Carroll to Oxford City, Josh Sommerton has taken the armband at Salisbury.
Josh came through the ranks at Salisbury, making his debut in the 2017-2018 season at the age of 17.
A mainstay of the club ever since, and one of the first names on the team sheet, Josh has progressed as a footballer every season to become one of the leading defenders in the league, comfortable at either left back or centre back. He is a strong, committed, and technically gifted footballer and is a true asset to the club.
Key Player
Josh Hedges is Salisbury’s top-scorer this season, with 8 goals to his name. He scored a 95th-minute equaliser in midweek to secure a point at Chesham United.
An exciting, young player, Josh joined Salisbury from Didcot Town in the summer of 2023 after helping Diddy achieve promotion from the Southern League Division 1 Central.
He was very sought after and an excellent coup for Brian Dutton and the Whites. His attacking runs and finishing prowess always help to excite the crowd and he has been one of the standout performers this season.
