PACE Youth F.C was founded in 2000 by Steve Thorne for his son, Sam, and his friends after they were unable to join any local teams because it was too late in the pre-season. What began as a small team quickly grew, driven by overwhelming local interest.
In 2006, the club expanded further by forming a partnership with Testwood School, which remains our home for training sessions and league matches. This partnership has enabled us to offer some of the best youth football facilities in the area, including a floodlit all-weather 3G artificial grass pitch, secure storage for equipment and goals, and a refreshments hut.
The club has continued to grow over the years and now fields mixed teams in the Eastleigh and District Mini Soccer League, Southampton and District Tyro League, and the City of Southampton Youth Football League, as well as girls’ teams competing in the Hampshire Girls Youth Football League.
Over the years, PACE has built strong relationships with a number of professional clubs in the surrounding area. As a result, our teams have been invited to play friendly matches at professional training facilities, giving players the unique opportunity to compete against youth academies including Bournemouth, Southampton, Reading and Chelsea. These experiences have helped several of our players progress, with some going on to be offered contracts by professional clubs.
Today, PACE is an FA England Accredited Club, reflecting the high standards we maintain across all areas of the club. We are run by a dedicated committee and funded through player subscriptions, sponsorship, and occasional fundraising events, including our annual PACE Youth Tournament.
We provide football opportunities for every age group from Under 7s through to Under 18s. We also run our PACE Minis and PACE Wildcats programmes, introducing children in the Under 5 and Under 6 age groups to football and helping them develop the skills and confidence to progress into our Under 7 teams.
PACE has also been at the forefront of growing girls’ football in the local community. We are proud to offer girls more opportunities to play the game, with teams and pathways that allow every player to participate and develop at the level that is right for them.
In 2018 PACE won Charter Standard Club of the Year!
In 2026 PACE won WP Group Girls’ Provision of the Year!
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