THEY are the unsung heroes of Eastleigh Football Club.

While fans cheer the exploits of Chris Todd’s men on the pitch, off it there is a team of volunteers who are helping the club thrive.

The ageing volunteers call themselves ‘The Last of the Summer Wine Club’, perhaps due to their advancing years with many members being over the age of 70.

One the nine members of this unusual but essential part of Eastleigh FC is Brian Palmer who has volunteered for nine years and been a jack of all trades.

The 72-year-old from Eastleigh, was never originally a football fan, but went to a game on the off-chance and never looked back.

The club issued a plea for volunteers and Brian started working on the gates. Since then he has been helping to build turnstiles and a variety of maintenance jobs including plumbing.

Brian said: “I enjoy the atmosphere and the comradeship, it keeps me going. I always look forward to coming in each day.”

He is also the owner of Gilley, a 12-year-old greyhound lurcher, who helps find rabbit holes in the pitch.

Along with Brian is Mike Geddes, who used to be a director of Eastleigh Football Club and was also stadium operations manager.

Although he is retired from the latter job he still comes to the ground three mornings a week. He helps to maintain the stadium and looks after the safety advisory group.

Jeff Fenna has done virtually every volunteering job there is and has been involved with the club for 23 years. He recently retired from Network Rail and helps around the stadium.

It’s an untidy job but someone has to ensure the dressing rooms are mud free and tidy ahead of the games and that man is John Lee, who is a popular face around the ground.

Also doing the essential and unglamorous jobs is Paul Garnett, who has been a long-term supporter since the 60s.

He helps keep the stadium tidy and also drives the mini-bus for away games for the first year scholars.

Keeping the ground litter-free is Sheridan Price.

At 82 years old John Joslin is the oldest member of the group. He used to play for the club when it was called Swaythling in the 1950s, and is currently life vice-president of the Spitfires and still cycles to the club three times each week to keep up with the gossip.

Referees at the Silverlake Stadium are well looked after by Rob Castle, who has been involved with the club for nine years after being “dragged along” to the club by Mike Geddes. He looks after referees, assessors and FA officials on match-days, a job he is well-suited to having been a Southern League and Wessex League official for 10 years.

Another fan turned volunteer is Rob Smith, a qualified boat-builder, who has rolled up his sleeves for the cause and assists wherever needed.

Together the nine volunteers will be watching on with pride when Eastleigh take to the pitch today against Bolton in the FA Cup.

Robert Castle, said: “We always hoped the club would get this far, it is absolutely fantastic to be in the third round, it is a dream come true.”