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Lancing FC visit on Saturday, here's their history
Malcolm Boyes30 Jan 2014 - 16:33
As usual and where possible, here is a history of our visitors for those of you who may not have heard of them or seen them play before.
The history of Lancing FC This history has been reprinted with courtesy of the LancingFC website
Lancing Football Club had it's origins in 1938 with a group of youngsters who used to kick about on Monks Recreation Ground which is adjacent to the club's present home. The club was founded in 1941 as an all sports club and known as Lancing Athletic.
The cricket and badminton sections survive to this day but the footballers were obliged to form an independent organisation upon their election to the Sussex County League in 1948 - but they were still known as Lancing Athletic Football Club for some years, the suffix drifting out of use around 1955. After the war the original youngsters began to play together again and in 1946/47 Lancing Athletic, in their first crack at adult football won the Brighton League and Cup and also the Sussex Intermediate Cup.
The side included half-back Roy Downing, who had played for Shrewsbury Town during the war, skilful inside-forward Dudley Davies, who went onto to play for both Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient, and powerful centre-forward Les Bushby who hit 61 goals in 31 games. An application to join the Sussex County Football League for the 1947/48 Season was rejected but Lancing were allowed to enter the F.A. Amateur Cup and consequently stunned the local football world by reaching the Fourth Qualifying Round, beating four established County League clubs before eventually losing 2-1 at home to Tooting & Mitcham United. When Worthing moved to the Corinthian League in the summer of 1948 Lancing were their only possible replacements in the County League. In their second season they were runners-up to Haywards Heath Town, pipped on goal average. In 1952 the club moved from their local park at the Crowshaw Recreation Ground to their present home at Culver Road. In their second match there, an F.A. Cup tie with Eastbourne Town, saw Lancing draw 6-6 after trailing 6-1 after just thirty minutes - and they won the replay!
Fortunes however were mixed and relegation came in 1957 followed a year later by promotion thanks to the goal scoring feats of Ian Pascoe. He had played one undistinguished first-team game before being summoned to make a motor cycle dash home from holiday in Southend to play against Three Bridges on 4 January as injuries hit the club.
In the remaining 16 games of the season Pascoe scored 34 times, including seven in a 10-1promotion clinching victory over Seaford. In 1965 Lancing were again County League runners-up, unlucky that, what was probably their best ever side, came up against a magnificent Lewes side that went through the entire season unbeaten by any Sussex club and then joined the Athenian League. Lancing were expected to succeed them as Champions in 1966 but had to settle for a record Amateur Cup run and victory in the Sussex R.U.R. Cup.
Lancing were relegated in 1968, promoted two years later and relegated again in 1972. Then came many years in the doldrums and only in the nineteen eighties did their fortunes change. The Sussex County Association bought Culver Road, erected floodlights and a new club house. Lancing, now their tenants, won the Division 2 Cup and a year later won promotion, the first time that they had finished in the top half of Division 2 since they dropped back into it. The following season saw their Division 1 status retained after a struggle and the club also enjoyed the chance to enter the F.A. Cup (for the first time since 1970).
The club was again relegated in 1990 with the highest number of points ever for a relegated side.In Season 1991/92 the club celebrated it's Golden Jubilee but despite high hopes of celebrating this landmark with promotion the season turned out to be a big disappointment and relegation into Division 3 was narrowly avoided. The club remained in Division 2 throughout the nineties with the only success coming in the 1992/93 campaign which saw the club narrowly pipped to the third promotion spot by East Grinstead but despite this disappointment they went onto win the Division 2 Cup with a 1-0 victory over Mile Oak. They also reached the final of the Sussex R.U.R. Cup and were unlucky to lose 2-1 to the eventual County League Champions the then mighty Peacehaven & Telscombe. In Season 1993/94 the club enjoyed a good run in the F.A. Vase reaching the Second Round Proper for the first time in their history. They beat Horsham, from Division 3 of the Diadora League 2-1, at Culver Road followed by an exciting 3-2 win at Hanwell Town, from the London Spartan League, before finally going down 4-3 at home to AFC Tonbridge from the then Beazer Homes Southern Division.
