Worthing evolution, Eastbourne Borough revolution

The first day of the new National League South season is almost upon us. The Southern Combination League Premier Division got underway last weekend. And this Saturday, numerous Sussex clubs will take their first steps into the 2023-24 FA Cup in the extra preliminary qualifying round.

WAB consistently encourages Albion fans to check out the wealth of non-league options across Sussex. Not only is it cheaper, friendlier and more authentic than the corporate world of 21st century Premier League football, but people are often surprised by the quality.

It is a very different experience watching non-league football now compared to a decade ago. Historic long, high and hopeful balls played up field are being increasingly replaced by passing games far more reminiscent of the Premier League.

Combine that with affordable pricing and being able to take in water bottles with tops makes watching our local non league clubs increasingly attractive.

The two Sussex clubs at the highest level of that pyramid are Worthing and Eastbourne Borough, both finishing last season at the top end of the sixth division of English football

In 2022-23, Worthing – managed by former Brighton defender Adam Hinshelwood – lost 2-0 in the playoff semi-finals to eventual winners Oxford City. Borough meanwhile finished just one place off the playoffs.

National League – taking the next step
21 of the 24 clubs in the National League Premier – the fifth tier of English football, one above Worthing and Eastbourne Borough – are fully professional.

Increasingly, teams in National League South and North are following suit. Both Worthing and Eastbourne are therefore at a crossroads – the choice to stick and stay semi-professional in relative financial safety or twist and take the professional step that is realistically required to progress further.

The Athletic painted a fascinating, if concerning, review of the significantly increasing levels of expenditure and losses incurred by National League clubs seeking the holy grail of promotion into the Football League.

They estimated the average annual deficit for a club in the National League itself as somewhere close to £700,000. In the last published accounts for 2021-22, the two clubs recently promoted to the League – Wrexham and Notts County – made combined losses alone of around £5 million.

It has famously taken the backing of Hollywood duo Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds to underwrite the Wrexham promotion. Notts County’s owners have lent the club £12 million as they tried to regain their league status.

So how are Worthing and Eastbourne Borough approaching that crossroads?

Worthing – Evolution
Worthing are one of the oldest non league clubs in the country dating back to their formation in 1886 and last season reached their highest ever level in the current football pyramid.

Reaching the play-offs was particularly noteworthy as it was their first year in National League South. In truth, their promotion in 2022 as Isthmian League champions was long overdue.

In the two previous seasons, they had been top of the same league when Covid-19 curtailed both campaigns and all promotion and relegation was cancelled.

Football365 have explained the fascinating back story with the massive input from former owner George Dowell as well as the frustrations caued by Covid.

In a measured interview with BBC Sussex Sport, Rebels Chairman Barry Hunter outlines the club’s ambitions, more as a process of evolution than revolution.

He describes the journey as: “Managing expectations to ensure we keep sustainable, not stretching ourselves financially.”

“We will go at our pace. It is like running a marathon. The National League South probably isn’t our holy grail. We are looking to evolve the men’s first team to a full-time operation.”

“It may take us two or three years to do. I am not going to put a name on the league we want to get to because I don’t actually know. One of the biggest challenges is to contain ambition, to manage that expectation internally and externally.”

2023-24 season
Player turnover in non league teams is often very significant. Worthing have managed to retain most of their players from last season, alongside a handful of new signings.

Their most well known player is 36-year-old forward Jake Robinson. Brighton-born Robinson famously became the Albion’s youngest ever scorer in 2003, when scoring against Forest Green Rovers in the LDV Vans Trophy at just 16-years-old.

In 2006, and Robinson became the first Brighton player to score a hat-trick for nearly five years, helping the Albion win a League One game against Huddersfield Town.

A fortnight later and he repeated the trick with another treble as Brighton hammered Northwich Victoria 8-0 in the FA Cup at Withdean.

Robinson made a similarly fast start to life at Worthing. He gave the Rebels the lead just five minutes into his debut against Dover Athletic.

That joy though turned to despair in the second half with an injury that sadly ruled him out for the rest of the season.

He will hope for better times in 2023-24, lining up alongside seven new signings. Another former Albion player is amongst those, the Rebels having signed goalkeeper Roco Rees from Brentford B.

Hinshelwood has also brought in three midfielders – Ricky Agular (on loan from Swindon), Michael Klass (Aldershot) and Joan Luque (Maidstone).

Forward Greg Luer has moved along the coast from Eastbourne Borough (due to not wanting to go fully professional with the Sports), winger Nicky Wheeler joins from Dorking Wanderers and defender Joe Felix from Dulwich Hamlet.

In recent years, Worthing have had healthy crowd levels with an average of 1250 last season. With an apparent capacity of over 3000, there is plenty of room to accommodate more.

Eastbourne Borough – Revolution
It has been the changes at Eastbourne Borough that have made all the Sussex non league headlines over the summer.

