Whitehawk F.C. is a
semi-professional
Semi-professional sports are sports in which athletes are not participating on a full-time basis, but still receive some payment. Semi-professionals are not amateur because they receive regular payment from their team, but generally at a cons ...
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
club based in
Whitehawk, a suburb of
Brighton and Hove
Brighton and Hove ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority area, ceremonially in East Sussex, England. There are multiple villages alongside the seaside resorts of Brighton and Hove in the district. It is administe ...
, England. They have played in the since 2023, when the club won the
Isthmian League South East Division playoffs. Whitehawk's home is the 3,126-capacity McLaren Enclosed Ground within
East Brighton Park. Nicknamed The Hawks, the club's traditional playing colours are red and white. Before 2010, the club had never played above County League level, but after three promotions in four seasons, they reached the
Conference South
The National League South, officially Vanarama National League South, is a professional Association football league in England. National League South is the second division of the National Leagues and step 2 of the NLS and sixth-highest ti ...
in 2013. The club reached the second round of the
2016 FA Cup.
History
Brighton, Hove and District League
The club was founded as the Second World War ended in 1945 as Whitehawk & Manor Farm Old Boys. The original name relates to the Brighton Boys' club, from
Whitehawk and the adjoining Manor Farm estate, that wished to continue to play football but were too old to play in the youth league. One of the club's founders, Ron Powell, entered the new team in the Brighton Junior Cup (League) for their first season. The club's first match was a 5–3 away win on 13 October 1945 against Hove County Old Boys at Hove Recreation Ground. Home games were played on the council pitches in
East Brighton Park. In their first season, Whitehawk & MFOB did the league and cup double. The team won 14 out of 16 league games, scoring 82 goals and secured the Hove & Worthing Cup with a 5–3 victory against Allen West B. Goalscorers were Chas Eason 2, Jimmy Ward, Gerry Chandler and Holmes.
Whitehawk & MFOB then joined the
Brighton, Hove & District Football League, initially in Division 2 before being reassigned to Division 4 when the league expanded for the 1947–48 season. The Hawks once more won a league and cup double, securing the Sussex Junior Cup with victory over West Hove at the Goldstone Ground.
The Hawks were promoted again the following season, 1948–49, after finishing in second place in Division 3 and retained the Sussex Junior Cup, beating Sussex Brick Works 6–1 in the final. In their first season at Intermediate level, 1949–50, The Hawks again completed a league and cup double, winning Brighton League Division 2 and securing the Sussex Intermediate Cup with a 5–1 win against
Portfield at Littlehampton. Jimmy Sallis scored a hat-trick with Bill 'Cocker' Blunt netting the other two.
In their debut season at senior level in 1950–51, The Hawks won the Division 1 title, going the whole season unbeaten and winning all but two of their 26 league games.
The club also won their first major senior cup trophy, the
Sussex Senior Cup by beating
Eastbourne Town 1–0 at Woodside Road, Worthing, with Kenny Hayward scoring the only goal after 10 minutes. The Hawks beat
Littlehampton Town,
Lancing,
Crawley Town
Crawley Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Crawley, West Sussex, England. The team currently competes in , the fourth level of the English football league system.
Founded in 1896 as Crawley Foo ...
and
Bognor Regis Town
Bognor Regis Town Football Club is an English football club based in Bognor Regis, West Sussex. Nicknamed 'The Rocks’, the club is an FA Chartered Standard Community club affiliated to the Sussex County Football Association. They currently co ...
on the way to becoming the only Brighton League team ever to win the
Sussex Senior Cup. This win also completed an unprecedented series of non-league football cup wins at junior, intermediate and senior levels in successive seasons.
Whitehawk & MFOB applied to join the
Sussex League for the following season but their application was not successful. The Hawks retained the Division 1 title in 1952.
Sussex County League
The club was admitted to the
Sussex County League Division 1 in 1952–53 and finished third in their first season. The Hawks' first county league game was a 4–1 win at
Crawley Town
Crawley Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Crawley, West Sussex, England. The team currently competes in , the fourth level of the English football league system.
Founded in 1896 as Crawley Foo ...
on 31 August 1952. The club were runners-up for three successive seasons from 1954 to 1955 onwards, and were
Sussex Senior Cup finalists in 1954, losing 1–0 to
Horsham
Horsham () is a market town on the upper reaches of the River Arun on the fringe of the Weald in West Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester. Nearby to ...
at the Goldstone Ground in front of a crowd of 5626. The Hawks won the
Sussex RUR Cup
The Sussex Royal Ulster Rifles Charity Cup is the original Cup which was presented to the Sussex County FA in 1897 by the Officers and men of the Royal Irish Rifles (subsequently Royal Ulster Rifles). The 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles won th ...
for the first time in 1955, beating
Eastbourne United 1–0 after extra time at the Goldstone. Len Holter scored the only goal in the 103rd minute. The Hawks were never out of the top five in the County League Division 1 for the rest of the decade.
