Shoreham

Shoreham FC are a non league football club from the West Sussex port and seaside resort of Shoreham-by-Sea, who were formed in 1892. After several years of local football 'The Musselmen' became founder members of the Sussex County League in 1920.

The club left that league in 1927 for a five year period and in 1952 were crowned as champions. They went on to retain the title in the following season. Over the next twenty five years Shoreham were relegated on a couple of occasions to the leagues' Division Two, but they returned to lift their third championship in the 1977-78 season.

The habit of relegations and subsequent promotions continued on another four occasions up to the 2011-12 when they found themselves in Division One, where they survived another near miss at the wrong end of the table.

Shoreham FC will play in the Sussex County League Division One for the 2013-14 season.


My visit

Friday 30th November 2008

I had decided to use a day off work by heading down to Brighton and discovering some football grounds in West Sussex. After a arduous coach journey and a train ride calling in at Southwick FC I alighted at Shoreham station.

As usual on these jaunts I had planned ahead and copied some maps as well as general directions. I walked up Buckingham Road before turning right into Middle Road, where the club were listed to play. It was a lot further along than I'd imagined, but thankfully I came to an open field with the clubs' ground at the other side of it. However, there was no path across to the entrance.

I did find a path past the far goal but I couldn't get a view of the enclosed arena. It came out on Dolphin Road, which served an industrial estate on both sides. I had hoped to see the sea and some evidence of a seaside resort, but I was left disappointed. The gloomy weather didn't help matters either. I later discovered that the River Adur and another stretch of land stood between me and the coast.

I was starting to think I'd never find my way to the ground. I took a chance and walked up Dolphin Way with light industry on either side of it. At the top was the entrance to the ground. I would have thought some kind of signage would have been helpful?

The Middle Road ground was a neat enough venue with a small cover at the centre of the far end. The near touchline had a Main Stand with blue bucket seating and multiple pillars which I would imagine spoil a lot of viewing, although the dug outs had sensibly been placed opposite. The clubhouse was further along from it along with the changing rooms in the corner. The rest of the ground had hard standing all around the pitch and then flat open grass.

I left after getting some images and continued along the road that bordered the railway in a relaxed mode as I'd missed my intended train. However, thanks to a decent service I was soon heading to my next destination; Lancing FC.