With recent success, new signings, big ambition and a community behind them, Sturminster Newton’s football club means business this season
Five seasons ago, Sturminster Newton Football Club – affectionately known as The Cherries, but not to be confused with bigger AFC Bournemouth down the road – were celebrating a Dorset Senior Trophy win under manager Nick Squires. Since then, they’ve barely paused to catch their breath.
Back-to-back successes followed: the Dorset Premier League Cup, then the league title itself, and promotion into Step 6 of the football pyramid. Now playing in Western League Division One, the club exceeded expectations in their debut season, finishing 8th in a tough 21-team league – just two places outside the playoffs.
This season, the Cherries have picked up right where they left off – at the time of writing they had won all four of their opening games and are sitting confidently at the top of the table.
‘Last year we just wanted to make sure we stayed in the division,’ says Ian Myall, vice-chairman since May 2022. ‘Finishing eighth was a great result. This year, we’ve strengthened the squad with four new signings and set our sights on the playoffs – or better.’
Grassroots to league standards
Most of the squad have stayed with the club through its rise, with strong local roots in Sturminster Newton, Gillingham and Shaftesbury. ‘Once players come here, they tend to stay,’ Ian says. ‘That in itself says a lot about the club.’
To compete at Step 6, the club had to meet strict FA ground grading requirements. That meant installing a new 50-seat stand, upgrading standing areas, adding perimeter pathways and refurbishing changing rooms. And if promotion to Step 5 becomes reality, there’s more work to come: expanded spectator areas, a PA system and more infrastructure.
Off the pitch, the club has increased its committee to 14 active members and introduced new roles such as Director of Operations and Director of Football. The clubhouse has also expanded its offer with darts, skittles, televised matches and a thriving membership structure – all for just £15 a year for individuals, or £6 for concessions.
Community at the core
In 1874 the club, which was then known as the Panthers FC, became the first ever club from the West Country to participate in the FA Cup, reaching the second round on three occasions over its history. The Cherries currently field seven youth teams across a range of age groups, plus the popular Tiny Cherries sessions on Saturday mornings for the youngest players. A ladies’ or girls’ side remains an ambition, but recruitment has been a challenge with other clubs nearby: ‘We’d love to offer girls’ football again,’ says Ian. ‘But with Shaftesbury and Blandford already fielding teams, we’d need more numbers than we have to make it sustainable.’
Home matches now regularly attract more than 100 supporters, with some derby games drawing more than 300 through the gate. Vale Coaches provide travel for up to eight away games a season – with fans and players travelling together to keep the club spirit high as they travel.
Backing the climb
Promotion comes with pressure, of course – and not just on the pitch. The club is actively seeking sponsorship for kits, players and perimeter boards, and encourages locals to join the club or become members.
‘It’s a friendly club,’ Ian says. ‘Stability’s been key – the management, the squad, the committee: we’ve all built something that’s moving in the right direction. We’re working hard, doing things the right way, step by step.’
As the Cherries chase another season of success, the call is simple: get behind your local club – they’re going places.
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