The club's name was changed to Whitehawk FC for the start of the 1958–59 season.
In 1961–62 under manager Billy Thew, Whitehawk won the first of four Division One titles,
as well as the
Sussex Senior Cup, beating
Eastbourne United 4–0 at the
Goldstone Ground in front of a 4000 crowd. Hawks scorers were Maurice Barker, Eddie Richardson and Billy Ford 2. Billy Ford scored 16 goals in
Sussex Senior Cup football out of a total for the season of 93. The Hawks also beat
Worthing
Worthing ( ) is a seaside town and borough in West Sussex, England, at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of Chichester. With a population of 113,094 and an area of , the borough is the second largest component of the Br ...
3–1 to win the Brighton Charity Cup. Hawks scorers were Les Adams, Eddie Richardson and Billy Ford.
The following season the competition was abandoned due to bad weather, depriving local rivals
Lewes
Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider Lewes (district), district of the same name. It lies on the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the Sou ...
of a likely title, but in 1963–64 the Hawks retained the championship,
finishing three points clear of second-placed
Lewes
Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider Lewes (district), district of the same name. It lies on the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the Sou ...
by winning their last six matches of the season. The crucial victory was a 2–1 home win over
Lewes
Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider Lewes (district), district of the same name. It lies on the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the Sou ...
on 25 April 1964. Winger and future FIFA referee
Allan Gunn scored twice in the second half as the Hawks came back from 1–0 down at the interval.
In the close season manager Billy Thew left for
Newhaven. Coach Ken Carter was appointed manager at
Lewes
Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider Lewes (district), district of the same name. It lies on the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the Sou ...
and a number of key players joined him at the Dripping Pan. Former
Brighton & Hove Albion player
Glen Wilson was appointed coach for the 1964–65 season but the club struggled and under manager Ron Pavey found itself relegated for the first time ever in 1967, only to make an immediate return as Division Two champions in 1968.
The next nine years saw Whitehawk continue to compete in the top division, during which time they lost 1–2 to
Horsham
Horsham () is a market town on the upper reaches of the River Arun on the fringe of the Weald in West Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester. Nearby to ...
in the
Sussex Senior Cup final in 1972. The Hawks were relegated for a second time in 1977. This time they were to spend four seasons in Division Two, having to apply for re-election in 1979 after finishing second from bottom, their lowest ever senior league placing.
Under new manager Sammy Donnelly, The Hawks won promotion as champions in 1980–81.
They entered the FA Cup for the first time in the 1982–83 season but lost 5–2 to
Dartford
Dartford is the principal town in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, England. It is located south-east of Central London and
is situated adjacent to the London Borough of Bexley to its west. To its north, across the Thames Estuary, is Thurrock in ...
in their first match. In 1983–84 Whitehawk won Division One for the third time
as well as enjoying a good run in the FA Vase before losing 1–0 at
Corinthian-Casuals in the fourth round.
1986–87 saw the Hawks finish as runners-up to
Arundel.
In 1988–89, again under manager Sammy Donnelly, Whitehawk had what was at the time their best run in the
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in domestic Football in England, English football. First played during ...
, going out 2–0 in a fourth qualifying round replay to
Bognor Regis Town
Bognor Regis Town Football Club is an English football club based in Bognor Regis, West Sussex. Nicknamed 'The Rocks’, the club is an FA Chartered Standard Community club affiliated to the Sussex County Football Association. They currently co ...
, having previously drawn 2–2 at Nyewood Lane. Former
Brighton & Hove Albion striker
Gerry Fell scored the second equaliser in the away game with virtually the last kick of the match after coming off the bench. The home attendance record of 2,100 for the replay stood for 27 years and was only bettered in 2015 for the
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in domestic Football in England, English football. First played during ...
replay with
Dagenham and Redbridge.
The Hawks won the
Sussex RUR Cup
The Sussex Royal Ulster Rifles Charity Cup is the original Cup which was presented to the Sussex County FA in 1897 by the Officers and men of the Royal Irish Rifles (subsequently Royal Ulster Rifles). The 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles won th ...
for the third time in 1990–91, beating
Peacehaven & Telscombe in the final 2–1, with youth player and future manager
Darren Freeman heading the winner.
