AFC Totton
WINGER MATTY BURROWS has left AFC Totton to join newly-promoted Wimborne Town for an undisclosed fee.
The skilful fleet-footed forward, who was born in Sheffield and moved to Dorset with his family as a teenager, came through the youth ranks at Weymouth after they spotted him playing for Portland United.
Having reached the fringes of The Terras first team, Burrows impressed during an initial loan spell at AFC Totton in the first half of the 2022/23 season – not least with a goal on his debut in the 5-3 home win over Westbury United in November 2022 – to persuade boss Jimmy Ball and the club’s Board to bring him to the Snows Stadium on a permanent basis for an undisclosed fee.
Burrows went on to make 25 appearances in all competitions, 11 of those as a substitute, contributing 13 goals to The Stags’ treble-winning campaign. His highlights included a four-goal haul in the 6-1 home win over Tavistock AFC in only his fourth outing in an AFC Totton shirt, and a hat-trick in the 8-1 mauling of Bideford AFC in March 2023. He also stepped off the bench to score with a stunning long-range strike against Wimborne to confirm a 4-0 away win at a rain-sodden New Cuthbury in April.
Despite limited participation in pre-season due to a niggling injury, Burrows produced some of the stand-out moments of Totton’s Southern League Premier Division South campaign with the heart-stopping 97th-minute winner at Harrow Borough on the opening day of the season, a hat-trick in the 5-3 home win over Hanwell Town on the last weekend in August, and a breath-taking solo effort to secure a last-gasp equaliser at Walton & Hersham on New Year’s Day.
A loan spell at Wimborne in February aided both the winger’s fitness and The Magpies’ bid to secure the Southern League Division One South title, beginning with a goal on his full debut in a 2-0 win at Yate Town and another in a 3-1 success at Mousehole. He returned to Totton for the end-of-season run-in but was mostly limited to substitute appearances in the league, while helping to progress the team into the finals of both the Hampshire Senior Cup and the SDFA Southampton Senior Cup.
He made 11 starts for AFC Totton in 2023/24, plus 18 as sub, contributing 8 goals across all competitions, taking his tally for the club to 54 appearances (29 as sub) and 21 goals.
We thank Matty for his considerable contribution to the club over the last two seasons and wish him well at his new club. We would also like to thank Steve Mac Connell of Dojo for sponsoring Matty during his spell as a Stag.
By Ben Rochey-Adams
