Hastings Football History

The Pilot Field

The Pilot Field has hosted football since 1920 and has remained Hastings’ principal football venue ever since. It is popular with supporters and groundhoppers alike for its distinctive old grandstand, which dates from 1926, and the remains of the former speedway track encircling the pitch. Few may realise, however, that long before it became a sporting ground, the site had been proposed as the location for a new workhouse to replace the one in Ore.

The first mention of the Pilot Field in the Hastings Observer appears in May 1886, when it was put forward as the preferred site for a replacement workhouse for the one in Frederick Road, Ore. The suggested origin of the ground’s name is given in a Hastings Area Archaeological Research Group article by William Dance:

"The name of 'Pilot field' is from Old English -pil ate- meaning "hair oats" Pil-Oats, otherwise known as pilled oats, are a species of oat in which the pill (husk) does not adhere to the grain.” A survey of the area from 1560 shows the first record of the name ‘the Pilate Field’.

After considering potential sites across Hastings, the building committee unanimously recommended the 17‑acre Pilot Field to the Board of Guardians of the Hastings Union. The land, owned by Mr W. H. Goodwin, a solicitor, could be purchased for £275 per acre. The proposal faced strong opposition from residents, who argued that a workhouse would “considerably depreciate property in the vicinity, and be an intolerable nuisance to the neighbourhood”.

Debate about the workhouse continued for several years, with frequent articles and letters appearing in the Observer. Although the Guardians purchased the land and began preparatory work, including sinking a new well, the project was abandoned in 1891 and the workhouse remained in Ore—the site which later became St Helens Hospital.

In the years that followed, the Guardians leased out the Pilot Field for various proposed uses, including allotments and a sanatorium, though none came to fruition. By 1920 the land had been lying largely idle, producing only a modest return. With the loss of the old Sports Ground to the development of White Rock Gardens, calls grew for more recreational space in the town. The two main candidates were Horntye and the Pilot Field; the latter was preferred as it could be made ready for use by September.

The Hastings Corporation acquired the Pilot Field and leased it to the Hastings & St Leonards Sports Association in June 1920. Although the Association did not take control of the site until August, they worked quickly to prepare the ground for county league football. The first match was played on Saturday 11 September, with Rock‑a‑Nore losing to Chichester in front of a crowd of at least 1,000.

Initially opened as an athletic ground, the Pilot Field also hosted rugby, athletics and cycling, though football soon dominated its use. A cycling track was constructed in 1922, and the site was simultaneously developed into upper and lower pitches. Facilities remained rudimentary for the first few years: the football pitch was roped off on matchdays, the ground was fenced so that admission could be charged, and temporary spectator cover was occasionally erected.

The Pilot Field was officially opened on 8 November 1922, when a large crowd watched Hastings & St Leonards (formerly Rock‑a‑Nore) lose 3–1 to Queens Park Rangers.

Articles in the Hastings Observer during the 1920s highlight the lack of amenities—one from January 1925 complained about spectators urinating at half‑time, while another raised concerns about supporters watching for free from Elphinstone Road. In 1924 proposals were made for major improvements, including a new grandstand, better pitch fencing, toilets and parking, at a cost of £6,600. Work was under way by July 1925, and the grandstand was officially opened on 28 April 1926, with 1,500 people present for the ceremony conducted by Mayor Alderman W. J. Fellows.

For the next two decades the Pilot Field remained the home of Hastings & St Leonards FC, who became one of the strongest sides in the Southern Amateur League. Attendances were healthy and alterations to the ground were modest, such as the extension of the car park. Football continued throughout the Second World War, and the club returned to the ground in 1946.

The year 1948 proved pivotal. First came the arrival of the Hastings Saxons speedway team, made up of the displaced Eastbourne Eagles following a petrol ban at Arlington. They agreed a seven‑year lease with the Town Clerk, and the old cycling track was upgraded to cinder for their debut meeting on 24 April. During their brief stay, the Saxons regularly drew crowds of more than 9,000, but persistent noise complaints forced their departure in 1949.

Later in 1948, newly formed professional side Hastings United competed with the amateur club for control of the Pilot Field. The amateurs reportedly offered £500 in rent per year, while United bid £600 and agreed to cover maintenance. The Observer published numerous letters from locals criticising the decision to evict a successful amateur club with little notice. Although the Central Recreation Ground was mentioned as an alternative, Hastings & St Leonards were unable to secure it and were ultimately forced out in favour of United.

For more information on Hastings Saxons visit the Hastings Saxons Speedway webpage.

During the speedway teams’ brief stay, they regularly attracted crowds of over 9,000, but The Saxons were forced in out in 1949 after complaints from neighbours about the noise.

Covered terracing was added at the Elphinstone Road end in the mid‑1950s. The stand directly behind the goal survives today, having been refurbished in the 1990s. A second stand in the corner of the ground deteriorated during the late 20th century, was closed off by the mid‑1990s, and was eventually demolished—the club shop portacabin later occupied the site for a brief spell.

The first set of floodlights was installed in 1964, with the original eight pylons remaining until 2010, when four modern replacements were erected following a successful fundraising campaign. The current club bar was built in the late 1990s, with a brick extension added soon after; the old clubhouse beneath the main stand was converted into the boardroom. The modern stand at the Wood End was constructed in 2005 and named the Cole Warren Stand in honour of two long‑serving supporters.