1993–94 was another good season for the club, finishing once again as runners-up
this time to Wick, as well as having their best ever run in the FA Vase, reaching the fifth round before losing 3–2 at home to
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
.
2002–03 saw the club under manager
Ian Chapman once again finish in second place, this time to runaway winners
Burgess Hill Town.
A comparatively modest eighth place followed the next season, but in 2004–05 the Hawks regained their position amongst the leading clubs in the League, finishing just a point behind runners-up
Rye & Iden United.
The two sides also met in the final of the John O'Hara League Cup and the Hawks emerged as 4–3 winners. However, they were later found to have played an ineligible player in substitute Bertie Foster and therefore Rye were awarded the trophy. The Hawks could only manage third place again in 2005–2006 but reached both the League Cup and RUR Charity Cup finals, losing to
Shoreham and
Hailsham Town respectively. In 2006–07 The Hawks reached the quarter-final of the
FA Vase
The Football Association Challenge Vase, also known as the Isuzu FA Vase for sponsorship reasons, is an annual football competition run by and named after The Football Association (The FA), for teams playing in Steps 5 and 6 of the English Nation ...
, losing 1–0 at home to the eventual winners
Truro City in front of a crowd of 1,009.
The club finally achieved the league title success that had previously eluded them, winning the Sussex County League Division 1 in 2009–10
under joint managers
George Parris and
Darren Freeman to gain promotion to the
Isthmian League Division One South for the first time. The Hawks also reached the semi-final of the
FA Vase
The Football Association Challenge Vase, also known as the Isuzu FA Vase for sponsorship reasons, is an annual football competition run by and named after The Football Association (The FA), for teams playing in Steps 5 and 6 of the English Nation ...
, losing 4–1 on aggregate to
Wroxham
Wroxham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The civil parish of Wroxham has an area of 6.21 square kilometres, and in 2001, had a population of 1,532 in 666 households. A reduced population of 1,502 in 653 household ...
of the
Eastern Counties League Premier Division.
Isthmian League
In their first season at the new level Whitehawk were in the title race but eventually had to settle for third place and the end-of-season play-offs against
Leatherhead
Leatherhead is a town in the Mole Valley district of Surrey, England, about south of Central London. The settlement grew up beside a ford on the River Mole, from which its name is thought to derive. During the late Anglo-Saxons, Anglo-Saxon ...
. The game at The Enclosed Ground ended 1–1 but the visitors won 4–3 on penalties.
The Hawks completed a league and cup double the following season 2011–12, finishing as
Isthmian League Division One South champions as well as lifting the
Sussex Senior Cup after beating Crawley Down 2–1 at
Falmer Stadium
Falmer Stadium, currently known as the American Express Stadium for sponsorship reasons and more commonly referred to as the Amex, is a association football, football stadium in Falmer, Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England. With a capacity o ...
. They followed this up later by winning the 2012 Sussex Community Shield in August, with a 4–1 win against
Three Bridges. The club had planned to play the 2012–13 season at the
Withdean Stadium in order to redevelop The Enclosed Ground but this was blocked by the
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League () is a regional Association football, football league covering Greater London, East of England, East and South East England, featuring mostly semi-professional clubs.
Founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area, th ...
, who were concerned that the club would not return to East Brighton.
The club achieved back to back promotions in the 2012–13 season by winning the
Isthmian League Premier Division at the first attempt to earn a place in the
Conference South
The National League South, officially Vanarama National League South, is a professional Association football league in England. National League South is the second division of the National Leagues and step 2 of the NLS and sixth-highest ti ...
.
National League South
For the 2013–14 season, the club sought to change its name to Brighton City Football Club but the FA Council ruled against the proposal.
The Hawks struggled in their first season in
Conference South
The National League South, officially Vanarama National League South, is a professional Association football league in England. National League South is the second division of the National Leagues and step 2 of the NLS and sixth-highest ti ...
