Tired of travelling for hours each week to watch a match? Fed up with emptying your wallet into the coffers of a multi-million superclub? Or perhaps you find it difficult to care about which team wins? |
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In these days of endless TV football, celebrity players, massive transfer fees and the dreadful WAGS, it is easy to forget that there is still football played at a professional standard, by local players representing local communities. I am not even talking about the likes of Brighton, Gillingham and Charlton, but here in Hastings. Given the amount of shirts worn around the town sporting Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal on a Saturday afternoon it may come as a surprise to many to know that Hastings has a team at all, let alone one that achieved a dramatic promotion to a division three steps away from League football. In front of a crowd of over 1000 on the final day of the season, Hastings United secured their place in the Ryman Premier League for the new season which starts in August. Playing at the quaint sounding Pilot Field in Elphinstone Road, the club have been in existence since 1894 as either Town or United and there were two clubs for some time. Recently they have lived through the ups and downs that characterise all clubs, particularly at this ‘non league’ semi-pro level. Players and managers come and go and various Chairmen and benefactors with big ideas briefly enjoy the limelight before disappearing, leaving either frustration, disgruntled supporters or sometimes debts. The fanzine for the club is even named after the local lottery winner who left without fulfilling his grand five year plan. And not long ago there was the rival St Leonards, once Stamco, whose owner pumped money in to subsidise the rival club literally next door, all to no avail when boredom and eventual insolvency set in. Thankfully, United seem to have risen from such turmoil relatively unscathed and, after some lean years, they are emerging as a force to be reckoned with. It helps when stability in the boardroom allows stability on the pitch. The board, having appointed Nigel Kane as Manager in February ‘06, did not panic into a sacking when the team hit rock bottom of their division early on last season, and how it paid off! Kane told me he felt the tide turned in late November at Whytleafe on a Tuesday evening, when a late goal from John Bradley earned them a 3-2 win. From then on they went on an amazing run that saw them joint top by April when injuries made them struggle briefly before eventually triumphing in the play-offs.
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The backbone of the team consists of Goalkeeper Lee Worgan, Centre Back and Captain, Sean Ray, who turned down offers of more money to stay with his hometown club and, up-front, prolific marksman Ade Olorunda. Average crowds of over 400 gather at the atmospheric old ground and attendance should increase this year with the higher standard of football and sizeable away followings from the likes of AFC Wimbledon, Tonbridge and Maidstone. ‘A top ten finish and a decent run in the F.A. Cup’ would constitute a good season in the higher division, according to Kane. United are certainly a community club, with teams for both boys and girls from under 8s to under 18s and 90% of the first team players living in the area. There is a feeling that this tight-knit squad and management can build on last year’s success and help the club progress up the football ladder. But the age-old question remains as to whether the town can support a club in a higher league with a more professional status, a few years down the line. Certainly a town of Hastings’ size should be able to provide that basis of support and there are discussions with the council about the possibility of selling the current ground and adjoining ex-ground to finance a move to a new stadium which would generate more income and interest. Early days though, and we must not get carried away, but things are looking decidedly upbeat for the future. So if you like football but are sick of hearing about overpaid players and their agents, get down to the Pilot Field where for £8 for Adults, £5 for pensioners and a mere £2 for under 18s you can see REAL football. Manager Kane, a Geordie who has lived in Hastings for four years and works for a sports betting company, says “I think both the town and the football club have great potential and are both heading in the right direction”. Clearly Hastings United are well worth a punt for the season ahead - and beyond. For more information… www.hastingsunitedfc.co.uk www.ghostof.co.uk
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