Royal Navy U23s train at Southampton FC ahead of fourth successive Inter Services title run
The three-time reigning Inter Services champions will be hoping to make it four successive titles in 2025 as the Royal Navy U23s prepare for their first test against the British Army in Havant.
In preparation for their Inter Services title defence, the Navy have spent the week training together at Staplewood, the training ground of Premier League side Southampton FC, in a change of scenery compared to their usual home at HMS Temeraire.
"It's a great place to be," says head coach Captain Stu Morgan.
"We're surrounded by excellence and professionalism and at a Premier League club, the training is no mean feat.
"It's taken some hard work from backroom staff to get here, but now we're here, the lads are really enjoying it.
"There's great surroundings to watch the first team train, and the academy and the women train here, it's just given them a morale boost to do their own good work on the pitch."
In 2024, the Navy clinched the Inter Services trophy after beating the Royal Air Force 1-0 at home in Portsmouth.
The sole goal-scorer from that game, Engineering Technician Rob Tucker, will line up for the Navy again in 2025 and he hopes to "recreate" those kinds of moments again this year.
He said: "I think I've definitely grown as a player from that experience, it was very positive, and it was probably one of the highlights of my career so far and hopefully we can recreate that this year."
The Navy have become accustomed to being hunted down rather than being a team doing the chasing, and it's a feeling they've become familiar with.
Able Rate Sol Roche, who also plays for the senior team, says that the team are "very confident" going into their first game against the Army.
He said: "We are all very confident going into it, we've got a few new faces and faces from previous years.
"But it's a good mix, a great bunch of lads, but we're very confident this year of keeping hold of the title."
The 2025 U23s Inter Services will be shown live on the BFBS Forces News YouTube channel and on BFBS TV (for serving personnel only), with coverage beginning on 4 February.
Find out how you can watch here.
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