To Torquay and Totton – but not Truro: Eastbourne Borough study their 25-26 road map
When Eastbourne Borough climb aboard the team coach in August for their first away fixture, one thought might just be in their minds. It might have been Gateshead.
Not that the Sports – players, management and supporters – were not giving every ounce of energy to clinch promotion, in those extraordinary days in April. And under new manager Matt Gray, the quest will be renewed. But National South has its consolations – including the miles and time spent on the road.
It’s probably down to previous Ice Ages or geological upheavals, and well beyond the wit of Herald sports reporters, but England is a rather silly shape.
From Truro to York, from Southend to Carlisle, a map of all clubs in the National League Premier – the division which Borough so nearly joined – the roads and motorways simply seem to stretch for ever.
Last season, even in the relative comfort zone of National South, the Sports covered more than 5,000 miles of tarmac, and had almost a dozen overnight stays.
For the 2025-26 season, they have lost last season’s champions Truro City as well as the relatively close North Londoners Boreham Wood. And clubs disappearing through the relegation trapdoor include long-distance Weymouth – but also Welling United, Aveley and St Albans, who were all within an easy couple of hours’ travelling.
Three of the four relegated National Premier clubs will be heading south: Ebbsfleet United and Dagenham and Redbridge – both well resourced and strongly supported – will represent formidable title challengers, while Maidenhead United will be a brand new destination for most Borough supporters.
The Buckinghamshire club boast the oldest football ground in the United Kingdom, and the Sports played there several times under former managers Tommy Widdrington and Danny Bloor.
Promoted from the Isthmian Premier are old adversaries Dover and – to a roar of congratulations across Sussex – Horsham FC. The Hornets have several former Borough players in their ranks, including popular goalkeeper Lewis Carey and midfielder James Hammond – who scored possibly the non-league goal of the season at the Amex last month to clinch the Sussex Transport Senior Cup for Horsham.
From the Southern League, Borough will welcome well resourced Hampshire outfit AFC Totton. But fans, officials and coach drivers alike might just give a quiet sigh of relief that Merthyr Town, from deep in the Welsh Valleys, have been sent by administrators into National North.
It adds up to a reasonably balanced programme of opponents for 2025-26. The furthest opponents, to the west, are Torquay United and Weston-super-Mare. Also to the west of football’s Mason-Dixon line are Salisbury, Bath City and Chippenham Town.
And all the rest, from Farnborough to Maidstone and from Sussex rivals Worthing to old adversaries Chelmsford City, are a quite manageable ay-trip drive away.
Oh, and Gateshead? Not this season - but some 15 years ago, Garry Wilson's Sports did take the long motorway haul in the then Blue Square Premier, to the Athletics Stadium.
One of those away treks was a Tuesday night in February. Borough were beaten 1-0 and arrived back at Priory Lane at 5am. And the club's stalwart centre-half Marc Pullan jumped cheerfully off the team coach, calling "Okay lads, I'm off to work!" Marc Pullan, centre-back on a Tuesday night, and master baker on Wedneday morning. Happy days.