Hassocks F.C.

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Hassocks
Hassocks F.C. logo.png
Full name Hassocks Football Club
Nickname(s) The Robins
Founded 1902
Ground The Beacon, Hassocks
Chairman Dave John
Manager Mickey Jewell
League Sussex County League
Division One
2014–15 Sussex County League
Division One, 15th

Hassocks F.C. 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. For the 2014–15 season, the club is a member of the Sussex County League Division One.

Hassocks currently run a first team, a reserve team, a youth team and a veterans' team. There is also a Junior section, with teams running from Under 9 up to Under 16, which is chaired by Commentator Jonathan Pearce. The third section of the club is Hassocks Ladies, where the chairman is Mike Reynolds, manager is Tom Reynolds and assistant manager is Chris Reed. Hassocks Ladies are members of the South East Counties Women's Football League, Premier Division.

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 Grenwood 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 onto 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
James Plumley England GK (1987-07-15) 15 July 1987 (age 36) Crawley Town
Jack Simpson England GK (1991-03-30) 30 March 1991 (age 33)
Defenders
Ashley Marsh England CB (1985-09-04) 4 September 1985 (age 38) Vice Captain
Stuart Faith England CB Club Captain
Rowan Wallis England CB
Rob South England RB (1987-04-02) 2 April 1987 (age 37)
Lee Bryant England RB Horley Town
Chris Maynard England LB St Francis Rangers
Luke Pawson England LB Rottingdean Village
Midfielders
Anthony Hibbert England CM (1983-10-22) 22 October 1983 (age 40) Horsham YMCA
Spencer Slaughter England CM (1987-11-19) 19 November 1987 (age 36) Worthing
Kieran O'Callaghan England CM (1984-01-19) 19 January 1984 (age 40)
Nathan Cooper England CM (1990-06-18) 18 June 1990 (age 34) Three Bridges
James Westlake England RM (1991-08-08) 8 August 1991 (age 32) Three Bridges
Jamie Weston England LM (1988-05-27) 27 May 1988 (age 36) St Francis Rangers
Elliott Butler England LM St Francis Rangers
Strikers
Phil Gault England FW St Francis Rangers
Nathan Miles England FW (1990-07-27) 27 July 1990 (age 33)
Dan Smith England FW Saltdean United
Phil Johnson England FW (1990-04-02) 2 April 1990 (age 34)
Louis Pople England FW St Francis Rangers

Honours

League honours

Cup honours

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

References

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  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 HASSOCKS at the Football Club History Database
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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External links

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