WEMBLEY wonders AFC Totton are hoping their new-found popularity on the streets of the Hampshire town will fuel their fight for a new home.

The Sydenhams Wessex League club, who took 16,000 fans to the FA Vase final in May, were dealt a blow last week when Totton's planning committee voted to oppose Linden Homes' multi-million-pound proposals to redevelop their Testwood Park ground along with the BAT sports field off Ringwood Road.

If the application is approved later this year by New Forest District Council, AFC Totton and the re-named Totton & Eling FC (formerly BAT), will be provided with a new ground at Little Testwood Farm on Salisbury Road.

The signs didn't look good last week when placard-waving demonstrators staged a protest over plans to redevelop the two greenfield sites and campaigners lobbied councillors arriving for a meeting of Totton's planning committee.

But as Paul Maiden, trustee and committee member of AFC Totton, stressed, the fight is far from over.

He said: "The decision of the Totton planning committee was not entirely unexpected.

"The anti' brigade had been lobbying against the plans for some time and councillors are there to represent the feelings of the residents.

"But what happened the other night was purely a recommendation from the Totton planning department.

"The actual decision whether to allow the scheme to go ahead will be taken by New Forest District Council around October time."

Full story in today's Daily Echo