haywards heath town football club & ludis would like to thank all of the businesses that appear in this publication for their support and wish them continued commercial success. the content of this brochure is believed to be correct at the time of printing but we cannot endorse individual statements and readers should not rely solely upon the continued accuracy of any individual claims contained herein without consultation with the service provider. Designed and printed by ludis 2024.
History one town one team
The first match to be played by a team representing Haywards Heath was in March 1888, which provided the impetus for the formation of ‘Haywards Heath Juniors’. After a brief change of name to ‘Excelsior’ in 1894, the club adopted the name ‘Haywards Heath FC’ in 1895.
Without a home ground, the club led a somewhat nomadic existence in its
early days, playing most of its games away until 1895 when it was offered the use of the field in South Road which was later to become Victoria Park and the club’s home venue until 1952.
Haywards Heath FC lifted its first silverware in 1900 when it won the Sussex Junior Cup and played in the Mid-Sussex League of which it was a founding member. 1901-1906 saw the club finish as runners up in the senior division in four of its first five seasons, then division 2 winners in 1911-12 after relegation in 1908.
In 1919-20 Haywards Heath were MidSussex League champions without losing a game. They won the title again in 1922-23 and went on to retain it for the next two seasons, losing only one match in each season.
In 1926, the club transferred to the Brighton, Hove & District League and, after winning the league title at the very first attempt, joined the Sussex County League the following year. The first five seasons in the County League (19261932) saw the club finish in the top four but they were sadly to finish bottom of the league in the 1932-33 season.
History
In 1941-42, the club were winners of the Sussex Senior Cup and, after the war, were the league’s Eastern Division winners of 1945-46. A single division league was re-introduced the following year which the club won in both 194950 and again in 1950-51.
In 1952 the club finally moved from Victoria Park to the newly finished Hanbury Stadium which enabled it to join the Metropolitan League which included the reserve sides of professional clubs such as West Ham, Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal. After
a promising first season finishing in fifth place, the club struggled against the professional opposition and, finishing bottom in 1960-61, elected to re-join the Sussex County League.
The Division One title was won in 196970 and the League Cup in 1972-73. The club was also runners-up in 1974-75 but were relegated at the end of the 1979-80 season. The Division Two Cup was won in 1983-84 and, as runnersup in 1985-86, the club again gained promotion back into the senior division.
In 1988, our centennial year, the present name of Haywards Heath Town Football Club was adopted in to reflect the ‘town’
status of Haywards Heath itself. Two successive relegations in 1992 and 1993 saw the club drop into the third division where they won the Division Three Cup in 2000-01. The following year as Division Three runners-up, HHTFC were promoted back to Division Two but were again relegated after only one season. Heath won the Division Three Cup in 2008-09 and after finishing as runners-up in 2012-13 gained promotion back into Division Two.
On the rebranding of the Sussex County League to the Southern Combination Football League in 2015, the second division was renamed Division One and
the title was won that first season, earning Haywards Heath Town FC promotion to the Premier Division. The club finished top of the Premier division the following season (2016-17) and were due to be promoted to the Isthmian League. Unfortunately, promotion was denied following a nine-point deduction, due to an inadvertent off-field administrative error, which saw the championship awarded elsewhere. The club however, responded in style by winning the Premier Division again in the 201718 season, this time adding the Peter Bentley League Challenge Cup. Heath enjoyed a successful 2018-19 debut in the Isthmian League, finishing in a very respectable fifth position which qualified them for the play-offs at the first attempt. They were eliminated by Horsham, who went on to win promotion
to the Premier Division. The squad also reached the final of the Sussex RUR Cup and the semi-finals of the Sussex County Senior Cup. Our Senior Cup run included a famous away win at Crawley Town. Following two seasons curtailed by Covid, Haywards Heath Town FC returned with a bang In the 2021-22 season. The team reached the quarter finals of the Isthmian League Cup, beating Ashford, Ramsgate and Worthing on the way, before being defeated by eventual winners Horsham. The team achieved it’s highest finish in it’s history, finishing 4th in the Isthmian South-East division. However, they were to be beaten by Herne Bay on penalties
in the semi final of the playoffs, who went on to win promotion to the Premier Division.
After a season of struggles in 2223, the side were relegated to the Southern Combination Football League following a 3-2 defeat at home to Essex side Redbridge in a relegation playoff.
Haywards Heath’s first season back in the Sussex League in the 23/24 season saw a 6th placed finish, one spot outside of the playoffs. The Blue’s also reached the RUR Cup Final, finishing as runners up to Horsham YMCA on penalties.
interview with sean furminger director
TELL US A BiT ABoUT YoURSELF SEAn And HoW YoU goT invoLvEd WiTH HAYWARdS HEATH ToWn FC?