They again reached the Division 2 Cup Final but were unable to retain the trophy going down 2-0 to local rivals and neighbours Shoreham. Seasons 1994/95 and 1995/96 were mediocre in terms of success whilst season 1996/97 saw them struggle throughout the entire campaign and it was not until the last few weeks of the season that their place in Division 2 was finally assured.
Frank Phythian was appointed manager together with Jim Enticknap as his assistant for 1997/98 season but it was to be a nightmare beginning which saw the club languishing at the foot of the table without a win or single point until late October when they broke their duck with a 3-1 win at home to Withdean. The club reached the semi-finals of the Division 2 Cup but, in a somewhat disappointing performance in the semi-final tie played at Ringmer, they went down to a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Shinewater Association.
The club ended the season in 14th place with 40 points which, considering the club's awful start to the campaign, was no mean achievement. The following season, 1998/99,the club again suffered a nightmare start which ultimately cost them any real chance of finishing in any of the promotion places although they recovered well to finish in mid-table with 41 points from 34 starts. The club only enjoyed mediocre success in the various cup competitions with the highlight being a spirited performance in the Sussex Senior cup tie at League Champions Burgess Hill Town which they lost 4-1.
Both Frank Phythian and Jim Enticknap resigned their posts due to work and personal commitments at the end of the season and the club turned to Reserve Team manager Andy Gander to hopefully lead the club out of Division 2.
Andy, a former Lancing player with previous managerial experience at Lancing United, was appointed following a great first season as manager of the Reserves who, after many years of mediocrity, enjoyed a very successful campaign and just missed out on promotion to the Reserve Premier. Their most notable performances however were in the Reserve Cup as they reached the final only to be beaten 3-1 by Burgess Hill Town Reserves.
With Andy in charge and together with his assistants Steve Fermer and John Sharman hopes were high that, going into the Millennium, Lancing would regain their place in the top flight in 2000 and these hopes were eventually realised after a traumatic end to the season. With Sidlesham and Arundel assured of the two top spots the remaining promotion place was between Lancing and Crawley Down (who would have been unable to go up as they are still without floodlights).
Lancing needed maximum points to grab the third spot but their challenge appeared to have faltered after drawing 1-1 at Mile Oak thus dropping two precious points. However it transpired that Oak fielded an illegible player. Pending investigation it appeared that the club may get all three points after all and with Crawley Down losing their last game of the season away at Arundel they finished in 3rd place with 62 points just one ahead of Lancing back in fourth spot.
However the League eventually awarded the club all three points from the Mile Oak game (which ironically Lancing should have won by a comfortable margin), which took their tally to 63 points and booked their place back into the top flight after an absence of 10 seasons.
The Reserves also enjoyed another successful campaign and they too won promotion back to the Reserves Section Premier also, coincidentally, after an absence of 10 years, when finishing runners-up to Horsham YMCA Reserves after a nervous and tense finish. It was a notable double for joint managers Gary Brown and Alan Kane who the previous season had taken Southwick Reserves into the Premier before moving along to Culver Road.
Their stay in Division One was to be short. A poor first half season included a three-month spell without victory, although strangely saw an impressive victory against high-flyers Horsham Y.M.C.A.. An improved second period however, saw too many draws, and despite a useful final run-in the club were relegated - a single point short of safety!
The return to Division Two created an air of optimism, for a swift return. However, despite some promising performances, inconsistency proved their downfall. A three match F.A. Vase run, defeating Fleet Town and Ramsgate before narrowly losing to Stotfold, contrasted with league struggles to gain solitary points against the strugglers. A reasonable sixth place was achieved but more was possible.
With the nucleus of the side remaining for the current campaign, the expectations of a successful season remained. Overall 2002-03 was a disappointing season, which started well, and continued for the first four months, but in the run-up to Christmas form dipped and never really recovered. During the close season manager, Andy Gander decided to call it a day, leaving the club very little time to select a replacement and prepare for the new season.
Alf Ford rather courageously took on the manager's role and did fantastically well to put a team together. Although the young side played with plenty of spirit, and showed great potential for the future, the results were not forthcoming, and the side escaped Division Three by the narrowest of margins.
