Whitehawk F.C.

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Whitehawk FC
File:Whitehawk F.C. logo.png
Full name Whitehawk Football Club
Nickname(s) The Hawks
Founded 1945 (as Whitehawk & Manor Farm Old Boys)
Ground The Enclosed Ground, Whitehawk, Brighton
Ground Capacity 2,000
Chairman John Summers
Manager Steve King
League National League South
2014–15 Conference South, 4th

Whitehawk F.C. is an English semi-professional football club based in Whitehawk, a suburb of Brighton in East Sussex. They play in the National League South, the sixth tier of English football. Their ground is the Enclosed Ground, situated in East Brighton Park off Wilson Avenue, Whitehawk, just north of Brighton Marina.

History

Founded in 1945 as Whitehawk & Manor Farm Old Boys, the club joined the Sussex County League in 1952–53 and after finishing third in their inaugural season, were runners-up for three successive seasons from 1954–55, and never out of the top five before changing their name to Whitehawk FC in 1960. [1]

In 1961–62 Whitehawk won the first of three Division One titles. [2] The following season the competition was abandoned due to bad weather, but 1963–64 the Hawks retained the championship, finishing three points clear of second-placed Lewes. The next three seasons however, were nowhere near as successful, and the club found itself relegated at the end of the 1966–67 season, only to make an immediate return as Division Two champions in 1968.

The next nine years saw Whitehawk continue to compete in the top division, until they were relegated for a second time in 1976–77. This time they were to spend four seasons in Division Two, before winning promotion as champions in 1980–81. In 1983–84 Whitehawk won Division One for the third time, and also enjoyed a good run in the FA Vase before losing at Corinthian-Casuals in the fourth Round. 1986–87 saw the Hawks finish as runners-up to Arundel, whilst the club enjoyed by far its best run in the FA Cup in 1988–89, going out in the fourth Qualifying Round to Bognor Regis Town after a replay, having previously drawn at Nyewood Lane. 1993–94 was another good season for the club, finishing the season once again as runners-up, this time to Wick, as well as having their best ever run in the FA Vase, reaching the 5th Round before losing to Boston Town. The Hawks also won the Brighton Charity Cup for three consecutive seasons in the late 1990s.

2002–03 saw the club once again finish in second place, this time to runaway winners Burgess Hill Town. A comparatively modest 8th place followed the next season, but in 2004–05 the Hawks regained their position amongst the leading clubs in the League, finishing just a point behind runners-up Rye & Iden United. The two sides also met in the final of the John O'Hara League Cup and the Hawks emerged as 4–3 winners. However, they were later found to have played an ineligible player in substitute Bertie Foster and therefore Rye were awarded the trophy. The Hawks could only manage third place again in 2005–2006 but reached both the League Cup and RUR Charity Cup finals, losing to Shoreham and Hailsham Town respectively. In season 2006–07, The Hawks reached the quarter final of the FA Vase, losing at home to Truro City in front of a crowd of 1,009.

The club finally achieved the league title success that had previously eluded them, winning the Sussex County League Division 1 in 2009–10 under manager Darren Freeman to gain promotion to the Isthmian League Division One South for the first time. In their debut season at this level they were in the title race but eventually had to settle for third place and with it, a place in the end-of-season play-offs. The play-off semi-final ended in disappointment for the Hawks as after a 2–2 draw with Leatherhead at the Enclosed Ground, the Surrey side progressed at Whitehawk's expense, courtesy of a penalty shoot-out.

The Hawks completed a league and cup double the following season 2011–12, finishing as league champions [3] to earn a place in the Isthmian Ryman Premier League for the first time, as well as lifting the Sussex Senior Cup after beating Crawley Down 2–1.[4] They followed this up later by winning the 2012 Sussex Community Shield in August, with a 4-1 win against Three Bridges FC.[5] The club had planned to play the 2012–13 season at the Withdean Stadium in order to redevelop the Enclosed Ground but this was blocked by the Ryman League, who were concerned that the club would not return to East Brighton.[6]

The club achieved back to back promotions in the 2012–13 season after winning the Ryman League Premier Division to earn a place in the National Conference South.[7] For the 2013–14 season, the club intended to change its name to Brighton City Football Club[8] but the FA Council ruled against the proposal.[9]