I had a season ticket at Chelsea for years but like a lot of people I became frustrated with premier league football. You’re just a number to them and that’s
completely different with non-league, you’re really appreciated and feel part of something special. I’d been sponsoring and supporting Heath more over the last few seasons so when Steve Isherwood (Chairman) and the board asked me if I’d like to get involved a bit more I jumped at the chance, I’ve loved every minute of it and I’m really looking forward to some exciting seasons ahead!
WHAT WAS YoUR FiRST HEATH gAME?
My first Heath game would have been around 2013 when my uncle (Glen Furminger) was assistant manager to manager Simon Corless. Looking back on those times really makes you
appreciate how far the club has come on and off the field since then.
WHAT iS YoUR FAvoURiTE MEMoRY SUppoRTing THE BLUES?
My favourite memory supporting the Heath has to be getting promoted to Step 4 football (Isthmian South East).
After the horrible feeling of winning the league the previous season and having it taken away due to off field issues, it took real character and made it even sweeter to come back and win it again.
WHAT iS THE Long TERM AMBiTion oF THE CLUB? The long term ambition for the club is to get back to step 4 football
SEAn FURMingER HHTFC CLUB DIRECTOR
and competing for promotion to step 3. I’m conscious I don’t want to sound disrespectful to the clubs that are currently in our league but the setup at Hanbury and the support we get week after week is levels above anything I’ve seen at step 5. We averaged 336 last season, 50+ more than anyone else in our league and it would have been the highest average crowd even in the league above!
WHo iS YoUR FAvoURiTE FooTBALLER oF ALL TiME? Being a Chelsea fan I have to say Gianfranco Zola, the man is an absolute genius and oozes class on & off the field…. Closely followed by our long standing centre back Tommy Gilbert of course haha!!
WHAT WoULd YoU SAY To SoMEonE THinking oF CoMing To WATCH HAYWARdS HEATH FoR THE FiRST TiME?
Please just give it a try and I promise you that you’ll be hooked. It’s like one big family, everyone knows everyone on first name terms and you’ll be made to feel very welcome immediately. The players are great with our young supporters and have their photos taken and sign autographs. One of my favourite things I see when leaving Hanbury after matchdays is seeing father and son walking home in their matching Heath shirts after a great afternoon, and that is what is all about!
FOR MORE InFORMATIOn On HAYWARDS HEATH TOWn YOUTH FC AnD HOW YOU CAn GET InVOLVED, PLEASE VISIT WWW.HHTYFC.Co.Uk youth@hhtfc.co.uk
LiSA BLACkWELL
HPD, DSFH, AFSFH (REG), MnCH (REG), CnHC (REG), nBMP (REG), QTS, YOUTH MEnTAL HEALTH FIRST AIDER
Symptoms of anxiety, stress and low mood are not always easy to explain and can present with physical symptoms such as tummy aches, headaches, feeling nauseous, repetitive behaviours such as muscle tensing/tics and sleep problems.
As a Solution Focused Psychotherapist and Hypnotherapist, I work with children struggling with the symptoms and behaviours associated with anxiety, stress, anger, excessive negativity and low confidence. The way I work is designed to help them regain a greater level of emotional resilience, control and develop a much more optimistic, positive and confident outlook on life.
the skills to better self-manage their emotions and behaviours more easily in the future and so help them to:
Boost feelings of overall happiness
Feel calmer in everyday situations
Feel in control of thoughts, emotions, and reactions
Increase confidence and self-recognition
Develop a more positive attitude
do you ever notice that your child is feeling overwhelmed, excessively worrying, struggling to control their emotional responses or finding it difficult to cope calmly and confidently with certain day to day activities? Sometimes they can’t tell us why or communicate the reasons behind the way they feel.
As well as helping them take positive steps towards their identified preferred outcomes, they will also learn how their brain works so they can understand why they have been feeling or behaving in these unhelpful ways.
Alongside talking therapy and guided relaxation, I teach strategies to help them take back control in the first instance. Then supporting them to be able to use this knowledge to develop
11
Interact with others more positively
Cope better with life challenges
Ditch unwanted habits: e.g device obsession
Improve sleep problems
For helpful tips, advice, insights and resources to help you support your child’s well-being visit The Parent Pad at www.theyouthfairy.com/the-parent-pad or to find out more and for a free consultation please contact me on 07536 181 146.
women haywards
heath women
Here’s a little look as to how we got here. Founded in 1991, Crawley Wasps have been instrumental in the successful development of girls’ football in the Crawley area. From the early days of playing seven-a-side in various Surrey leagues, the club have expanded to more than 100 playing members in teams at all levels from
Under-11s to three Ladies sides. Wasps helped pioneer the development of ladies and girls’ football in Sussex, becoming a founding member of the Sussex County Women and Girls’ Football League in 2002–03.
