Hassocks F.C.

Hassocks Football Club is a football club based in Hassocks, near Brighton, West Sussex, England. The club is affiliated to the Sussex County Football Association.[1] The club joined the Sussex County League Division Two in 1981 and has reached the 2nd round of the FA Vase three times in its history, and the 3rd qualifying round of the FA Cup in 2001–02. They are currently members of the Southern Combination Premier Division and play at the Beacon.

Hassocks
Full nameHassocks Football Club
Nickname(s)The Robins
Founded1902
GroundThe Beacon, Hassocks
ChairmanDave John
ManagerMark Dalgleish & Phil Wickwar
LeagueSouthern Combination Premier Division
2019–20Southern Combination Premier Division (season abandoned)

The three sections together are a FA Charter Standard Community Club.[2]

History

Hassocks FC were founded in 1902, spending the first 80 years competing in the Mid-Sussex Football League and the Brighton, Hove & District Football League, mainly at Adastra Park.[3][4] Ambitions for senior football were realised for the 1981–82 season when the club become members of Division 2 of the Sussex County League, finishing in 12th in their first season.[5] Consolidation followed with regular placings in the top half of the division until the end of the 1986–87 season, when a change in the County League rules regarding ground grading saw the club demoted to Division 3 and a return to intermediate football.[5]

1991 saw a change in chairman and management with Jim Goodrum elected chairman, Dave John coming in as general manager and the introduction of a new management team of Nick Greenwood and Pete Liddell in charge of First Team affairs.[6] Results were immediate, the Division 3 title being won by 10 points in 1991–92.[5] Critically, the return to senior football was matched by the progress off the pitch, with the club realising its ambitions to move to its own ground, The Beacon.[3]

In 1994–95, the club won promotion to Division One of the County League but quality floodlights had to be provided. This was achieved through fund raising and a donation from Matthew Harding, who lived locally and whose sons Pat and Joel went on to become first team regulars.[3] A game against Chelsea Youth in 1995 supported by Graham Rix and Liam Brady marked the official opening of the floodlights.

After their first season in Division One the club made its debut in the FA Vase, making it to the first round before being knocked out by Horsham.[7] The following season the club then entered the FA Cup in the preliminary round, but losing to Egham Town at their first attempt.[7] The club in the 2001–02 season achieved its best ever FA Cup run when they reached the Third Qualifying round when they were knocked out by Lewes 3–1 at The Dripping Pan.

In October 2002, an ex-Arsenal and Celebrity Team visited to help celebrate the centenary with Steve Williams, Peter Marinello, Terry Marsh, Martin Offiah and Ralf Little all gracing The Beacon.

Long-serving manager Dave John retired in 2008 to be replaced by former Horsham YMCA manager John Suter.[8] Despite bringing in a number of the players with whom he had won promotion to the Isthmian League at Gorings Mead, the change did not work and Suter was dismissed after just 15 games in charge with the Robins floating around the relegation zone.[9]

John returned to first team management and kept the side afloat for another two seasons, handing over the reigns to Mickey Jewell and his assistant former Steyning Town manager Mark Dalgleish for 2010–11, and in 2011–12 they led the Robins to a highest ever finish of 4th as well as the semi-finals of the Sussex RUR Cup.[10]

Ground

Hassocks play their games at The Beacon Ground, Brighton Road, Hassocks, West Sussex, BN6 9LY.

The ground had floodlights installed in 1995.[3]

The 2002–03 centenary season commenced with the completion of a new 237 seat stand in August 2002, named in honour of president Maurice Boxall. The official opening saw a Brighton and Hove Albion side play at the Beacon in what was Steve Coppell's first game in charge of the Seagulls.

In 2006 the building of a brand new clubhouse[11] got underway and this was opened by Kate Hoey in June 2007, giving the Beacon some of the finest facilities in the County League which has resulted in the ground hosting numerous representative games.

Current squad
Name Nationality Position Date of birth (Age) Previous club Notes
Goalkeepers
Josh Green GK (1996-09-16) 16 September 1996 BHTFC
Defenders
William Broomfield CB 17 May 1980 Block and Gasket FC (Sundays)
Derrick Jacques CB 1 April 1975 North of the Wall
Rowan Wallis CB
Tom Barnes CB
Luke Akehurst LB
Ben Palmer CB St Francis Rangers
Brad Tighe RB
Midfielders
Mark Price CM
Spencer Slaughter CM (1987-11-19) 19 November 1987 Burgess Hill Lewis Westlake
Josh Hawkes CM St Francis Rangers
Nathan Cooper CM (1990-06-18) 18 June 1990 Three Bridges
James Westlake RM (1991-08-08) 8 August 1991 St Francis Rangers
Jamie Weston LM (1988-05-27) 27 May 1988 St Francis Rangers
Elliott Butler LM St Francis Rangers
Strikers
Phil Gault FW St Francis Rangers
Nathan Miles FW (1990-07-27) 27 July 1990
Philip "The Rat" Johnson FW 02/04/1990 Horsham YMCA
Liam Benson FW

Honours

League honours

Cup honours
  • Sussex County League Division Three League Cup[16]
    • Runners-up (2): 1987–88, 1990–91

Records
  • Highest League Position:[7][17] 4th in Sussex County League Division One 2011–12
  • FA Cup best performance:[7] Third qualifying round 2001–02
  • FA Vase best performance:[7] Second Round 1998–99, 2005–06, 2007–08
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References
  1. "FA Charter Standard Clubs Roll of Honour". Sussex County Football Association. 16 January 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  2. "Hassocks Football Club Information". Hassocksfc.net. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  3. "Hassocks FC". Sussexcountyfc.milbint.com. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  4. "Brighton, Hove & District Football League". Bhdfl.co.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  5. "Sussex County League 1980–1993". Nonleaguematters.net. Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  6. "New soccer boss for Hassocks – Sport". Mid Sussex Times. 6 February 2008. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  7. HASSOCKS at the Football Club History Database
  8. "Hassocks Football Club – Official Website of the Robins". Hassocksfc.net. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  9. "FOOTBALL: Suter hotfoots to Hassocks". Worthing Herald. 2 July 2008. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  10. "FOOTBALL: Steyning boss Dalgleish quits". Shoreham Herald. 19 May 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  11. "Case Study: Hassocks Football Club". Gouldandco-chartered-surveyors.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  12. "Brighton, Hove & District Football League". Bhdfl.co.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  13. "Brighton, Hove & District Football League". Bhdfl.co.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  14. "Brighton, Hove & District Football League". Bhdfl.co.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  15. "Brighton, Hove & District Football League". Bhdfl.co.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  16. "Division 3 Cup – Sussex County Football League". Sussexcountyleague.com. Archived from the original on 6 December 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  17. "Sussex County League 2003–2012". Nonleaguematters.net. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2012.

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