with manager Darren Freeman blaming the physical nature of some of the teams in the league. After achieving three promotions in four years, Freeman was sacked in January 2014 and replaced by Steve King. King ensured the Hawks retained their place in Conference South on a dramatic last day of the season at the Enclosed Ground against
Sutton United, with a late equaliser for the Hawks ensuring a 3–3 draw and an even later penalty by
Dover Athletic relegating
Hayes & Yeading instead. The club enjoyed their most successful season ever in 2014–2015, finishing fourth in Conference South and earning a place in the play-off semi-finals against
Basingstoke Town. After a 1–1 draw at the Enclosed Ground, a tremendous strike from fans' player of the year
Jake Robinson in the second leg won the match 1–0 to earn a place in the final against
Boreham Wood, who had finished second in the league. The play-off final at
Boreham Wood's ground finished 1–1 in normal time but an extra time winner for Wood denied the Hawks what would have been their fourth promotion in six seasons. Whitehawk completed the season with a 5–0 victory over
Lewes
Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider Lewes (district), district of the same name. It lies on the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the Sou ...
at
Falmer Stadium
Falmer Stadium, currently known as the American Express Stadium for sponsorship reasons and more commonly referred to as the Amex, is a association football, football stadium in Falmer, Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England. With a capacity o ...
to lift the
Sussex Senior Cup, the biggest margin of victory in the final since 1937.
After a good start to the 2015–16 season, the Hawks reached the first round proper of the
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in domestic Football in England, English football. First played during ...
for the first time and achieved national coverage with a 5–3 victory against National League
Lincoln City. In the second round the Hawks drew 1–1 at League Two
Dagenham & Redbridge, following a dramatic headed goal in added time by Jordan Rose, which was broadcast live by the
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
. In front of a record crowd of 2,174 at the Enclosed Ground, the Hawks lost the second round replay 2–3. To force the match into extra time, Whitehawk again equalised dramatically in added time with a header, this time by Juan Cruz Gotta.
The winners of the match already knew that the third-round tie was away to
Everton at
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a Association football, football stadium in Walton, Liverpool, Walton, Liverpool, England, it was the home of Premier League club Everton F.C., Everton from 1892 until 2025. It is now the home of Everton F.C. (women), Everton's ...
. The second round replay was broadcast live on national TV by
BT Sport
TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport) is a group of pay television sports channels in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Now owned by Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, Warner Bros. Discovery and BT Group, they first launched as B ...
.
The club submitted a further application to the Football Association to change their name to Brighton City in December 2015. This application was withdrawn a month later after opposition from fans and chairman John Summers spending time on the terraces at an away game at
Chelmsford City.
In February 2016, the club parted company with Steve King after picking up just 9 points from the previous 36 available, a spell which also saw the club fall from 3rd to 13th.
Pablo Asensio took over from King as Caretaker Manager, reorganising the squad and playing style to such an extent that after drifting down towards the relegation zone, the Hawks finished the season in style, reaching the play-offs for the second season running, with Asensio named manager of the month for April 2016. In the play-off semi-final against longtime league leaders
Ebbsfleet United the Hawks lost 1–2 at the Enclosed Ground, but then won the second leg 2–1 in Kent, before eventually losing on penalties after extra time. Pablo Asensio was appointed in May 2016 as permanent manager on a two-year contract, which was followed by a complete overhaul of the playing staff for the start of the new season.
After a poor start to the 2016–17 season, with only one win in eight games, The Hawks replaced Pablo Asensio with former
Eastleigh manager
Richard Hill. In Hill's first week in charge he signed five former
Eastleigh players and a further two on loan from his old club,
before releasing seven Brazilian players signed at the start of the season, the following week. Hawks again reached the first round of the
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in domestic Football in England, English football. First played during ...
but were denied a dramatic winner against
Stourbridge
Stourbridge () is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Situated on the River Stour, Worcestershire, River Stour, the town lies around west of Birmingham,
at the southwester ...
in unusual circumstances when Javier Favarel's 30-yard volley was ruled out after referee Robert Whitton blew for full-time with the ball in the air.
Stourbridge
Stourbridge () is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Situated on the River Stour, Worcestershire, River Stour, the town lies around west of Birmingham,
at the southwester ...
won the replay 3–0.
After 10 league games in charge, five won and five lost, Hill left to join Aston Villa as a scout, with director of football Alan Payne and player/assistant manager
Ben Strevens taking temporary charge of the first team. Defender
Paul Reid then stepped up to assist Alan Payne as joint player/manager after Strevens returned to Eastleigh. Payne and Reid were appointed joint managers until the end of the season on 22 December but with the Hawks in the bottom three at the end of January, the club advertised for a new permanent manager and on 1 February appointed former
Crystal Palace goalkeeping coach
Andy Woodman. In his first managerial post, Woodman oversaw the club's survival in
National League South
The National League South, officially Vanarama National League South, is a professional Association football league in England. National League South is the second division of the National League (English football), National Leagues and step ...
before leaving at the end of the season and being replaced by assistant manager
Jimmy Dack. With the club at the bottom of the league after picking up only one point from the first seven games of the 2017–2018 season, Dack resigned, with player/coach
Dan Harding taking temporary charge prior to the re-appointment of former boss Steve King on 13 September 2017. Despite a remarkable turnaround in 2018, with the Hawks third in the form table up to mid-April, relegation for only the third time in the club's history was confirmed with a 4–3 defeat at
Braintree Town on 17 April. King departed at the end of the season to be replaced by the Hawks' successful U18 manager Jude Macdonald.
