Industrious midfielder Adam Tomasso has left AFC Totton after five seasons after manager Jimmy Ball and the club decided not to renew the player's contract ahead of the side’s first-ever season in the National League South

The hard-working and ever-committed midfielder Adam Tomasso has left AFC Totton after five seasons with the club, a player that manager Jimmy Ball often selected as captain.

The decision comes as the club decided against renewing the player’s contract ahead of the club’s first-ever season in the National League South.

“I’m gutted to say this, but my time at AFC Totton has come to an end,” said Tomasso, who won the player’s player award two seasons ago, on social media. “It’s been one hell of a ride, and I can’t thank enough all the players I have shared a changing room with and all the supporters who travelled home and away. Your support towards me was never unnoticed.”

In the recently completed 2024/25 campaign, Tomasso made 36 starts to help Totton to a second successive runners-up spot in the Southern League Premier Division South, reserving his only goal of the season for his return to his former club, Winchester City, in the 4-1 Boxing Day win.

He was a starter in the dramatic play-off semi-final victory over Dorchester Town. He came off the bench in the final against Gloucester City in May 2025 to shepherd the Stags safely toward promotion.

“Adam has been a brilliant player for me throughout my time here,” said Stags boss Jimmy Ball. “One of those who, no matter what position I ask him to play or what role I ask him to perform, can always be relied upon to give 110%.

“I’ve always seen a bit of myself in him; he might not be the tallest, but he’s as tough and as competitive as they come, and he never backs out of a challenge. We rightly pride ourselves on playing good football, but Adam has been part of the glue that has made this team stick. There have been plenty of times when he has enabled us to dig in and fight our way to a result.”

In total, Tomasso has made 187 appearances in all competitions for AFC Totton, including 151 starts, scoring seven goals.

Ball added: “I’m immensely proud of everything that we’ve achieved at this football club over the last few years, and nobody has deserved that success more than Adam.

“We talk about wanting to be the most professional semi-professional football club, and he’s delivered on that by constantly demonstrating a fantastic attitude and working incredibly hard.

“It’s been a real privilege to work with him, and I wish him and his family every success in the future.”

Originally an AFC Totton youth player between 2010 and 2012, Tomasso then spent several seasons with Winchester City before joining the Blackfield & Langley side that went on to be crowned Southern League Division One South Champions in 2018/19.

However, due to ground grading issues and subsequent financial concerns, the Watersiders resigned from the Southern League the following season to return to the Wessex League Premier Division. Tomasso was among several players who followed manager Glenn Howes on a short trip to the Testwood Stadium – AFC Totton’s former home – in May 2020.

After a difficult spell coming back from injury under Howes’ managerial successor Dan Sackman, which led to a loan spell in the Wessex League with AFC Portchester, the full-blooded player returned before new manager Ball took over in March 2022.

Ball named Tomasso as team captain three times during the end-of-season run-in and selected him in the starting line-up that beat Folland Sports 3-0 at St Mary’s Stadium in May 2022, leading to AFC Totton lifting the SDFA Southampton Senior Cup for the first time in 40 years.

Tomasso’s versatility and tough competitive edge proved to be crucial ingredients of the treble-winning season of 2022/23. Across 35 starts in all competitions, he lined up at right-back, left-back, centre-back and in central midfield as the Stags sauntered to the Southern League Division One South title before winning the Champion of Champions Super Cup and retaining the Southampton Senior Cup.

Among 41 starts in all competitions during the 2023/24 season, he played the full 120 minutes as a midfielder in the extra-time victory over Bracknell Town in the play-off semi-final before starting at right-back against Salisbury in the final.

Tomasso’s bravery and selfless determination were epitomised during that end-of-season run-in when, with promotion play-off participation already secured, he took a 20-yard piledriver to the face at Plymouth Parkway and then got another bloody nose from a similar incident during the 4-0 win at Dorchester Town just five days later. Such competitive commitment does not go unnoticed among teammates, and Tomasso was voted Players’ Player of the Year.