Between May 2013 and May 2018, as they progressed from Under-11s to Under16s, one Wasps team lost just three of 70 matches against girls teams – their dominance was such that they tested themselves in a boys’ league in 2016–17. The club celebrated its 25th anniversary season, in 2016–17, in style on and off the pitch. Thales, one of Crawley’s largest
employers, became Wasps’ first-ever main club sponsor, while the Ladies’ first team reached the Sussex Cup final and also the League Cup final.
In 2017–18, Wasps’ first team earned a historic promotion to the FA Women’s national League South, going unbeaten as they won the London & South East Premier Division, while again reaching the Sussex Cup and League Cup finals. The 2018-19 was unquestionably the most successful in the club’s history. The first team won the FA Women’s national League Division 1 South East
(securing back-to-back promotions), reached the League Cup final and played Arsenal in front of 1,550 people in the fourth round of the Women’s FA Cup. The reserves and Under-18s also won their respective league titles. Wasps first team then led the FA Women’s national League South for much of the following season, which was curtailed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. They did win the Sussex Women’s Challenge Cup for the first time, beating Chichester on penalties. The club’s reserves performed well in their debut season in the FA Women’s national League Reserve
Section, and the youth sectioned swelled to over 100 players.
Unfortunately, seasons 22/23 and 23/24 bought successive relegations and took the Blues out of the FA Women’s national League. The 23/24 season was the first for Haywards Heath Town Women with the side playing out of the Home Smart Energy Stadium.
There was success and hope for the future with the U18’s girls winning the inaugural Sussex girls Challenge Cup 3-1 vs Worthing Town, thanks to a Tess Ciccardini hat trick at Culver Road.
WOMEn AnD HOW YOU GET InVOLVED, PLEASE VISIT
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art, combat sport, and a self-defence system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting.
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a fullcontact combat sport that allows striking and grappling, using techniques from various combat martial arts.
These classes are aimed to teach kids how to defend themselves, build confidence and develop important motor skills, as well as fitness and core strength.
dAvE
CoLE FIRST TEAM WOMEn’S MAnAGER
interview interview with dave cole
HoW did YoU oRiginALLY gET invoLvEd WiTH WoMEn’S FooTBALL dAvE?
Like most parents we have kids who play. I have 2 sons and a daughter who all started playing at 4/5 years old. My daughter naomi then reached the stage where she was not allowed to play with the boys anymore. naomi was playing for Fulham Centre Of Excellence, and played for Brighton and Hove Albion Sunday team. The lady who was taking it was coming back from a knee injury and asked if I was interested in taking the team on, which I did for the next 4 seasons.
WHAT iS YoUR FAvoURiTE
FooTBALL MEMoRY To dATE?
My favourite memory to date would be seeing naomi play against Denmark for England U17 at 15 years old. That was a very proud day and it would take a lot to top that.
HoW HAvE YoU FoUnd THE TRAnSiTion FRoM CRAWLEY WASpS To HAYWARdS HEATH?
I really have fallen in love with Haywards Heath as the season has gone on. Although it’s been tough on the pitch with the seniors, off it there are people around it who are so driven to be successful and put in the work to make it a friendly environment.
The youth made great strides with the U14’s winning their League, the U16’s League winners and U18’s County Cup winners. It proves the future is looking bright.
WHAT ARE YoUR Long TERM ASpiRATionS FoR THE WoMEn’S SidE?
Obviously our long term aspirations are to get the senior team back into the FA Women’s national League and be pushing at the top end of that league. We will be playing Sunday’s at the Home Smart Energy Stadium so make sure to look out for our fixtures!
WHo iS YoUR FAvoURiTE
FooTBALLER oF ALL TiME?
Being a Saints fan Matt Le Tissier will always be a favourite for me. As a youngster I was always amazed at the skills Johan Cruyff brought to the game.
WHAT WoULd YoU SAY To SoMEonE WHo HASn’T BEEn To A WoMEn’S gAME BEFoRE?