For 2004-05 it was "all change" once again. Mark Cox was appointed manager, assisted by Steve Nash. Despite some mixed results and performances, the club were courting an outside chance of promotion. Perhaps, it was for the best, that this petered out as the inconsistencies led to some hammerings. A useful rebuilding season with enough experience and youth to build upon.
Mark Cox's second season in charge never really got started. The bulk of the season was spent in the lower reaches, and despite one or two "false dawns" the spectre of relegation was becoming a more distinct reality. In February, Mark left the club, and was replaced by Sammy Donnelly. The players responded, and in the final eleven matches only two were lost. Safety was assured, in fact a comfortable mid-table position was achieved. Sammy agreed to remain with the club for the following season, providing a much needed boost around Culver Road.
The new "Golden Age" didn't quite materealise, the side struggled - injuries to key players left the side struggling. A three game FA Cup run was the highlight culminating in the "day out" at Tooting and Mitcham, which the "big boys" comfortably won. The Christmas period was the final straw and Sammy resigned. Mick Fogden was appointed caretaker, and after a couple of games seemed to have found the elusive winning formula, just in time to be replaced by new permanent manager Martin Gander. A player exodus ensued and a new team was rapidly created. Still firmly rooted in a relegation battle the side continued to struggle, but gradually results were "ground out", and safety was assured.
The 2007-08 campaign saw more upheaval, this time off the pitch as the old stand at Culver Road was finally demolished. Building work began in August and the club was forced to play all there away fixtures first. A poor first half of the season left the side firmly rooted in the relegation zone, an increasingly familar position over recent seasons. The club ended the year low in confidence, and once more Division Three loomed. Although a small number of home games were played at surrogate venues, a return to Culver Road wasn't feasible till the latter half of January. However on their homecoming the tide turned, a seven game unbeaten home run (there were few away games left) gave the club a vital boost. Despite a few setbacks safety was confirmed mathematically with a 7-0 win against Pease Pottage Village. With the new stand completed after the end of the season, the new facilities earned the plaudits from all the visitors, and drew an emphatic line under a troubled season.
Lancing Football Club had it's origins in 1938 with a group of youngsters who used to kick about on Monks Recreation Ground which is adjacent to the club's present home. The club was founded in 1941 as an all sports club and known as Lancing Athletic.
The cricket and badminton sections survive to this day but the footballers were obliged to form an independent organisation upon their election to the Sussex County League in 1948 - but they were still known as Lancing Athletic Football Club for some years, the suffix drifting out of use around 1955. After the war the original youngsters began to play together again and in 1946/47 Lancing Athletic, in their first crack at adult football won the Brighton League and Cup and also the Sussex Intermediate Cup.
The side included half-back Roy Downing, who had played for Shrewsbury Town during the war, skilful inside-forward Dudley Davies, who went onto to play for both Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient, and powerful centre-forward Les Bushby who hit 61 goals in 31 games. An application to join the Sussex County Football League for the 1947/48 Season was rejected but Lancing were allowed to enter the F.A. Amateur Cup and consequently stunned the local football world by reaching the Fourth Qualifying Round, beating four established County League clubs before eventually losing 2-1 at home to Tooting & Mitcham United. When Worthing moved to the Corinthian League in the summer of 1948 Lancing were their only possible replacements in the County League. In their second season they were runners-up to Haywards Heath Town, pipped on goal average. In 1952 the club moved from their local park at the Crowshaw Recreation Ground to their present home at Culver Road. In their second match there, an F.A. Cup tie with Eastbourne Town, saw Lancing draw 6-6 after trailing 6-1 after just thirty minutes - and they won the replay!
Fortunes however were mixed and relegation came in 1957 followed a year later by promotion thanks to the goal scoring feats of Ian Pascoe. He had played one undistinguished first-team game before being summoned to make a motor cycle dash home from holiday in Southend to play against Three Bridges on 4 January as injuries hit the club.
