Burgess Hill Town Football Club is an English football club currently playing in the Isthmian League South East Division. The club plays its home games at Leylands Park, known for sponsorship reasons as the Homecall Carpets' Stadium in Burgess Hill, West Sussex.
History
This article appears to be slanted towards recent events. Please try to keep recent events in historical perspective and add more content related to non-recent events. (November 2023)
Burgess Hill Football Club was founded in 1882 and was a founder member of the Sussex County Football Association. The club attained the unique achievement of winning the Sussex Senior Cup three years running thus retaining it permanently in the process. The cup is on display in the trophy cabinet in the club boardroom. The current trophy was presented to the S.C.F.A. by Burgess Hill Town Football Club. In the club's formative years they were also founder members of the Mid-Sussex Football League, and won the League Championship in its inaugural season.
Following several successful seasons the club joined the Sussex County League for the 1958–59 season, and stayed until attaining promotion to the Southern Football League in 2003. In 1969 the club amalgamated with Worlds End F.C., changed name to Burgess Hill Town and with the help of Burgess Hill Town Council were able to move to Leylands Park, the club's current home. In 1971, the club gained promotion to Division One, only to be relegated two seasons later. 1974 saw the 'Hillians' reach another landmark achievement by becoming the only club ever to have won both the League Challenge Cup and the Division Two Cup in the same season. In 1976 a hat trick of achievements were completed by winning the Division One Championship by six points, having secured the Division Two title the previous season.
During the ensuing twenty years in the top flight of the County League success was modest. In 1980 the League Challenge Cup was secured and in 1992 the RUR Cup was added. However, all this changed in season 1996–97 under the guidance of club manager, Alan Pook. The club became Division One champions by twelve points, won the Floodlight Cup, and were runners up in the League Challenge Cup. The 2nd XI finished runners up in the Reserve Premier and won the Mid-Sussex Charity Cup, while the Youth XI won their overall championship. In 1997–98, the club 1st XI attained even more success by again winning the League Championship and the League Challenge Cup, also reaching the last sixteen in the F.A. Vase. Additionally they reached the Sussex Senior Cup Final and were top of the county's merit table. The Youth XI also finished as 'Double Champions' in the sector.
The 1998–99 season saw the Hillians achieve a unique treble in winning the Championship for a post war record third time and again securing a league and cup double, back to back. The 2nd XI won their cup and were runners up in the league, missing out by a single point. Not to be out done, the Youth XI won their league and only missed out on a double by goal difference.
The club then appointed new manager Gary Croydon for season 1999–2000. He led the Hillians to take runners' up spot in the league and to a record fourth qualifying round FA Cup tie against Hereford United. Again a last 16 place was achieved in the FA Vase as well as winning the RUR Cup and the Floodlit Cup.
The new millennium season saw Hillians take the league championship with the team remaining unbeaten in the league until April; the club also had its best ever run in the FA Vase only being beaten after extra time by eventual finalists Tiptree United in the last eight, before a club record attendance of 1598. With plans being laid for Southern League football, club directors, Gary Croydon and Eddie Benson appointed Danny Bloor as manager for season 2002–2003. The club was rewarded with yet another championship crown, the fifth in seven seasons.
Gary Croydon took over the Hillians again as the club entered the Southern League for the first ever time. After just missing out on the play-offs, Burgess Hill Town moved over to the Isthmian League due to the restructuring of the non-league pyramid. After the first season in the Isthmian League manager Gary Croydon stepped down and was replaced by Steve Johnson in May 2005. But six months later with the Hillians bottom of the League, Croydon took over again with assistance from Jim Thompson and Peter Miles as the club avoided relegation.
For the 2007–08 season, the club appointed former professional player Jamie Howell as first team manager. He was sacked on 4 March 2009. In May 2009 Gary Croydon announced his appointment as first team manager once again for the 2009–10 season.
At the start of the 2011–12 season, manager Gary Croydon stepped down as to concentrate more on his chief executive role as the club look for a new ground on the outskirts of the town near the Triangle Leisure Centre.
Taking over the manager role was Simon Rowland who had guided AFC Uckfield to the Sussex County League Division 2 title the previous season. He was assisted by former Brighton & Hove Albion youth coach Ben White. The pair were sacked after a 7–0 defeat at Godalming and John Rattle was put in charge for the final seven league fixtures. Relegation was avoided on the last day of the season by defeating Dulwich Hamlet.
Former Brighton & Hove Albion defender Ian Chapman was appointed manager around 2011. He steered the club to promotion from the 8th tier in the 2014–15 season as his side obtained 109 points. The Hillians played in the 7th tier of English football, their highest ever standings until they were relegated at the end of the 2018–19 season. The team reached the Sussex Senior Challenge Cup final in the 2018–19 season, guided by former Lewes coach Simon Wormull, who had replaced Chapman after a defeat away to Bognor Regis Town. Bognor also defeated the Hillians in the Sussex Senior Cup final Ross Murdoch scored the only goal for Hill in a 2–1 defeat after extra time.