Come and watch a women’s game and take it as a standalone sport. Do not compare it to the mens game. The skill level is there but the speed is slower. I promise you will not have anyone rolling around pretending to be injured! 17
c ommercial sponsorship opportunities
SoLd FoR 24/25
STAdiUM nAMing RigHTS POA
Exclusive branding opportunities throughout the stadium & naming rights
Four pitch side advertising boards
Four season tickets (men + womens)
Two parking spaces
Boardroom jospitality
Full page programme advert
Logo on HHTFC website
Social media promotion
SoLd FoR 24/25
CLUB MAin SponSoR POA
Exclusive main club sponsor
Logo on front of home and away shirts, interview boards, programme front cover
Four season tickets (men + womens)
Two parking spaces
Full page programme advert
Logo on HHTFC website
Social media promotion
gRAndSTAnd SponSoR £3,000 + VAT*
Exclusive sponsorship and naming rights of Roy Hatt family stand
Exclusive grandstand branding opportunities
Pitch side advertising board
Four season tickets (men + womens)
Two parking spaces
Full page programme advert
Logo on HHTFC website
Social media promotion *
3g piTCH SponSoRSHip
& nAMing RigHTS £2,500 + VAT*
3G Pitch naming rights & exclusive sponsorship
One stadium facing advertising board on 3g pitch fence
Two season tickets (men + womens)
One parking space
Half page programme advert
Logo on HHTFC website
Social media promotion
BLUES BAR ExCLUSivE
SponSoRSHip £2,500 + VAT*
Blues Bar lounge exclusive sponsorship & branding
One advertising board on exterior of Blues Bar upon entrance
Two season tickets (men + womens)
One parking space
Half page programme advert
Logo on HHTFC website
Social media promotion
SoLd FoR 24/25
BACk oF SHiRT SponSoR
£2,500 + VAT*
Business name/logo on back of shorts & back of shirt
Two season tickets (men + womens)
One parking space
Half page programme advert Logo on HHTFC website
Social media promotion
pRogRAMME SponSoR - £1,000 + VAT*
Business name/logo on programme front cover
One parking space
Half page programme advert Logo on HHTFC website
Social media promotion
SoCiAL MEdiA SponSoR
£1,500 + VAT*
Your social media handles tagged in tweets and posts
Your logo on graphics
Your Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram handle in our bio
One parking space
Half page programme advert
Logo on team sheets
Logo on HHTFC website
Social media promotion
TRAining kiT SponSoR £5,500 FOR MEn’S, WOMEn’S, U18’S
Business name/logo on back of tracksuits for both seniors and U18’s sides
Pitch side advertising board
Two season tickets (men + womens)
One parking space
Full page programme advert
Logo on HHTFC website
Social Media promotion
dUgoUT SponSoR
£2,000 HOME DUGOUT
£1,500 AWAY DUGOUT
Business name/logo on dugout
Two season tickets (men + womens)
One parking space
Half page programme advert
Logo on HHTFC website
Social Media promotion
AWAY dUgoUT SoLd FoR 24/25
pRogRAMME AdvERT £350 + VAT*
Full page programme advert
Logo on HHTFC website
Social media promotion
MATCHdAY SponSoR
£195 per match + VAT
Four matchday tickets
Four matchday programmes
Four complimentary drinks vouchers
Two parking spaces
Pre-match, half-time and postmatch boardroom refreshments
Full page programme advert
Choose and present Blues’
MOTM with photo
PA announcements
Social media promotion
piTCH SidE AdvERTS
£750 DOUBLE (16FT x 4FT),
£450 SInGLE (8FT x 4FT)
(+ £150 OnE OFF FOR BOARD) + VAT*
Pitch side advertising board
Logo on HHTFC website
Social media promotion
pLAYER SponSoRS £100 + VAT*
Business or personal name in programme adjacent to your chosen player/ management team official
pLATinUM SponSoRSHip
£1,500 + VAT*
Double pitch advertising board in premium position
Full page programme advert
2 x season tickets (men + womens)
2 x match sponsorship
1 x player sponsorship
goLd SponSoRSHip — £1,000 + VAT*
Pitch side advertising board
Full page programme advert
1 x match sponsorship
1 x player sponsorship
SiLvER SponSoRSHip — £500 + VAT*
Half page programme advert
1 x match sponsorship
1 x player sponsorship
JACk BARkER HHTFC YOUTH PLAYER
interview interview with jack barker
WHAT TEAM do YoU pLAY FoR JACk?
Under 9’s
HoW Long HAvE YoU pLAYEd FoR
HAYWARdS HEATH ToWn YoUTH FC?
I have played for the team for 2 years
WHAT poSiTion do YoU pLAY?
I am the team goalkeeper
WHAT iS YoUR FAvoURiTE MEMoRY
oF pLAYing THiS SEASon?
I have lots of good memories from the season. Playing in a cup semi final, making some really good saves and playing matches with my friends.
WHo iS YoUR FAvoURiTE FooTBALLER?
