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The club was established in 1892 and were one of the founding members of the West Sussex Football League in 1896. After the first World War the club played in the Brighton, Hove & District Football League, until the end of the 1919/20 season when they became one of the founder members of Sussex County Football League. Apart from a five-year break between 1927/28 and 1931/32 they have remained there, regularly moving between Divisions One and Two, and when the league changed its name to the Southern Combination for 2015/16, became members of the Premier Division. In 2016/17, having led the league for most of the season, the club finished as runners-up in the Premier Division to Haywards Heath Town. However, after Haywards Heath were penalised with a nine points deduction for fielding an ineligible player, Shoreham became champions and were promoted to Division One South of the Isthmian League.

We have met once before in competitive football, in the treble winning season of 1996/97, in the FA Vase Second Qualifying Round. After a 0-0 draw in Sussex, two Wayne Schweiso penalties and a goal apiece from Phil Harris and Terry Martin gave Bay a 4-0 victory.

The Musselmen have endured a torrid start since their promotion with just two wins (Greenwich Borough H and Ashford United H) and one draw (Lewes H) from their 13 games and sit at the bottom of the table. They have failed to pick up a single point from their six games on their travels. But nothing should be taken for granted, as those who were present at Godalming Town last campaign would testify.

Shoreham become the 40th team that we have met in the Isthmian League and amazingly the only club that we have played who have a home shirt colour of predominantly blue.

They play their home games at The Taxi-Link Community Sports Ground, Middle Road, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 6GA which is 99 miles from Winch’s Field. Shoreham have an average attendance of 129 (highest 221 and lowest 68) and are 17th place in the Bostik South attendance table.

Expect a splattering of groundhoppers in the crowd as they rush down the Thanet Way after watching Ramsgate v Guernsey which kicks off at 12.45.