Pagham F.C.

Pagham Football Club is a football club based in Pagham, near Bognor Regis, West Sussex, England. They are currently members of the Southern Combination Premier Division and play at Nyetimber Lane.

Pagham
Full namePagham Football Club
Nickname(s)The Lions
Founded1903
GroundNyetimber Lane, Pagham
Capacity1,500
ChairmanTony Shea
LeagueSouthern Combination Premier Division
2019–20Southern Combination Premier Division (season abandoned)

History

The club was formed in 1903, starting in the Bognor & Chichester Football league, and then joining the West Sussex league.[1] The club at the end of the 1965–66 season became champions of the West Sussex league Premier Division for the first time and repeated this success two more times in the 1968–69 and 1969–70 seasons.[2] As well as the league success the club also achieved two Sussex Intermediate Cup wins, in the 1966–67 and 1968–69 season.

After achieving success in the West Sussex league the club joined Division Two of the Sussex County League for the 1970–71 campaign, finishing third in their first three seasons.[3] In the 1972–73 season the club played their first ever FA Cup game drawing 0–0 with Chichester City, before losing 2–1 in the replay. In 1978–79 Pagham finished as champions of Division Two, winning promotion to the top division.[3] The club finished fourth the following season, behind champions Chichester City, but lifted the title in 1980–81 – three points clear of runners-up Peacehaven & Telscombe, who went on to win the next two titles.[3][4] Just three years later however, Pagham were relegated.[5] Two third placings followed before the Division Two championship was lifted for the second time in 1986–87.[3] Better was to follow over the next two seasons, with successive Division One titles, as well as the League Challenge Cup in 1988–89.[6] The club firmly established itself as a Division One club subsequently, without reaching the heights of the late 1980s – the best season being 1992–93, when Pagham finished as runners-up to Peacehaven.[7] 2003–04 however, saw the club finish in the bottom three, with only the earlier liquidation of St. Leonards sparing them the drop into Division Two.[8] There was no escape in 2004–05 however, and a similarly wretched campaign saw the Lions drop back down into Division Two.[3]

In what could be viewed as a season of consolidation after a couple of poor years, 2005–06 saw the Lions only able to manage 13th place but 2006–07 saw them comfortably return to the top flight as champions, ten points clear of runners-up St. Francis Rangers.[9]

Ground

Pagham Play their home games at Nyetimber Lane, Pagham, PO21 3JY.

Before moving to Nyetimber lane the club spent their first 47 years of existence playing on various farmers’ fields until they moved onto a field adjoining the cricket club in Nyetimber Lane in 1950. A small wooded shed was provided by a local farmer which served as a changing room until the club applied to enter the County League in 1970.[10] Originally there was a cricket-type pavilion erected, alongside the current breeze block stand which at the time had no seats. The pavilion and an old wooden building that served as a bar were eventually replaced by the current clubhouse, with dressing rooms behind.[10]

Honours

League honours

Cup honours

Records
  • Highest League Position:[3] 1st in Sussex County League Division One 1980–81, 1987–88, 1988–89
  • FA Cup best performance:[3] Second Qualifying Round 1981–82, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1990–91
  • FA Vase best performance:[3] Fourth Round 1980–81
  • Highest Attendance:[17] 1,200 vs Bognor Regis Town in 1971

Former players
  1. Players that have played/managed in the football league or any foreign equivalent to this level (i.e. fully professional league).
  2. Players with full international caps.

References
  1. "The Pride of Pagham". "Pagham FC. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  2. "– The Official Website of Pagham Football Club, The Lions | Club History". Paghamfc.com. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  3. Pagham at the Football Club History Database
  4. "Non League Tables for 1980–1981". NonLeagueMatters. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  5. "Non League Tables for 1983–1984". NonLeagueMatters. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  6. "Pagham FC – Club History". Sussexcountyleague.com. Archived from the original on 5 September 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  7. "Football Club History Database – Sussex County League 1992–93". Fchd.info. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  8. "Football Club History Database – Sussex County League 2003–04". Fchd.info. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  9. "Football Club History Database – Sussex County League 2006–07". Fchd.info. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  10. "Pagham vs Worthing United – a set on Flickr". Flickr.com. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  11. "West Sussex Football League – Cup Details". Yourgolfclub.co.uk. Archived from the original on 14 January 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  12. "West Sussex Football League – Cup Details". Yourgolfclub.co.uk. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  13. "Football Club History Database – Sussex County Cups Summary". Fchd.info. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  14. "R.U.R. Cup Final Results". Sussexcountyleague.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2010. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  15. "The John O'Hara League Challenge Cup Final Results – Sussex County Football League". Sussexcountyleague.com. Archived from the original on 6 December 2011. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  16. "SCFL Division 2 Cup – Sussex County Football League". Sussexcountyleague.com. Archived from the original on 8 December 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
  17. "Lions land top Vase draw – Sport – Chichester Observer". Chichester.co.uk. 10 July 2003. Retrieved 28 September 2012.

Official website

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