Isthmian League
The Hawks again spent only one season in the
Isthmian League Premier Division, this time being relegated on the final day of the 2018–19 season. After a poor start to the 2020–21 season in the Isthmian League South East Division, Ross Standen was appointed manager on 1 November 2020, with former
Brighton & Hove Albion player
Stuart Tuck as his assistant. In April 2022, with the Hawks Isthmian League status not secure, former
Haywards Heath Town boss Shaun Saunders was appointed first team manager with four games of the season left. They were promoted back to the Premier Division in the
2022–23 season, defeating
Hythe Town 1–0 in the play-off final. After a 9th place finish back in the Isthmian Premier League, Saunders stood down to be replaced by Ross McNeilly, who resigned after just 13 matches to be replaced by his assistant David Altendorff. He stepped down shortly afterwards when Saunders returned as manager in November 2024. The club finished 16th in the
2024-25 Isthmian League Premier Division, earning 49 points from their 42 matches.
Club officials
Whitehawk FC remains an unincorporated members' association.
[Whitehawk FC official match day programme v Romford, 12 October 2019] The club has seen relative success since 2007, when local businessmen John Summers and Peter "Ned" McDonnell were appointed joint vice-chairmen, with Whitehawk playing in the Sussex County League at the time.In 2012, they were named joint chairmen. In 2014, the club's first season in Conference South after consecutive promotions, Jim Collins was appointed chairman, with plans to further improve the club's operations off the field. John Summers took over as chairman for the start of the 2015–16 season and oversaw the most successful season in the club's history, reaching the second round of the FA Cup and the National League South playoffs. He stood down just over a year later, with General Manager Nigel Thornton stepping in on a temporary basis. Steve Allen became chairman in August 2017 with Andy Schofield taking over the role in October 2019.
John Summers and Peter McDonnell were appointed joint vice-chairmen again during the 2022–2023 season
and then joint chairmen in July 2024.
Ground

Whitehawk have played in East Brighton Park since being founded in 1945, originally on open park pitches owned by Brighton Corporation adjacent to Wilson Avenue. The first time that permission was given to 'enclose' a pitch for a game was on 2 December 1950, for a
Sussex Senior Cup third round replay against
Crawley
Crawley () is a town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in West Sussex, England. It is south of London, north of Brighton and Hove, and north-east of the county town of Chichester. Crawley covers an area of and had a populat ...
, which the Hawks won 3–1. The pitch was enclosed by a series of dark green tarpaulins.
A condition of admission to the
Sussex County League in 1952 was that all games had to be played in an enclosed ground, and Brighton Corporation gave permission for this to happen on the normally open park pitch in recognition of the club's success and growing following. The first league match played on such a pitch was a
Sussex County League Division 1 game against
East Grinstead Town on 6 September 1952. The game ended in a 2–2 draw.
For the 1954–55 season, Brighton Corporation allowed the club to move onto a permanently enclosed pitch at the north end of the park, on what is now the Enclosed Ground. The ground was still enclosed by tarpaulins and the teams changed in a barn on the adjacent Sheepcote Valley camping site. The club paid the corporation £75 a season for the pitch and £15 a year for the use of the camp site. There were no facilities for spectators or players on the ground itself. The first match played on the current Enclosed Ground was a
Sussex County League Division 1 game against Southwick on 1 September 1954, which the Hawks won 6–2.
After the Hawks did the league and cup double in 1962, the publicity generated by a civic reception at the Royal Pavilion led to Brighton Corporation providing a grant of £3,500 for the club to erect a self-build grandstand with standing for 500 spectators. The design also included changing rooms, which were first used during the 1963–64 season. Brighton Corporation still owned the ground and the club still paid an annual rent for its use.
The club gained its first club house in September 1980, using what was originally a prefabricated building that had been a temporary bank in
Haywards Heath
Haywards Heath ( ) is a town in West Sussex, England, south of London, north of Brighton, south of Gatwick Airport and northeast of the county town, Chichester. Nearby towns include Burgess Hill to the southwest, Horsham to the northwest, ...