In the remaining 16 games of the season Pascoe scored 34 times, including seven in a 10-1promotion clinching victory over Seaford. In 1965 Lancing were again County League runners-up, unlucky that, what was probably their best ever side, came up against a magnificent Lewes side that went through the entire season unbeaten by any Sussex club and then joined the Athenian League. Lancing were expected to succeed them as Champions in 1966 but had to settle for a record Amateur Cup run and victory in the Sussex R.U.R. Cup.
Lancing were relegated in 1968, promoted two years later and relegated again in 1972. Then came many years in the doldrums and only in the nineteen eighties did their fortunes change. The Sussex County Association bought Culver Road, erected floodlights and a new club house. Lancing, now their tenants, won the Division 2 Cup and a year later won promotion, the first time that they had finished in the top half of Division 2 since they dropped back into it. The following season saw their Division 1 status retained after a struggle and the club also enjoyed the chance to enter the F.A. Cup (for the first time since 1970).
The club was again relegated in 1990 with the highest number of points ever for a relegated side.In Season 1991/92 the club celebrated it's Golden Jubilee but despite high hopes of celebrating this landmark with promotion the season turned out to be a big disappointment and relegation into Division 3 was narrowly avoided. The club remained in Division 2 throughout the nineties with the only success coming in the 1992/93 campaign which saw the club narrowly pipped to the third promotion spot by East Grinstead but despite this disappointment they went onto win the Division 2 Cup with a 1-0 victory over Mile Oak. They also reached the final of the Sussex R.U.R. Cup and were unlucky to lose 2-1 to the eventual County League Champions the then mighty Peacehaven & Telscombe. In Season 1993/94 the club enjoyed a good run in the F.A. Vase reaching the Second Round Proper for the first time in their history. They beat Horsham, from Division 3 of the Diadora League 2-1, at Culver Road followed by an exciting 3-2 win at Hanwell Town, from the London Spartan League, before finally going down 4-3 at home to AFC Tonbridge from the then Beazer Homes Southern Division.
They again reached the Division 2 Cup Final but were unable to retain the trophy going down 2-0 to local rivals and neighbours Shoreham. Seasons 1994/95 and 1995/96 were mediocre in terms of success whilst season 1996/97 saw them struggle throughout the entire campaign and it was not until the last few weeks of the season that their place in Division 2 was finally assured.
Frank Phythian was appointed manager together with Jim Enticknap as his assistant for 1997/98 season but it was to be a nightmare beginning which saw the club languishing at the foot of the table without a win or single point until late October when they broke their duck with a 3-1 win at home to Withdean. The club reached the semi-finals of the Division 2 Cup but, in a somewhat disappointing performance in the semi-final tie played at Ringmer, they went down to a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Shinewater Association.
The club ended the season in 14th place with 40 points which, considering the club's awful start to the campaign, was no mean achievement. The following season, 1998/99,the club again suffered a nightmare start which ultimately cost them any real chance of finishing in any of the promotion places although they recovered well to finish in mid-table with 41 points from 34 starts. The club only enjoyed mediocre success in the various cup competitions with the highlight being a spirited performance in the Sussex Senior cup tie at League Champions Burgess Hill Town which they lost 4-1.
Both Frank Phythian and Jim Enticknap resigned their posts due to work and personal commitments at the end of the season and the club turned to Reserve Team manager Andy Gander to hopefully lead the club out of Division 2.
Andy, a former Lancing player with previous managerial experience at Lancing United, was appointed following a great first season as manager of the Reserves who, after many years of mediocrity, enjoyed a very successful campaign and just missed out on promotion to the Reserve Premier. Their most notable performances however were in the Reserve Cup as they reached the final only to be beaten 3-1 by Burgess Hill Town Reserves.
With Andy in charge and together with his assistants Steve Fermer and John Sharman hopes were high that, going into the Millennium, Lancing would regain their place in the top flight in 2000 and these hopes were eventually realised after a traumatic end to the season. With Sidlesham and Arundel assured of the two top spots the remaining promotion place was between Lancing and Crawley Down (who would have been unable to go up as they are still without floodlights).