For Borough, the last few years have been increasingly successful. They have moved from their regular scrap against relegation in the National League South to pushing for the play-offs.

This improvement was overseen by charismatic manager Danny Bloor. And perhaps most noteworthy of all has been the increased crowds from an average of 570 in 2019-20 to 1053 in 2022-23.

Something has been stirring on the Sunshine Coast and with new owners in town, the journey is expected to become much more exciting in 2023-24.

Revolution timeline

5th May 2023: The Eastbourne Borough Board confirm they are in discussions that were expected to lead to new ownership.

13th May 2023: Board issue a statement giving more details of the planned takeover to supporters:

• The past three or four seasons have seen Eastbourne Borough turn from a slightly wobbly outfit scrambling to escape relegation, into a flourishing National South club with healthy crowds, flourishing women’s and youth sections and a spirit of fun under Bloor’s “Let’s be having you” leadership on the field.
• This isn’t a fire sale. Eastbourne Borough is very much a flourishing outfit – but to really prosper, and to aim for the National League or even the Football League, the club would be short-sighted not to welcome new investment.
• At the shareholders’ meeting it was confirmed that Bloor’s position as manager is not in doubt. Indeed, his infectious enthusiasm is one of the things that attracted the investor to the club in the first place. He might have a little more to spend. To gain promotion, and certainly to maintain National League status, the club would need a significantly higher playing budget.

2nd June 2023: Further board statement confirming: “Simon Leslie will now become the majority shareholder in the new company. A highly regarded businessman and entrepreneur who co-founded Ink, the world’s leading travel media company.”

5th June 2023: In a swift about turn to the statement on the 13th May, the club confirmed that Bloor, who expressed “disappointment and devastation” would be leaving.

New owner Leslie said: “Moving forward we will have a more data driven approach to recruitment, preparation, and analysis, using the latest AI technology, equipment and platforms to manage the performance and welfare of our players.”

“The next manager will need to be conversant in this and be comfortable and competent in implementing such an approach”. Clearly it was felt that Bloor didn’t meet that requirement.

8th June 2023: Eastbourne Borough FC announce highly rated, “forward-thinking” former Dorking and Brighton Under 18s coach Mark Beard as manager with immediate effect.

9th – 19th June 2023: Leslie, Beard and CEO Alan Williams give their first interviews which are all available on the club’s website and YouTube channel. The key announcement is that Eastbourne Borough will be going full time with immediate effect.

13th June 2023: Bloor is confirmed as the new manager of fellow National League South side Welling United.

29th June 2023: A further club statement: “There’s been a lot of change at Eastbourne Borough over the last month or two – it’s been a bit like a Hollywood story you could say.”

“The times are changing at Priory Lane and new owner Simon Leslie has enlisted the help of a good friend from across the pond to help build this exciting project.”

“Oliver Trevena is an accomplished British actor, entrepreneur and previously a TV host who has interviewed hundreds of A-list celebrities.” (No, I hadn’t heard of him either).

The interviews given by Leslie, Beard and Williams featured enough management-speak soundbites to keep David Brent going through several episodes of The Office. But they also promised spectators a bright future.

Leslie said in one of the better interviews: “I have the ambition to do amazing things, this is the most exciting project I have ever worked on.”

“The vision is to make them better footballers and better human beings. This club is not about money. It’s about innovation doing things differently.”

“Infect the players with positivity and belief. We want to start thinking like we are a League Two club not a National League Club. Our thinking is bigger, braver, more courageous”.

With regards the playing side, Beard has said: “If anyone’s seen my Dorking or Brighton teams, we will look to play high-tempo.”

“We will look to play out, but if it’s not on then we will have to mix it up. It all comes down to the training – each player will have an individual programme, an individual development plan.”

2023-24 season
With the move to full time status, there has been an almost complete turnover in players at the Sports. Exciting wingers Shiloh Remy and Leone Gravata remain, alongside defender Brad Barry.

Notable new players include midfielder Yaser Kasim, who made one League One appearance for Brighton on the final day of the 2010-11 title winning season.

Former Brighton Academy forward Stefan Vukoje has also joined, alongside former Crystal Palace defender Daniel Quick and Arsenal loanee Billy Vigar.

Pre season has been very promising in terms of crowds and results. 1165 watched Borough beat Aldershot and AFC Wimbledon were also defeated. There have been draws with Barnet and a Charlton Athletic XI.

Beard perhaps faces additional pressure following the popular and successful Bloor. Some supporters are no doubt musing on what would have happened if Bloor had stayed with the additional resource and full-time training. But Beard has made a promising start impressively bedding in a almost completely new team.

So if you have a free afternoon or evening, then both Worthing and Eastbourne have fascinating seasons ahead. Alongside all the other non league clubs in Sussex, there is good value entertainment and a lot of fun to be found away from the Amex.

Peter Finn