. A perimeter fence to the ground was added in 1981. Floodlights were erected in 1988 and were first used in a match organised to mark the occasion against then First Division
Luton Town
Luton Town Football Club is a professional association football, football club from Luton, Bedfordshire, England. The club currently competes in EFL League One, the third level of the English football league system. Nicknamed "The Hatters", L ...
on 21 March 1988.
The Enclosed Ground has seen major redevelopment since 2010 in order it to achieve the necessary grading to be used as a venue in the
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League () is a regional Association football, football league covering Greater London, East of England, East and South East England, featuring mostly semi-professional clubs.
Founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area, th ...
and
National League South
The National League South, officially Vanarama National League South, is a professional Association football league in England. National League South is the second division of the National League (English football), National Leagues and step ...
. There are now two covered seated stands, one uncovered seated stand and a grass bank along the east touchline.
*Sea End: The north stand has a seating capacity of 1236 and is known as the Sea End because of its views of the
English Channel
The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...
. There are two banks of uncovered seating, which were previously used at
Withdean Stadium when
Brighton and Hove Albion played there. The stand, or part of it, is used for visiting fans when segregation of the crowd is in force.
*The Din: The south stand, known as the Din and partially covered, has a seating capacity of 800, with 387 seats under cover. As the ground slopes, the stand has been put together in four sections that are at different heights.
*The Main Stand is a small, covered, seated stand on the halfway line adjacent to the clubhouse and backs onto the main turnstiles. It also houses the players' and officials' changing rooms. Seating capacity in this stand is 232. This stand was the club's first, built in 1963, originally as covered terracing. The seating was installed in 2010.
The Enclosed Ground is famous for being set into a steep hillside adjacent to the
South Downs National Park
The South Downs National Park is England's newest national parks of England and Wales, national park, designated on 31 March 2010. The park, covering an area of in southern England, stretches for from Winchester in the west to Eastbourne in t ...
as well as sloping downhill towards the sea. The pitch also has a significant drop from one southerly corner flag to the other. It is also very much exposed to the elements, being so close to the sea.
The internet celebrity
Wealdstone Raider gained his fame through a
viral video
Viral videos are video, videos that become popular through viral phenomenon, a viral process of Internet sharing, primarily through video sharing websites such as YouTube as well as social media and email.Lu Jiang, Yajie Miao, Yi Yang, ZhenZhon ...
which showed him reacting to provocation from a Whitehawk supporter during an
Isthmian League Premier Division match against
Wealdstone, played on 9 March 2013 at the Enclosed Ground.
Supporters
A section of Whitehawk's fans call themselves the Whitehawk Ultras.
The Ultras aim to have fun, as well as espousing an “anti-homophobic, anti-sexist, anti-racist stance.” They promote local charitable causes, non-league football and togetherness, as an antidote to what they see as the commercialised world of the Premier League. The Ultras have links with similar other fans groups such as
Eastbourne Town's Pier Pressure and have a number of original songs and rituals.
Whitehawk fans have been documented since 2014 by Brighton photographer
JJ Waller.
Sponsors
The first team wear shirts sponsored by McLaren Property. First team track suits and youth team shirts are sponsored by Brighton Couriers.
Players
Current squad
Source:
[Whitehawkfc.com]
Out on loan/on dual registration
Source:
Former players
''The list comprises former players who have made 75 or more appearances in a fully professional league or have senior international experience.''
*
Gerry Armstrong
*
Paul Armstrong
*
Eugene Asike
*
Elliot Benyon
*
Craig Braham-Barrett
*
Russell Bromage
*
Steve Brown
*
Glenn Burvill
*
John Byrne
*
Richard Carpenter
*
Ian Chapman
*
Sam Deering
*
Seny Dieng
*
Scott Doe
*
Adam El-Abd
*
Marvin Elliott
*
Hogan Ephraim
*
Dylan Fage
*
Gerry Fell
*
Tommy Fraser
*
Darren Freeman
*
Liam Gordon
*
Liam Graham
*
Grant Hall
*
Marvin Hamilton
*
Dan Harding
*
Brian Howard
*
Edinho Júnior
*
Imran Kayani
*
Pa Saikou Kujabi
*
Matthew Lawrence
*
Dean Leacock
*
Kevin Lisbie
*
Jefferson Louis
*
Jay Lovett
*
Kevin Maher
*
Ronayne Marsh-Brown
*
Dave Martin
*
Teddy Maybank
*
Scott McGleish
* Chevron McLean
*
Arnaud Mendy
*
Manny Monthé
*
Junior Morias
*
Elliot Omozusi
*
Dillon Phillips
*
Steve Piper
*
Adam Proudlock
*
Paul Reid
*
Jake Robinson
*
Richard Rose
*
Raphael Rossi Branco
*
Alex South
*
Danny Stevens
*
Jason St Juste
*
Ben Strevens
*
Joey Taylor
Joseph Terrence Taylor (born 18 August 1997) is a Montserrat, Montserratian association football, footballer who plays as a left-back or left midfielder for club Ashford United F.C., Ashford United and the Montserrat national football team, M ...
