Delighted Hinshelwood turns his Worthing FC focus to ‘League 3’
Manager Adam Hinshelwood saluted everyone who’d made Worthing’s National League dream a reality – then immediately got down to planning for life in ‘League 3’.
The Rebels boss told us on Monday afternoon – less than 48 hours after the champagne corks were popping – that he was already talking to club chiefs about plans for the summer and the 2026-27 campaign in the National League Premier.
That is perhaps a major reason Worthing have succeeded – they have a manager who isn’t one for standing still.
Hinshelwood described the weekend’s celebrations as ‘brilliant’ and said players, coaches, staff, volunteers and fans all deserved the joyous scenes for their massive efforts over the season. But he is already focusing on the next step.
"The next aim is to stay in the National Premier and that’s easier said than done. I’ve seen that league at first hand and it really is like League 3, a Football League extension.”
He said he was proud the club had given Sussex its first top-tier non-league team in well over a decade and added: “I hope we’ve paved the way for others in the county.”
Hinshelwood admiited there was no big speech from him once he and the players got back to the dressing room with their trophy – just some dancing around. “I talk enough – they didn’t want to hear any more from me!,” he said.
You can read more from the boss inside today’s Worthing Herald – and from…
- Chairman Barry Hunter, who says the club are ‘National League-ready’ and excited to move up.
- Co-owner George Dowell, who says this doesn’t have to be the Reds’ last step up.
- Captain Joel Cobran, who reflects on ‘one hell of a journey’.
-Columnist and ex-WFC director Ian Hart, who says the town must now get fully behind its football team.
There’s coverage on two pages at the front of the paper and four at the back.
And don’t miss next week’s Herald (May 7 edition) for a special eight-page pullout celebrating Worthing’s title and promotion