Formed in 1888 as Haywards Heath Junior FC the club dominated the Mid Sussex League in the early 1920s before they left to join the Brighton + District League in 1931/32. The championship was duly won the following season with a 100% record, and Haywards Heath joined the Sussex County League in 1932.

After WW2 the club re-entered the County League on its resumption, winning the League title in 1949/50 and 1950/51. When Hanbury Park was opened in 1952 Haywards Heath joined the Metropolitan League and competed against the third teams of Football League Division One clubs. In 1957/58 the club lifted the Sussex Senior Cup, before re-joining the County League in 1961/62.

Haywards Heath won the County League once more in 1969/70, but just over ten years later found themselves in Division Two following relegation in 1980/81.

Division One status was regained in 1986/87 as runners-up to Wick, and the following season the club finished in third place. However the Blues were relegated once more in 1991/92. Worse was to come, with the club dropping into Division Three the following season, where they remained until winning promotion back to senior football at the end of the 2002/03 season, as runners-up to Midhurst + Easebourne.

Haywards Heath were relegated back to the Division Three after just one season. After what had appeared to be a renaissance for the club, worse was to follow in 2004/05 as the Blues finished one off the bottom of County League Division Three, but were spared relegation.

In the midst of significant changes off the pitch, the club improved to finish in a mid-table position in 2005/06 and there are encouraging signs that Haywards Heath may once more be heading towards another fruitful period in their long history after an earlier false dawn.