Gillingham and Bromley heading to Lewes for pre-season friendlies
Lewes will welcome two Football League clubs to the Dripping Pan as part of their 2026-27 pre-season schedule.
The Rooks’ set of fixtures contains four home matches, alongside an as-yet unconfirmed fifth game.
The opponents for their opener on Saturday 11 July are yet to be confirmed, with the venue also yet to be announced.
Craig Nelson’s side then welcome Hastings United, who finished 17th in the Isthmian League South East Division last season, on Saturday 18 July.
Dorking Wanderers, of the National League South, then visit the Dripping Pan on Saturday 25 July.
Two big fixtures round off the Rooks’ preparations, with a Gillingham XI arriving in East Sussex on Tuesday 28 July, before a Bromley side fresh off winning League Two last season come to town on Saturday 1 August.
Having close ties to both EFL teams through his contacts and proximity from a South London base, Nelson has also attracted players from the clubs’ academies in the past, including Marcus Sablier.
With Nelson in full planning mode, it is expected that additions to his backroom team and playing squad will be announced in the coming weeks.
There will be hopes of building on 16th and 19th-place finishes in the past two seasons, when financial limitations have been the main topic of discussions.
With positive noises made about the possibility of selling the Lewes Women’s team this summer, hopes are high about the transition into a new era for the club.