Mo Salah
WHo iS YoUR FAvoURiTE
HAYWARdS HEATH pLAYER? Hayden Skerry
WHAT did YoU EnJoY MoST
ABoUT WATCHing HAYWARdS HEATH pLAY THiS SEASon?
Standing behind the goal for the penalty shoot out against Eastbourne Town, we won!
Award-winning visiting and live -in care
From 30 minute visits to round-the -clock support, our friendly a d flexible teams help with
• Personal care
• Dementia care
• Respite care
• Elderly care
• Home from hospital care
• Companionship
• Help around our home
• Market-leading rates of pay
• Flexible or guaranteed contracts
• Paid holidays and mileage
• Paid and ongoing training
• Career progression opportunity
• And much more!
clubhouse
If you need to hire a bright, modern and spacious venue for an event in Haywards Heath, then look no further than the clubhouse at Home Smart Energy Stadium, which has been newly renovated for the 2023/2024 season!
Located a 20 minute walk from Haywards Heath Station, the Blues Clubhouse is available to hire most days and nights. It has a fully working kitchen and a well stocked, fully-licensed bar. It is suitable for children’s parties, adult parties, wakes, anniversaries, business meetings, club meetings and other social gatherings.
We have capacity for approximately 80 seated, along with plenty of standing room and outside space.
TO DISCUSS YOUR nEEDS OR MAkE A BOOkInG, PLEASE COnTACT US FOR MORE InFORMATIOn
cafe a new cafe for the ground
We broke ground on the café in September 2023 with the grand opening on Saturday 30th March 2024 when we welcomed Loxwood to the Home Smart Energy Stadium. The café was opened by mayor Stephanie Inglesfield and Marion
Sim, the widow of our former fixture secretary Tony Sim whom “Simmo’s” is affectionately named after.
Simmo as he was affectionately known had been part of the fabric of the club for generations, and knew everyone in Sussex football. We’re very proud to name the café after him to have a lasting memorial
The old Pilgrim Huts had lain derelict since the COVID pandemic, when it was previously used as a boxing gym. However the facility had been neglected for a number of years, until new ownership came in and wanted to
make use of the existing facility.
The new café will be open on nonmatchdays as well, offering breakfast and lunch to locals, as well as being a hub for our youth and senior sides. It will also be our main catering outlet on matchdays, replacing the rickety old burger van that has been on it’s last legs for some time.
The total investment has been with the support of sizable contributions from both the Football Foundation and Mid Sussex District Council, as well as internal club funds, for which the club is very thankful for their support.
JAMES Cook HARRingTon HHTFC SOCIAL MEDIA MAnAGER
interview interview with james cookharrington
TELL US A BiT ABoUT YoURSELF
And WHAT YoU do AT HHTFC:
I’m James, and this season will mark my 4th season supporting the club. I run the social media platforms for the club, things like match-updates and advertising upcoming fixtures as well as design posters for the upcoming games you might see around town.
WHAT iS YoUR FAvoURiTE MEMoRY oF WATCHing THE HEATH?
Byron napper’s last minute equalizer at Herne Bay in the play-off semi final in the 22/23 season. Whilst the result didn’t come on penalties, I remember that goal so vividly, and the most I’ve ever celebrated a goal at football.
WHAT do YoU EnJoY MoST ABoUT THE CLUB?
The togetherness and community, it runs through from the board right to the players, staff and fans. Everyone pulls in the same direction and that’s something you don’t find many other places.
WHAT HAS BEEn YoUR HigHLigHT oF THiS SEASon?
The celebrations after reaching the RUR Cup final on penalties or the last minute winner against Crowborough… but I think the cup final just edges it when we beat Eastbourne.
FAvoURiTE HEATH pLAYER oF ALL TiME?
Without a doubt, Tom Gilbert, been here since I’ve started coming to games, and incredible player, servant and on a personal level someone to talk to. If there were more people like him in football, it would be a better game
WHAT WoULd YoU SAY To SoMEonE
REAding THiS WHo iS THinking oF CoMing To A HHTFC gAME FoR THE FiRST TiME:
You’ll be welcomed with open arms! I think this season especially we’ve really shown just how much we as a club appreciate our supporters and the local fanbase is what keeps the club going. So absolutely come down and see for yourself!
The stadium was opened by Stanley Rous ahead of its inaugural match against Horsham. The main stand is an original building with Hanbury having undergone extensive work in recent years to bring it up to Isthmian League standard.
Home Smart Energy Stadium is a 20 minute walk from Haywards Heath Station (1.3 miles) and there are adequate parking spaces in the surrounding roads for supporters traveling by car, though we ask for you to please be considerate of our neighbours when parking.