*
Sergio Torres
*
Stuart Tuck
*
Kyle Vassell
Kyle Thomas Vassell (born 7 February 1993) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for and captains side Kilmarnock. Born in England, he represents the Northern Ireland national team.
He began his career as a youth at Norwich C ...
*
Jed Wallace
*
Lewis Ward
*
Chris Whelpdale
*
Gary Williams
*
Bradley Woods-Garness
*
Jamie Young
''For a complete list of current and former Whitehawk players with Wikipedia articles, see
:Whitehawk F.C. players.''
Managers
*Bert Brown (1945–1948)
*Ron James (1948–1952)
*Bill Day (1952–1956)
*Albert Thorne (1956-1958)
*Harry Sargent (1958–1959)
*Billy Thew (1959–1962)
*Ken Carter (1962–1964)
*
Glen Wilson (1964-1965)
*Ron Pavey (1965-1967)
*Bill Miller (1967–1968)
*Mike Yaxley (1968–1969)
*Paul Harris (1969–1970)
*
Jack Bertolini (1970-1971)
*John Marchant (1971–1973)
*John Booth (1973–1974)
*John Marchant & Ken Longhurst (1974–1975)
*Ray Allcorn (1975-1976)
*Ray Allcorn & Dick Watts (1976)
*Dick Watts (1976)
*Henry Wood (1976–1978)
*Rodney Ralfe (1978–1980)
*Brian 'Sammy' Donnelly (1980–1984)
*Tony 'Butch' Reeves (1984–1988)
*Brian 'Sammy' Donnelly (1988–1992)
*Tony 'Butch' Reeves (1992–1996)
*Paul Hubbard (1996–2001)
*Colin Jenkinson (2001)
*Steve Richardson (2001)
*
Ian Chapman &
Glenn Burvill (2001)
*Ian Chapman (2002–2007)
*
Russell Bromage (2007–2008)
*
George Parris (2008–2009)
*George Parris &
Darren Freeman (2009–2010)
*Darren Freeman (2010–2014)
*Colin Reid (2014; caretaker)
*Steve King (2014–2016)
*
Pablo Asensio (2016)
*
Richard Hill (2016)
*
Ben Strevens & Alan Payne (2016)
*
Paul Reid & Alan Payne (2016–2017)
*
Andy Woodman (2017)
*
Jimmy Dack (2017)
*
Dan Harding (2017; caretaker)
*Steve King (2017–2018)
*Jude Macdonald (2018–2020)
*Ross Standen (2020–2022)
*Shaun Saunders (2022–2024)
*Ross McNeilly (2024)
*David Altendorff (2024)
*Shaun Saunders (27 November 2024–)
Sources:
Team management
{, class="wikitable"
! style="background: #74C2E1;" , Position
! style="background: #74C2E1;" , Name
, -
, Manager
, Shaun Saunders
, -
, Assistant manager
, Adam Simpson
, -
, First Team Coach
, Will Hendon
, -
, Goalkeeping Coach
, Steve Harman
, -
, Head Physiotherapist
, Vily Atanasova
, -
, Isthmian U18 Manager
, Dale Hurley
, -
Club officials
{, class="wikitable"
! style="background: #74C2E1;" , Position
! style="background: #74C2E1;" , Name
Honours
League honours
*
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League () is a regional Association football, football league covering Greater London, East of England, East and South East England, featuring mostly semi-professional clubs.
Founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area, th ...
Premier Division
** Winners (1): 2012–13
*
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League () is a regional Association football, football league covering Greater London, East of England, East and South East England, featuring mostly semi-professional clubs.
Founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area, th ...
Division One South
** Winners (1): 2011–12
*
Isthmian League
The Isthmian League () is a regional Association football, football league covering Greater London, East of England, East and South East England, featuring mostly semi-professional clubs.
