Polegate FC through the ages – pictures show teams that have helped them pass 100 years of football

The gong celebrates the club’s long life, which began in 1915. The club were founded by players from the nearby Royal Naval airship station and started playing at the Polegate War Memorial Recreation Ground in 1923 where they still play to this day.

Chris Bennett, president, said: “It was great to be awarded this as a club. More than 300 people were at the awards night, with about 20 awards presented to referees, managers and club around Sussex. It is a great privilege for us as a club to be recognised.”

The 1970s proved to be a successful decade for the club as they won one league title and four cups in the East Sussex League. The 1996-97 team won the Eastbourne FA Challenge Cup and improved the following season securing the East Sussex League and Cup double.

In recent years, the club repeated the 1997 success winning the Eastbourne FA Challenge Cup in 2018, beating AFC Uckfield Town in the final. A Mid Sussex Cup double was won in 2019, with the second team winning the Eastbourne FA Vice Presidents’ Cup in 2022 being our most recent success.

Peacehaven and Telscombe, Cuckfield Town and Scaynes Hill football clubs were also awarded for their long service at the Sussex FA awards night.On this page is, from left; Stuart Black (vice-president), Liam Brooks (media officer), Nick Underdown (vice-chairman), Chris Bennett (president), Danni Green (secretary), Alan Brooks (treasurer) and Sam Eaton (manager).