2020 "SPORTS" AND OTHER CLUBS

A new decade, assuming the last one ended on December 31st 2019, was concluded by a trip to Eastbourne Borough FC for the New Year's Day match against Dorking Wanderers who had thumped the Sports 4-0 on Boxing Day in the Vanarama National League South.
The Sports had a home game on Dec 28th v Welling FC and won 2-1.

The Sports won 3-2 in an entertaining game, which began for me in the car park when I found a club "practice" ball in my potential parking spot. From the warm up I suspect, but surely not from the previous game otherwise it would have been nipped into a waiting car's open door and "'alf inched", later to found in a local Sunday League game?
I returned it to the turnstile as I went in with a concession payment but they never gave me any credit for returning the ball which would have been worth £20 or so. What ever I didn't hold that against the volunteers on the turnstile, nor the programme seller who provided me with a multi-purpose Christmas volume taking in the Boxing Day game as well as the New Year's Day tie.

The Sports had their origin as Langney Sports' FC in 1965, playing in the local League Eastbourne and District League at Princes' Park. I played there on various occasions for both youth and big boys football. By 1973-4 the club was still in local football and was described by a generous Sussex County FA man as a "parks' team"-shame.
In 1983 the club joined the Sussex County League 3rd Division then loved through the level from Doc Martens East Division and in 2000/1 became known as Eastbourne Borough FC.

Winning the Sussex Counjty Cup over Lewes FC in 2002 was a valuable victory, then came the Doc Martens Premier and then the Conference South. In 2004-5 they drew with Oxford United in the FA Cup 1st Rd at home and lost 0-3 away at the Kassam. It was televised.
In the Conference they met York City, Wrexham, Forest Green Rovers with plenty of travelling involved and were soon matching teams such as AFC Wimbledon and Barrow. The BIG time. They now play in the National League South.

Installing a 3G pitch in 2017 gave the club plenty of options, we also saw substantial floodlights, a club shop, training pitches and hospitality "lounges" overlooking the pitch. Sports are 14th in the division at the moment.
Is it a sandcastle? No...its an artistic Martello Tower with clouds.

An original....! AND FINALLY...In the Southern Combination Premier League are Eastbourne United FC  play at The Oval, Eastbourne 
and Eastbourne Town FC who play at the Saffrons-impressive ground 

as well as Langney Wanderers
.....lurking slightly lower down the PYRAMID and ground sharing with Borough.