Founded in 1905 by amateur clubs in the London area, th ...
South East Division
** Play-off Winners (1): 2022–23
*
Sussex County Football League Division One
** Winners (4): 1961–62, 1963–64, 1983–84, 2009–10
** Runners-up (8): 1954–55, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1986–87, 1993–94, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08
*
Sussex County Football League Division Two
** Winners (2): 1967–68, 1980–81
*
Brighton, Hove & District Football League Division 1
** Winners (2): 1950–51, 1951–52
*
Brighton, Hove & District Football League Division 2
** Winners (1): 1949–50
*
Brighton, Hove & District Football League Division 3
** Runners up (1): 1948–49
*
Brighton, Hove & District Football League Division 4
** Winners (1): 1947–48
*Brighton Junior Cup
** Winners (1): 1945–46
Cup honours
*
Sussex Senior Cup
** Winners (4): 1950–51, 1961–62, 2011–12, 2014–15
** Runners-up (2): 1953–54, 1971–72
*
Sussex RUR Cup
The Sussex Royal Ulster Rifles Charity Cup is the original Cup which was presented to the Sussex County FA in 1897 by the Officers and men of the Royal Irish Rifles (subsequently Royal Ulster Rifles). The 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles won th ...
**Winners (3): 1954–55, 1958–59, 1990–91
** Runners-up (3): 1956–57, 2005–06, 2006–07
*John O'Hara League Challenge Cup
**Winners (3): 1982–83, 1993–94, 2008–09
**Runners-up (1): 2004–05
*Sussex Intermediate Cup
**Winners (1): 1949–50
*Sussex Junior Cup
** Winners (2): 1947–48, 1948–49
*Hove & Worthing Cup
** Winners (1): 1945–46
*Sussex Community Shield
** Winners (1): 2012
** Runners-up (1): 2015
Club records
Wins
*14-0 A v Southdown, Sussex Junior Cup 2nd Round, 27 March 1948
*12-0 H v
Bexhill Town Athletic, Sussex County League Division 1, 23 September 1961 (Scorers: Billy Ford 7, Harry Tharme, Rodney Ralfe,
Allan Gunn, Maurice Barker 2. Barker also missed a penalty) (senior football)
*12-1 H v Seaford Town, Sussex Senior Cup 2nd Round, 1961-62
[Sussex Unijet County League Annual Review 1996] (senior cup football)
Defeats
*2-13 A v St Luke's Terrace Old Boys, Brighton & Hove District League Division 2, 2 November 1946
*0-9 H v
Arundel, Sussex County League Division 1, 2 November 1957 (senior football)
*1-9 A v
Billericay Town, FA Cup 3rd qualifying round, 6 October 2018 (senior cup football)
Highest league placing
*Conference South, 4th (and play-off finalists A v
Boreham Wood, lost 1–2 after extra time), 2014–15
FA Cup
*Second Round Replay H, lost 2–3 after extra time v
Dagenham & Redbridge, 16 December 2015
FA Amateur Cup
*Fourth qualifying round replay A, lost 1–2 after extra time v
Erith & Belvedere, 21 November 1953
FA Trophy
*Third Round 2–3, A v
Hythe Town, 12 December 2023
FA Vase
*Semi-finals v
Wroxham
Wroxham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The civil parish of Wroxham has an area of 6.21 square kilometres, and in 2001, had a population of 1,532 in 666 households. A reduced population of 1,502 in 653 household ...
, 28 March 2010 (H) lost 0-2 and 3 April 2010 (A) lost 1–2. The away leg is a record attendance (1262) for
Wroxham
Wroxham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The civil parish of Wroxham has an area of 6.21 square kilometres, and in 2001, had a population of 1,532 in 666 households. A reduced population of 1,502 in 653 household ...
Playing record
*1951-52,
Brighton & Hove District League Senior Division 1 Champions: P26, W24, D2, L0, F125, A30, Pts50
Most goals in a season
*127 (32 matches), 1961–62 season, Sussex County League Division 1 Champions
Attendance
*2,174, FA Cup round 2 Replay v
Dagenham & Redbridge, 16 December 2015
References
External links
*
*
Whitehawk Ultras .
{{coord, 50, 49, 17.09, N, 0, 05, 46.12, W, region:GB_type:landmark, display=title
Football clubs in England
Southern Combination Football League
Association football clubs established in 1945
Sport in Brighton and Hove
National League (English football) clubs
Isthmian League clubs
Football clubs in East Sussex
1945 establishments in England
Brighton, Hove & District Football League