The Hawks struggled in their first season in National Conference South with manager Darren Freeman blaming the physical nature of some of the teams in the league.[10] After achieving three promotions in four years, Darren Freeman was sacked in January 2014 and replaced by Steve King.[11] King ensured the Hawks retained their place in Conference South on a dramatic last day of the season at the Enclosed Ground against Sutton United F.C., with a late equaliser for the Hawks ensuring a 3–3 draw and an even later penalty by Dover Athletic relegating Hayes & Yeading instead.[12] The club enjoyed their most successful season ever in 2014–2015, finishing fourth in Conference South and earning a place in the play-off semi finals against Basingstoke Town. After a 1–1 draw at the Enclosed Ground, a tremendous strike from fans' player of the year Jake Robinson in the second leg won the match 1–0 to earn a place in the final against Boreham Wood, who had finished second in the league.[13] The play-off final at Boreham Wood's ground finished 1–1 in normal time but an extra time winner for Wood denied the Hawks what would have been their fourth promotion in six seasons.[14] The Hawks completed the season with a 5–0 victory over Lewes at the Amex to lift the Sussex Senior Cup.[15]

A good start to the 2015–16 season was demonstrated to the nation with their widely-covered FA Cup victory against Lincoln City. Whitehawk achieved a draw with League Two side Dagenham & Redbridge in the second round on December 6, 2015, following a last minute goal by Jordan Rose, however heroically losing 3-2 after extra time in the replay.

Board

The club's success in recent years has been driven by benefactors and directors John Summers and Peter (Ned) McDonnell, who formed part of a new board in July 2009 when the club were playing Sussex County League football.[16] In 2014, after back to back promotions from the Ryman League and the club's first season in Conference South, Jim Collins was appointed chairman, with plans to further improve the club's operations off the field.[17] John Summers took over as Chairman for the start of the 2015–2016 season.[18]

Ground

Whitehawk have played at the Enclosed Ground in Whitehawk since the 1950s. The ground has seen major redevelopment over recent years in order for it to achieve the necessary ground grading to allow it to be used as a football venue in the National League South. It has two covered seated stands, one uncovered seated stand and a grass bank;

  • Sea End: The North stand is affectionately known as the 'Sea End' because of its views of the English Channel. There are two banks of open seating, which were previously at the Withdean Stadium when Brighton and Hove Albion played there. One section of seating is 11 rows high and has a capacity of just over 900 seats and extends from the East side to beyond the goalmouth. Then there is a gap, before another smaller bank of seating which is eight rows high and contains around 400 seats.
  • The Din: The South stand, known as 'The Din', is partially covered. It is all seated and extends the full width of the pitch. However, as the ground also has a slope that runs up from the Main Stand side to the East Bank, the stand has been put together in four sections that are at different heights.
  • Main Stand is a small, covered, seated stand on the halfway line adjacent to the clubhouse and backs onto the main turnstile. It also houses the players' and officials' changing rooms.

The minor internet celebrity Wealdstone Raider gained his fame through ridiculing Whitehawk's small ground and small number of home supporters in a Ryman Premier League match against Wealdstone, the team he was supporting, played on 9 March 2013. [19]

Supporters

Whitehawk Ultras following a home game against Dulwich Hamlet

A section of Whitehawk's fans call themselves the Ultras. This is a deliberately ironic name and they have a number of unusual songs and rituals,[20] including the re-working of a Taylor Swift song.[21] Some of the Whitehawk supporters[22] set up a fanzine in 2015 called 'The Din Monthly'.[23]

The Ultras also have a strong anti-homophobic, anti-sexist, and anti-racist ethic.[24] Some members have made use of anti-fascist symbols too with the appearance of Anti-Fascist Action flags at games[25] and the use of the Antifascist Circle on flags and stickers.

The first team wear shirts sponsored by the trade union GMB, Southern Branch.[26]

Players

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
England GK Craig Ross
England GK Jordan Hawkins
England DF Nick Arnold
Argentina DF Juan Cruz Gotta
England DF Lee Hills
England DF Dean Leacock
England DF Paul Lorraine
England DF Jordan Rose
England DF Chris Sessegnon
Jamaica DF Craig Braham-Barrett

(on loan from Ebbsfleet United)[27]
No. Position Player
England MF Sam Deering
England MF David Ijaha
Guinea-Bissau MF Arnaud Mendy
Wales MF Scott Neilson
England MF Danny Stevens
Argentina MF Sergio Torres
England FW Dave Martin
England FW Danny Mills
England FW Jake Robinson
England FW Sam Gargan

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
France MF Stephane Ngamvoulou (at Hednesford Town)[28]

Former players

For a complete list of current and former Whitehawk players with Wikipedia articles, see Category:Whitehawk F.C. players.

Honours

League honours

Cup honours

  • Sussex Senior Cup
    • Winners (5): 1954-55, 1958–59, 1990–91, 2011–12, 2014–15
    • Runners-up (3): 1956–57, 2005–06, 2006–07
  • Sussex Community Shield
    • Winners: 2012
    • Runners-up: 2015

Club records

  • Best FA Cup Performance: Second Round Proper 2015–16
  • Best FA Trophy Performance: First Round Proper 2013–14
  • Best FA Vase Performance: Semi-finals 2009–10
  • Best League Performance: Conference South, Losing play off finalists 2014–15

References

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External links

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