Aiming High
1952/53, so proving their playing credentials, but with no spectator accommodation, no
means of taking a gate, and forced to tailor their fixture list to avoid clashing with cricket,
it was clear that a move
away from Bath Lane
could not come soon
enough. Unfortunately,
a council scheme to
build Fareham Town a
new ground at Cams
Alders, a meadow
around a mile and half
away to the west, was
shelved in 1956. To try
to placate the club, in
1957 the council gave
Fareham permission to
rent a 500 seater stand
and to enclose the
ground with tarpaulins
on match days so that
Above: The Bath Lane cricket pavilion, with a 1970s
Fareham Town team lined up outside
they could charge for
admission. For a
dropped-in stand, the
result was quite impressive,
even if the large number of roof supports was not ideal. With the expectation of
transporting the stand to Cams Alders in the next few years, the club bought the stand
from Fareham Urban District Council for £1,200 in 1958.
The stand at Bath Lane in 1972. On either side of stand, rolled up sheets of tarpaulin
are visible. These were used to screen off the ground on matchdays
Photo: Bob Lilliman
In terms of league success, the 1960s were Fareham’s golden period, with six Hampshire
League titles, including five in succession starting in 1962/63. Factor in also three Hampshire
Senior Cup wins, plus an FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round tie against Wimbledon in
1965/66, which attracted a record crowd of 2,749 to Bath Lane, it was obvious that Fareham
Town had the potential of becoming a Southern League club. The sticking point was
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