History
Formed in 1892, Steyning FC spent all its earlier years in the lower intermediate and junior divisions of the Worthing and Brighton leagues, where the club had limited success winning the Sussex Junior Cup in 1902 and the Vernon Wentworth Cup in 1934.
The club gained senior status in 1964 joining the Sussex County League, playing in Division Two up until 1978 when they were promoted to Division One as Champions, and changed their name to Steyning Town the following season. Their only success during this time was winning the Division Two Invitation Trophy in 1966.
During the 1980s Steyning were one of the top Non League clubs in Sussex and spent eight years in Division One, only once finishing outside the top four. In 1984/85 and 1985/86 they were crowned County League Champions, doing the “double†of League and League Cup on both occasions. In 1986 they also won the Sussex Senior Cup and reached the last eight of the FA Vase.
Having won the County League for the second successive time Steyning left to join the newly formed Wessex League. However, the endless traveling was to prove too costly and after only two seasons the club joined the Combined Counties League in 1988.
Steyning spent five years in this league, during what proved a difficult time for the club, although they did repeat their Senior Cup success in 1989 beating Hastings Town in the Final at the Goldstone Ground. They returned to the Sussex County League in 1993 joining Division Two but were relegated in 1997 to Division Three and back to Intermediate football.
At the end of 2001/02, Steyning won promotion back to Division Two as runners-up to Pease Pottage Village, and also won the Vernon Wentworth Cup after a gap of 68 years. After a bleak decade there are hopes that one day the club will able to recapture their glory days of twenty years ago. After an encouraging 5th place in 2003/04, two consecutive finishes just outside the relegation zone suggested that it might still be a way off yet. However, 2006/07 saw improved performances as Steyning finished 8th in the League and were also beaten finalists in the Division Two League Challenge Cup (by Wealden).
Easily the best attendance for the season was for a Sunday fixture. This attracted quite a few neutral supporters, including a number of groundhoppers to the Shooting Field and is an initiative the club might consider repeating in the future.
The club gained senior status in 1964 joining the Sussex County League, playing in Division Two up until 1978 when they were promoted to Division One as Champions, and changed their name to Steyning Town the following season. Their only success during this time was winning the Division Two Invitation Trophy in 1966.
During the 1980s Steyning were one of the top Non League clubs in Sussex and spent eight years in Division One, only once finishing outside the top four. In 1984/85 and 1985/86 they were crowned County League Champions, doing the “double†of League and League Cup on both occasions. In 1986 they also won the Sussex Senior Cup and reached the last eight of the FA Vase.
Having won the County League for the second successive time Steyning left to join the newly formed Wessex League. However, the endless traveling was to prove too costly and after only two seasons the club joined the Combined Counties League in 1988.
Steyning spent five years in this league, during what proved a difficult time for the club, although they did repeat their Senior Cup success in 1989 beating Hastings Town in the Final at the Goldstone Ground. They returned to the Sussex County League in 1993 joining Division Two but were relegated in 1997 to Division Three and back to Intermediate football.
At the end of 2001/02, Steyning won promotion back to Division Two as runners-up to Pease Pottage Village, and also won the Vernon Wentworth Cup after a gap of 68 years. After a bleak decade there are hopes that one day the club will able to recapture their glory days of twenty years ago. After an encouraging 5th place in 2003/04, two consecutive finishes just outside the relegation zone suggested that it might still be a way off yet. However, 2006/07 saw improved performances as Steyning finished 8th in the League and were also beaten finalists in the Division Two League Challenge Cup (by Wealden).
Easily the best attendance for the season was for a Sunday fixture. This attracted quite a few neutral supporters, including a number of groundhoppers to the Shooting Field and is an initiative the club might consider repeating in the future.
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