Back in the 8th tier the Hillians started off the 2019–20 campaign by beating league favourites Hythe Town 7–2 at Leylands Park, but after a run of poor form Wormull was sacked and former Brentford defender Jay Lovett was named as his successor.
During the 2022–23 season Burgess Hill fought a long relegation battle, avoiding the relegation play-off spots on the final day of the season with a 0-0 draw at home with Beckenham Town along with the right combination of other results.[1] During the season, Hill sacked manager Jay Lovett (who within days moved to rivals Haywards Heath Town) whilst in a poor position and replaced him with travelled manager Matt Longhurst, who resigned after a handful of games in March 2023 following a 4-1 win over Corinthian due to "logistical circumstances". Longhurst enjoyed popularity during his short tenure at the club having some good results and being recognised by his fashion on the sideline. For the remainder of the season, The Hillians were under player-manager Lewis Taylor, the midfielder led Burgess Hill to retaining their place in the 8th tier. During this season, Burgess Hill Town also changed ownership, seeing Vince Alfieri taking over and investing into the facilities. Vicky Gaffney and David Corney would later come in as owners, diluting Alfieri in the process.
During the break before the 2023–24 season, Burgess Hill announced the appointment of former Brighton & Hove Albion player Dean Cox as manager. Taylor voiced his disappointment but understanding online at not being appointed permanently. Cox would then be replaced by Gary Mansell as manager following a shock exit on 6 December 2023 which also led to an exodus of players and The Hill frequently fielding very young squads for the remainder of the season.[2]
Ground
Burgess Hill Town play their home games at Leylands Park, Maple Drive, Burgess Hill, Sussex, RH15 8DL. For sponsorship reasons, the stadium is currently known as The Homecall Carpets Stadium and has recently been known as the More Than Tyres Stadium and the Green Elephant Stadium.
Burgess Hill consistently have one of the largest home supports in their league. Even during the poor 2022/23 season, the average home league attendance (often even higher for cup games) was 443, the fourth highest in the league of 20.[3] The Hillians also have one of the loudest home supports in the league, backed by a committed group often seen on the Ashley Carr Terrace
The ground features 3 stands (The Mansell McTaggart Stand, The Ashley Carr Terrace (standing only) and the Main Stand) holding 408 seated, with the maximum capacity being 2500. There are also various food stands, including an outdoor Bar, and The Back of The Net foot stand, many games also have further food options present. Fans can visit the Hillians' Bar, attached to the Mansell McTaggart Stand.
Reserves and youth
The team have a youth team which currently plays in the Isthmian Youth South. The youth team won the Sussex County Cup in the 2010–11 season. Until the 2011–12 season the club also ran a reserve team but they disbanded due to financial problems at the club. Both teams, like the first team, play at Leylands Park. In the 2014–15 season the youth team was managed by Ian South and Paul Armstrong with the u21s run by Neil Wheeler and Peter Miles.
Burgess Hill have a long-standing rivalry with nearby Hayward's Heath Town, termed the Mid-Sussex Derby. The 2023–24 season will be the first in recent years not to have a Mid-Sussex derby in the league due to Hayward's Heath's relegation from the 8th tier at the end of the 2022–23 season. The last meeting of the two teams was a 2-0 away win to Burgess Hill in February 2023. There was some shock during the 2022–23 season when the Hillians' manager for most of the season, Jay Lovett, took the job at Hayward's Heath, remaining with them in the 9th tier.
The Ann John Trophy
The Ann John Memorial Trophy is an annual friendly trophy held between Burgess Hill and Hassocks. The match raises funds for the St Peter and St James Hospice (most recently raising £1200,[4] nearing the 2020 record of £1500[5]) and is hosted at Hassock's The Beacon. It is named in memory of the wife of Hassock's chairman Dave John. It has been held every year since 2014. If the match ends in a draw, the trophy is shared between the two sides, Burgess Hill are the current record champions. The match has had particular significance due to Pat Harding, regarded as a legend by both teams, he played first for Hassocks, then for Hill (scoring over 100 goals), before returning to Hassocks.
2014: Hassocks 2-2 Burgess Hill
2015: Hassocks 2-2 Burgess Hill
2016: Hassocks 3-0 Burgess Hill
2017: Hassocks 3-3 Burgess Hill
2018: Hassocks 0-4 Burgess Hill
2019: Hassocks 2-3 Burgess Hill
2020: Hassocks 1-8 Burgess Hill (match held in December due to COVID-19 restrictions in pre-season)
