Newhaven Football Club

A Brief History

Newhaven FC is one of the oldest clubs in Sussex, and was formed by the Towner family who were brewers in the town during the latter 19th century, plus some of their enthusiastic friends. A meeting took place at the Bridge Hotel in December 1887 when it decided to form the Club and 20 members signed up on the day.

We are one of the founding members of the Sussex County Football League, joining in 1920 but it was not until 1948/49 that any silverware of note found its way to the Dockers’ trophy cabinet, when the club won the Sussex County FA Invitation Cup.

In 1950/51 Newhaven finished in fourth place and in 1953/54 won the League, ahead of Rye United and Cuckfield. Although finishing fifth the following season, success eluded Newhaven, and we were relegated to Division Two in 1964/65. The Dockers made an immediate return as runners-up to Horsham YMCA, only to be relegated again two years later.

Newhaven once again returned to the top division in 1971/72, and won the Division One championship in 1973/74, finishing two points ahead of Littlehampton Town. Just two years later though, we found ourselves relegated for a third time.

After fifteen years in Division Two, the club was promoted to Division One as champions in 1990/91, and in 1992/3 finished sixth. The following year we won the Sussex RUR Cup, only to be relegated in 1994/95. Further relegation to Division Three followed in 1998/99 and the club narrowly escaped dropping down to the East Sussex League the season afterwards.

Although the 2004/05 season was disappointing in the League this was balanced by a place in the Final of the Vernon Wentworth Cup – losing to cup specialists Rustington. 2007/2008 started under pressure due to several key suspensions from the previous season and saw Newhaven out of the cups early in the season but finishing 5th in the league.