Hastings Football History

Hastings United

The present Hastings United club traces its origins to Rock-a-Nore, founded in 1893 following a meeting held at the London Trader on 22 August. The team played in blue and white and were nicknamed the “Tanfrocks”. Its members were predominantly fishermen and boatmen from the Old Town, and the East Hill was used as the club’s home ground.

Rock-a-Nore entered the Carlisle Cup in the 1893–94 season after defeating St Mary’s 7–1 in a qualifying match. Remarkably, the club won the competition in 1895, only its second season in existence, and went on to retain the trophy for the next two seasons. In 1896 the club became a founder member of the Hastings, Eastbourne & District League and formed a reserve side to continue competing in the Carlisle Cup.

These formative years were highly successful, and Rock-a-Nore quickly established a strong reputation. Around 1895, William Lucas‑Shadwell MP served as club president. Despite success both on and off the pitch, the club folded in 1899. This coincided with a period when many teams struggled to field sides due to players being called up for service in the Second Boer War, and it is widely assumed that player enlistment was the principal cause of the club’s demise.

Rock-a-Nore reformed in 1901. The Hastings & St Leonards Observer reported that most of the former players would return, with between 70 and 80 members joining the club, and confirmed that the East Hill would remain the home ground. The club went on to win the Carlisle Cup three more times before stepping up to the East Sussex League in 1904.

At the same time, permission was granted to play at the newly laid‑out Sports Ground, enabling the club to play at an enclosed venue and take gate receipts. However, this arrangement lasted only one season, after which the club returned to the East Hill, relying on voluntary gate collections. Around this period, the Central Ground began to be used for cup matches.

Rock-a-Nore won the East Sussex League championship in 1907–08 but left the league the following summer, returning to the District League. The club remained there until the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.

The club reformed again in 1919 and quickly re‑established itself in local football. In 1920 Rock-a-Nore won the Sussex Junior Cup, defeating Allen West 2–0 in the final at Eastbourne. The crowd was reported to be around 3,000, including approximately 800 supporters from Hastings.

This successful return led to an invitation to become founder members of the Sussex County League, which the club accepted. In May 1920 it was announced that the club would be renamed Hastings Rock‑a‑Nore and was working with the Sports Association to secure a suitable ground for senior football. The Pilot Field was purchased, and the club played its first match there on 11 September, losing to Chichester in front of a crowd of 1,000.

In April 1921 the club changed its name to Hastings & St Leonards Football Club. The board felt that the Rock‑a‑Nore name hindered ambitions of becoming a successful senior club due to perceived prejudice within the town. They also believed that representing both Hastings and St Leonards would attract greater support and higher‑quality players. The decision proved controversial, particularly among Old Town members, many of whom went on to join a new Rock‑a‑Nore club formed shortly afterwards when Old Town Athletic changed its name.

Under its new identity, the club brielfy became known as the “Lilywhites” and initially played in red and white striped shirts, later switching to red and blue halves in 1923, likely in homage to the original Hastings & St Leonards club of the 1890s.

This period proved to be one of the most successful in the club’s history. Promotion was achieved in the first season, and Division One was won in 1935. That year also saw the reserves win the Amateur Football Alliance Junior Cup, with average attendances reaching 1,735. Managed by former Brighton & Hove Albion professional Jim Coleman, the club won the league three more times, lifted the Amateur Football Alliance Senior Cup in 1938, and claimed the Sussex Senior Cup in both 1938 and 1939.

The club’s record attendance of 8,000 was set in October 1933 for a match against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Pilot Field.

With the Southern Amateur League weakening and travel concerns ruling out other leagues, the club prepared for the 1939–40 season before the outbreak of the Second World War halted competitive football. The league disbanded, and Hastings & St Leonards joined the Sussex County League Eastern Section, which they won, though they lost the championship play‑off to Worthing.

Organised football ceased entirely in August 1940, and the Pilot Field was closed. A wartime club formed in 1941 played mainly against military sides before disbanding. Hastings & St Leonards reformed in October 1944 and resumed competitive football after the war, finishing runners‑up in both the Southern Amateur League and the Sussex Senior Cup.

In 1947 the club joined the Corinthian League, but its future was soon threatened by the formation of a new professional club, Hastings United, which secured exclusive use of the Pilot Field in 1948. Despite fierce opposition from Hastings & St Leonards supporters, the council awarded the ground to the professional club.

Unable to secure a suitable alternative ground, Hastings & St Leonards withdrew from senior football in September 1948, though a third XI continued in the Hastings League.

The club rebuilt gradually through local leagues and, in 1976, changed its name to Hastings Town. This marked a turning point. Town won Sussex County League Division Two in 1979–80 and became one of the strongest sides in Division One over the next few seasons.

In 1985, following the demise of Hastings United, Hastings Town joined the Southern League and secured a long‑term lease at the Pilot Field, returning to the ground from which the club had been forced 37 years earlier.

After mixed fortunes in the Southern League, promotion was finally achieved in 1991–92 under manager Peter Sillett. The club enjoyed further success in the 1990s, winning the Southern League Cup in 1995, and the Sussex Senior Cup in 1996 and 1998

Financial instability in the late 1990s nearly led to the club’s collapse, but a consortium led by Mick Maplesden saved it. In 2001–02 Hastings Town won the Southern League Eastern Division, and at the final match of the season it was announced the club would revert to the historic name Hastings United.

United made an immediate impact, reaching the FA Cup first round and famously defeating Conference side Kettering Town 5–0. However, league form faltered, leading to relegation.

The following years were marked by managerial changes and fluctuating fortunes. A highlight came under player‑manager Sean Ray, who led the club to its best FA Cup run, reaching the third round in 2010–11 and playing Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium after a televised replay win over Harrogate Town.

Subsequent seasons saw further rebuilding under various managers. Progress accelerated under Chris Agutter, who embraced a youth‑focused philosophy. The club finished strongly in successive seasons and was leading the league in both 2019–20 and 2020–21 when each season was curtailed due to the Covid‑19 pandemic.

Progress was rewarded in the 2021–22 season when Hastings United won the Isthmian League South East Division under the management of former Brighton & Hove Albion defender Gary Elphick. The title success secured promotion to the Isthmian League Premier Division and marked one of the club’s most significant modern achievements.

Under Agutter's second tenure as manager, the club reached the Sussex Senior Cup final in the 2023–24 season, earning the opportunity to play at Brighton & Hove Albion’s AMEX Stadium. Hastings were defeated 3–0 by Horsham in the final.

League fortunes, however, proved more challenging. After struggling to establish themselves at Premier Division level, Hastings United were relegated from the Isthmian League Premier Division at the end of the 2024–25 season. Off the pitch, uncertainty also emerged regarding the long‑term future of the Pilot Field, with questions surrounding its redevelopment and availability casting doubt over the club’s longer‑term stability.