THE STRINGERS

Hailsham Town Football Club is based in East Sussex founded in 1885. Before we get into the football bit, here's an interesting piece of history about the town's name, "Hailsham" which is thought to come from the Saxon chief of invaders who first built the settlement, "Haegels Ham", meaning the clearing in a wood of Haegel. The name of the town has been spelt in various ways through the ages from ‘Hamelsham’ (as it was referred to in the Domesday, "Aylesham" in the 13th century, and later Haylesham, to its present spelling. Ever thought about the meaning of Hepworth, Penistone or Homfirth?? 

The villagers took salt from the tidal rivers that flowed into the settlement and it became a market place for selling wares from local producers. The major interest was created by the local industry of Stringers who made string and rope. Their trade is shown on the bottom left of the town/club crest where there is a ball of string/rope and a rope "dolly".The fibres came from local crops and strung together on "ropewalks".  The other three quadrants include the Sussex mascot, the Martlet bird (mythical), a wheat stack and tools and the windmill-all very rural.

In 1807 Thomas Burfield founded his rope company in Hailsham, East Sussex - the present day Marlow factory still manufactures rope on Burfield's original site.  In those days however, Burfield made ropes from "soft" natural fibres, not only hemp imported from Europe and India but also cannabis! 

From around 1881, competing companies set up along the Thames, including the famous Hawkins and Tipson in Millwall Docks, providing valuable ropes from "hard" fibres such as manila and sisal for the maritime industry in London.

The "Stringers" are currently members of the Southern Combination Division One and play at the Beaconsfield. The club is known locally as 'The Stringers', a nickname which derives from traditional industry in the town, and was adopted officially at the turn of the millennium.

They won the Sussex Junior Cup in 1895–96, and were founder members of the East Sussex in 1896. After some poor seasons through to 1907–08, the club left the league. In 1912 the club merged with Hailsham Athletic.

Shortly before World War I the club was renamed Hailsham Butchers, but quite rightly reverted to the name Hailsham shortly afterwards. They rejoined the East Sussex League in 1920 and they won the East Sussex League for the first time in 1953–54, a season which also saw them win the Sussex Intermediate Cup. 

In 1955 they joined Division Two of the Sussex County League under the name Hailsham Football Club. They won the Division Two Invitation Cup in their first season, but resigned from the league during the 1962–63 season. They subsequently joined the Eastbourne & District League, before returning to the East Sussex League in 1968, when they joined Division Two.

Hailsham were Division Two champions in their first season back in the East Sussex League, earning promotion to Division One. They went on to win the Division One title at the first attempt. In 1972, the now-renamed Hailsham Town transferred to the Southern Counties Combination. They won the league in 1974–75 and were promoted to Division Two of the Sussex County League. After finishing as Division Two runners-up in 1980–81 they were promoted to Division One. They won the League Cup in 1994–95, beating Wick 2–1 in the final and remained in Division One until relegated at the end of the 1998-9. That season they had their best FA Vase run reaching thr Fifth Round. However, a third-place finish in Division Two in 2000-1 saw them promoted back to Division One. They join the exotically named Montpelier Villa FC, Seaford Town and Godalming Town.

In 2005–06 Hailsham won the Sussex RUR Cup.  The club were relegated again in 2010-11, but finished second in Division Two the follwoing season to earn an immediate promotion back to Division One. In 2015 the league was renamed the Southern Combination, with Division One becoming the Premier Division. They finished bottom of the Premier Division in 2016-17 and were relegated to Division One. Look up 

Hailsham Town FC - The Stringers Onlinehttp://www.hailshamtownfc.org.uk