Hassocks are champions - in March and with no playing budget
It must be one of the most nerveless league title wins Sussex football has ever seen: Hassocks have won the Southern Combination premier division title – and promotion to step four – for the first time in their history with five games to spare.
For the Robins to win the league at all is quite something – they have operated a zero playing budget policy, when a number of other teams spend a fair bit on their squads. And they have done it by winning 27 of their 33 games – losing only three games along the way.
Fittingly, the silverware was clinched with a win over the last time who could have caught them, Crowborough. It finished 3-0 at the Beacon – sparkling great celebrations from players, staff, volunteers and of course their loyal fans.
Manager James Westlake’s message on X was simple: “Champions! #HassocksFC #UTR”
That was no surprise from a boss who, all season in his answers to questions about the promotion bid from the Mid Sussex Times and sussexworld.co.uk, has been consistently calm, and praiseworthy of the efforts of all his players, coaching staff and everyone at the club.
We’ll hear more from Westlake and chairman Pat Harding in the coming days as Hassocks turn their attentions to finishing the season strongly – with a cup final to come along with their league run-in – and then to life at step four, with a place in next season’s Isthmian south east division awaiting them.
It’s incredible to think they could, come August, be on an equal league footing with Bognor Regis Town and Hastings United.
Meanwhile the race for SCFL premier play-off places continues to be exciting – Crowborough remain second, Haywards Heath, Petersfield and Crawley Down Gatwick are just behind them and Roffey and Eastbourne United remain in with a good shout, with Peacehaven not out of it but probably too far behind.
Watch out for more on Hassocks’ title win on this website and in the Mid Sussex Times in the week.