Lancing needed maximum points to grab the third spot but their challenge appeared to have faltered after drawing 1-1 at Mile Oak thus dropping two precious points. However it transpired that Oak fielded an illegible player. Pending investigation it appeared that the club may get all three points after all and with Crawley Down losing their last game of the season away at Arundel they finished in 3rd place with 62 points just one ahead of Lancing back in fourth spot.
However the League eventually awarded the club all three points from the Mile Oak game (which ironically Lancing should have won by a comfortable margin), which took their tally to 63 points and booked their place back into the top flight after an absence of 10 seasons.
The Reserves also enjoyed another successful campaign and they too won promotion back to the Reserves Section Premier also, coincidentally, after an absence of 10 years, when finishing runners-up to Horsham YMCA Reserves after a nervous and tense finish. It was a notable double for joint managers Gary Brown and Alan Kane who the previous season had taken Southwick Reserves into the Premier before moving along to Culver Road.
Their stay in Division One was to be short. A poor first half season included a three-month spell without victory, although strangely saw an impressive victory against high-flyers Horsham Y.M.C.A.. An improved second period however, saw too many draws, and despite a useful final run-in the club were relegated - a single point short of safety!
The return to Division Two created an air of optimism, for a swift return. However, despite some promising performances, inconsistency proved their downfall. A three match F.A. Vase run, defeating Fleet Town and Ramsgate before narrowly losing to Stotfold, contrasted with league struggles to gain solitary points against the strugglers. A reasonable sixth place was achieved but more was possible.
With the nucleus of the side remaining for the current campaign, the expectations of a successful season remained. Overall 2002-03 was a disappointing season, which started well, and continued for the first four months, but in the run-up to Christmas form dipped and never really recovered. During the close season manager, Andy Gander decided to call it a day, leaving the club very little time to select a replacement and prepare for the new season.
Alf Ford rather courageously took on the manager's role and did fantastically well to put a team together. Although the young side played with plenty of spirit, and showed great potential for the future, the results were not forthcoming, and the side escaped Division Three by the narrowest of margins.
For 2004-05 it was "all change" once again. Mark Cox was appointed manager, assisted by Steve Nash. Despite some mixed results and performances, the club were courting an outside chance of promotion. Perhaps, it was for the best, that this petered out as the inconsistencies led to some hammerings. A useful rebuilding season with enough experience and youth to build upon.
Mark Cox's second season in charge never really got started. The bulk of the season was spent in the lower reaches, and despite one or two "false dawns" the spectre of relegation was becoming a more distinct reality. In February, Mark left the club, and was replaced by Sammy Donnelly. The players responded, and in the final eleven matches only two were lost. Safety was assured, in fact a comfortable mid-table position was achieved. Sammy agreed to remain with the club for the following season, providing a much needed boost around Culver Road.
The new "Golden Age" didn't quite materealise, the side struggled - injuries to key players left the side struggling. A three game FA Cup run was the highlight culminating in the "day out" at Tooting and Mitcham, which the "big boys" comfortably won. The Christmas period was the final straw and Sammy resigned. Mick Fogden was appointed caretaker, and after a couple of games seemed to have found the elusive winning formula, just in time to be replaced by new permanent manager Martin Gander. A player exodus ensued and a new team was rapidly created. Still firmly rooted in a relegation battle the side continued to struggle, but gradually results were "ground out", and safety was assured.
The 2007-08 campaign saw more upheaval, this time off the pitch as the old stand at Culver Road was finally demolished. Building work began in August and the club was forced to play all there away fixtures first. A poor first half of the season left the side firmly rooted in the relegation zone, an increasingly familar position over recent seasons. The club ended the year low in confidence, and once more Division Three loomed. Although a small number of home games were played at surrogate venues, a return to Culver Road wasn't feasible till the latter half of January. However on their homecoming the tide turned, a seven game unbeaten home run (there were few away games left) gave the club a vital boost. Despite a few setbacks safety was confirmed mathematically with a 7-0 win against Pease Pottage Village. With the new stand completed after the end of the season, the new facilities earned the plaudits from all the visitors, and drew an emphatic line under a troubled season.
Further reading