Woking are gearing up for the new National League campaign and have arranged five pre-season friendlies to whet supporters’ appetites for club football while the World Cup continues.
It’s a bit of a leap down in scale from the Azteca to The Mortgage Decisions Stadium, but Woking will go there for their first meeting with Sholing on July 11 at 3pm.
Last week Sholing boosted their squad by signing 21-year-old midfielder Jack Saunders from National League South club Dorking Wanderers and experienced goalkeeper Jack Turner from Farnborough.
Sholing, known as The Boatmen, can trace their origins back to 1884, beginning as Woolston Works. Re-forming after the First World War as Thornycrofts (Woolston), they reached the FA Cup first round - equivalent to the modern third round - in 1919-20.
Drawn at home to First Division title-chasers Burnley, they played the match at Portsmouth’s Fratton Park and more than 10,000 people witnessed an improbable goalless draw. Burnley won the replay 5-0 at Turf Moor.
The Second World War closed the club again. A short post-war spell ended in 1952 and its modern era began with a third re-formation as a Southampton Junior League club in 1960 - first known as Vosper Thornycroft, then VTFC from 2002, and finally Sholing from 2010, when its parent company VT Group ceased to exist.
Sholing won the FA Vase in 2014, beating West Auckland Town 1-0 at Wembley with a goal from Marvin McLean.
Woking will take on Championship club Portsmouth at the Laithwaite Community Stadium on July 14 - the night of the first World Cup semi-final - at 7pm.
When the two sides met in a pre-season friendly last season, Pompey won 2-0 with goals from Adrian Segecic and Paddy Lane.
The Cards will be on their travels again on July 21, when they go to Braintree Town’s Rare Breed Meat Company Stadium - traditionally known as Cressing Road - for a 7.45pm kick-off.
Braintree were relegated from the National League last season after a dismal campaign saw them finish second from bottom with only eight wins from their 46 games - yet Braintree won 1-0 at Woking, and the clubs drew 0-0 in Essex.
Formed in 1898, Braintree Town were originally known as Manor Works, the works team of the Crittall Window Company, and were renamed Crittall Athletic in 1921.
A further name change to Braintree & Crittall Athletic in 1968 was followed by becoming plain Braintree in 1981, when the club severed its links with the window company. It became Braintree Town in 1982.
League One club Reading will be the second Football League side to visit Woking, on July 25 at 3pm.
Woking’s final pre-season fixture will be at Eastbourne Borough on August 1 at 3pm.
Eastbourne Borough were formed in 1964 as Langney by a group of friends who had outgrown youth football. The club was renamed Langney Sports in 1968 and became Eastbourne Borough in 2001.
They spent three seasons in the Conference from 2008 until 2011, meeting Woking at that level in 2008-09. They drew 0-0 at Priory Lane but Eastbourne won the return fixture at Woking 4-0.
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