2015/2016 Season Summary

Having steered Southport to safety at the end of the previous season Paul Carden continued as manager and built a squad which was capable of performing well. Well liked off the field the supporters had gotten behind Carden and wanted him desperately to succeed but a defeat to Salford City in the FA Cup all but sealed his fate. Salford had games national publicity in a BBC documentary in the preceeding weeks and when the solitary goal of the game was a shot from the half way line you know luck is not going your way. By mid November the Sandgrounders were languishing at the wrong end of the table and Carden was relieved of duty after a heavy defeat to Cheltenham Town. Chairman Charles Clapham turned to former player Dino Maamria to turnaround the clubs fortunes and his start to management couldn’t have gone much better. He got an instant reaction from Carden’s squad and had picked up 8 wins by 2nd January, rising from 22nd to 14th. Maamria had even picked up the December manager of the month award. Under the surface however  all was not well.  Results started to turn as Southport failed to pick up another win until March.

The club found themselves managerless once more when the club announced the Maamria had mutually agreed to leave on 14th March. With games coming thick and fast Clapham turned to experienced player Andy Bishop to see out the season. Bishop got a reaction once more and the Sandgrounders kept themselves above the drop-zone.

Bishop was rewarded with the role full-time in the summer that followed.

Off the pitch (just), the club, in conjunction with the supporters’ trust, Trust In Yellow, unveiled new Floodlights to much fanfare.