Worthing
www.worthingfc.com
The Rebels
01903 239575

Formed: 1886

Ground Address: Woodside Road, WORTHING, West Sussex. BN14 7HQ

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History:

Worthing Association FC was founded in February 1886 and played home matches mostly in the People’s (now Homefield) Park until the Club moved to Beach House Park in 1889.

The early years were spent playing friendlies and competing in the Sussex Senior Cup, in which our first tie on November 27th 1886 resulted in a 1 0 home win over Brighton Hornets.

Worthing reached their 1st Senior Cup final in 1891 92 (losing 5 3 to Brighton Hornets) before winning the 1892 93 final 2 1 against Eastbourne at the County Ground, Hove. This was the first of a record 21 Senior Cup wins, the most recent being in 1999.

Worthing were founder members of the West Sussex Senior League in 1896, along with their local rivals Worthing Athletic (founded 1891). The first of 7 championships was won in 1898 99, qualifying Worthing to play the East Sussex League champions Brighton Athletic in the Sussex Charity Cup donated by the Royal Irish Rifles. This match was lost 2 1, but we went on to win the RUR Cup (as it became known) 13 times (including twice jointly with Horsham).

In 1899 00 the name “Association” was dropped and we entered the FA Cup and FA Amateur Cup for the first time.

In May 1900 Worthing and Worthing Athletic merged and in 1901 the Club moved to its current home, then known as the Sports Ground, now as Woodside Road.

The team of 1903 04 contained 3 players who would become full internationals, S.S. Harris and E.G.D. Wright for England and Charlie Webb for Ireland.

Worthing withdrew from the West Sussex League for the 1904 05 season, so as not to be in competition with the newly promoted Worthing Rovers (founded 1901). We rejoined the League in 1905 after merging with Rovers during the summer.

In 1907 08 Worthing reached the quarter finals of the FA Amateur Cup, where we drew 1 1 away to eventual winners Depôt Battalion Royal Engineers, before losing the replay 1 0 before a then record crowd of over 3,000.

After World War I, in 1919 20, Worthing competed in 2 leagues, being founder members of the Senior Division of the Brighton, Hove & District League and rejoining the West Sussex League. The following year we helped found the Sussex County League and resigned from the West Sussex League in protest at a rule change. The County League championship was won for the first 2 seasons: another 6 titles were won during our stay in this league.

At the end of 1921-22 season we applied to join the Athenian League, but withdrew the application before the AGM.
The FA Cup 1st Round Proper was reached in 1936 37, Worthing losing 4 3 at Yeovil & Petters United. In the 4th qualifying round we had beaten Wimbledon in front of our highest reported crowd of 3,600. This year also saw the first of 3 AFA Senior Cup finals reached, Worthing losing 7 1 to Harwich & Parkeston. The other 2 finals, in 1947 and 1949, were both lost to Cambridge Town.

In 1948 49 Worthing joined the Corinthian League. Little success was had in this league, finishing bottom 4 times. The best season was 1949 50, when a highest placing of 5th was achieved, along with reaching the Corinthian League Memorial Shield final for the only time (losing 2 1 to Erith & Belvedere).

The Corinthian League became Division 1 of the Athenian League in 1963 and Worthing enjoyed immediate success, being promoted as runners up to Leatherhead as well as reaching the Athenian League Memorial Shield final (losing 2 1 to Chesham United on aggregate) and winning the AFA Invitation Cup (3 1 away to Harwich) for the first of 4 occasions.
Three seasons were spent in the Athenian League Premier Division before two successive relegations saw us languishing in Division 2.

Worthing started their revival in 1971 72 by returning to Division 1 as runners up to Staines Town and the following season reached the Athenian League Cup final, losing 2 0 away to Amateur Cup finalists Slough Town after extra time.
Worthing left the Athenian League in 1977 to become members of the newly formed Isthmian League Division 2.

Barry Lloyd was appointed manager in 1981 and the Division 2 title was won in 1981 82, with prolific goal-scorer Micky Edmonds scoring 53 goals. In 1982 83 we won the Division 1 title and reached the 2nd Round of the FA Cup, losing 4 0 at Oxford United. The next 2 seasons saw Worthing finish as runners up in the Premier Division to Harrow Borough and Sutton United.

At the end of 1984 85 the Club’s main stand burnt down. In 1985-86 we reached the last 16 of the FA Trophy. Barry Lloyd left to join Brighton & Hove Albion and the following year Worthing were relegated from the Premier Division. Four years later we had a disastrous season, finishing bottom of Division 1 with only 10 points and having conceded 157 goals.

Former Northern Ireland international Gerry Armstrong was appointed manager in 1991 92 and the following season Worthing became the first Club to win Division 2 for a second time, having dropped only 12 points from the last 27 matches.

Armstrong left in the summer of 1994 to be replaced by his coach John Robson. Premier Division status was regained as runners up to Boreham Wood in his first season and the FA Cup 1st Round reached again (losing 3 1 at AFC Bournemouth after taking the lead).

Worthing finished bottom in their first season back in the Premier and Robson was replaced as manager. Others followed before Brian Donnelly became manager at Christmas 1996. Under Donnelly’s leadership, Worthing staged a remarkable late season recovery, winning their last 5 games to escape relegation on the last day. “Sammy” was to remain manager until November 2001 when Barry Lloyd returned for his second spell in charge.

In 1998 99 we were finalists in the Isthmian League Full Members’ Cup and won the Sussex Senior Cup for the first time in 21 years. 1999 00 saw us reach the FA Cup 1st Round for a 4th time, losing at Rotherham United.
In 2001 Worthing celebrated 100 years of playing at Woodside Road, an event marked by the publication of the first book devoted to the Club.

In 2003-04, under the management of Alan Pook, we finished 2nd in the league and thus regained our Premier Division place. Cup runs saw us reach the Senior Cup final and the last 32 of the FA Trophy, being beaten by the eventual winners Hednesford Town.

Last season our steady improvement continued; we finished just outside the play-off positions, having briefly led the table at the New Year.

Our youth team won their division, reached the FA Youth Cup 1st round and also reached two cup finals.