The Sussex County Football Association, also simply known as Sussex County FA or Sussex FA, is the governing body of football in the county of Sussex, England. The Sussex County FA was founded on 23 September 1882 and run a number of County Cup competitions at various levels for teams all across the county. It is affiliated to The Football Association.

History Founded on 23 September 1882, the Sussex County FA was founded by several football clubs including Burgess Hill, Chichester City and Horsham. The 1882/83 season saw the Sussex FA create the Sussex Senior Cup, which was won for the first time by Brighton Rangers. The competition continues to run and is the longest-running football competition administered by the Sussex County FA.

Whilst the main aim of county football associations was to ensure clubs had many matches to play, a secondary aim was to help organise the recreation of schoolchildren. The Sussex County FA was formed at the time when parents in Sussex were pressing local schools to introduce games on Saturdays, with the intention of keeping children out of mischief.

In July 1981 the Sussex County FA purchased Lancing F.C., to which it moved its operations, effectively making Lancing F.C.'s home of Culver Road the headquarters of the Sussex County FA. On 2 November 1999 the Sussex County FA became incorporated as a private limited company. At this time, a new board of directors was created, with a second tier of volunteers called 'the Council', which was replaced in 2017 with 'County Members' and a series of working committees, designed to run football matters more effectively and inclusively.

In January 2024, Thura KT Win was appointed as Chair, taking the reins from the late Mathew Major, who died in April 2023.

County leagues The Southern Combination Football League, formerly known as the Sussex County League until 2015 is the highest level league in Sussex with the Premier Division winners being promoted to the Isthmian League or the Southern League. There are three divisions in the SCFL; Premier Division (level 9), Division One (level 10) and Division Two (level 11). Division Two being of intermediate level and a feeder league alongside the Mid-Sussex Football League. Other feeder leagues at level 12 and below include East Sussex, West Sussex and the. Brighton Worthing & District.

In addition there are also Sunday leagues and Youth leagues.

Cup competitions The Sussex County FA run several cup competitions:

Men's Sussex Senior Challenge Cup Sussex RUR Cup Sussex Community Shield

Women's Sussex Women's Challenge Cup Sussex Women's Challenge Trophy

There are also various other cups and trophies for all levels of football in Sussex.

Sussex Community Shield

The champions of the Southern Combination Football League and the winners of the Sussex Senior Challenge Cup play each other in this competition Season WinnersFinal resultRunners-upVenueAttendanceNotes 2005Crawley Town2–1Horsham YMCAGorings MeadN/A 2006Horsham YMCA0–0LewesGorings MeadN/A 2007Brighton & Hove Albion3–0Eastbourne TownThe SaffronsN/A 2008Crowborough Athletic1–0Brighton & Hove AlbionAlderbrookN/A 2009Eastbourne Borough4–0Eastbourne UnitedPriory LaneN/A 2010Whitehawk2–3Brighton & Hove AlbionCulver RoadN/A 2011Brighton & Hove Albion4–0Crawley Down GatwickCulver RoadN/A 2012Whitehawk4–1Three BridgeJubilee FieldN/A 2013Brighton & Hove Albion3–1Peacehaven & TelscombeFalmer StadiumN/A 2015Littlehampton Town3–0WhitehawkCulver RoadN/A 2016Eastbourne Borough3–0HorshamPriory LaneN/A 2017Brighton & Hove Albion7–0ShorehamAmerican Express Elite Football Performance CentreN/A 2018Haywards Heath Town1–0Brighton & Hove AlbionCulver RoadN/A 2019Bognor Regis Town1–0Chichester CityCulver RoadN/A 2022Brighton & Hove Albion2–2, 4–3 pensLittlehampton TownCulver RoadN/A 2023Worthing3–3, 5–4 pensBroadbridge HeathCulver Road275 2024Horsham5–0Steyning TownCulver Road318 2025Horsham2–0HassocksCulver Road275

Principals +Office-holdersOfficeNameTenurePresidentThe Duke of Norfolk1900–1920Lord Leconfield1920–1935Sir Charles Kirkpatrick1935–1937S.C. Thompson1937–1946H.P. Brazier1946–1947H.A. Ayling1947–1948H.C. Hunt1948–1949H.B. Cox1949–1950A.E. Bailey1950–1951H.G. Cottrell1951–1952E.C. Martin1952–1953R.S. Chatfield1953–1954Sir Alan Saunders1954–1955Dr. John O'Hara1955–1992J.E. Davey1992–2010Les Kempster 2010–2023John Edwards2025-presentChairman/person Rev J. Walker1882–1883Rev S. Walker1883–1889George Cole1889–1903R.H. Whittaker1903–1905E.A. Newman1905–1906E. Denne1906–1907J.H. Jordan1907–1908S.C. Thompson1908–1909W.O. Norman1909–1910C.F. Butcher1910–1911R.N. Collins1911–1912G.T. Apps1912–1913H.B. Cox1913–1914F.C. Winton1914–1920H.A. Ayling1920–1921G.E. West1921–1922W. Stephens1922–1923M.W.T. Ridley1923–1924H.G. Cottrell1924–1925A.E. Bailey1925–1926W.B. Stone1926–1927F.A. Cull1927–1928J. Morrin1928–1929H.G. Duvall1929–1930H.J. Carnaghan1930–1931A.G. Whittaker1931–1932E. Ford1932–1933H.F. Gentry1933–1934P.F. Chambers1934–1935F.C. Gates1935–1936W.A. Grainger1936–1937F.C. Wells1937–1938R.H. Willmer1938–1939D Noakes1939–1944F.C. Winton1944–1945H.G. Cottrell1945–1946F.J. Comber1946–1947G. Aucock1947–1948J.T. Mengham1948–1949J. Rabson1949–1950A.C. Cruttenden1950–1951M.W. Simmonds1951–1952F.C. Crouch1952–1953J.E. Kibblewhite1953–1954E.J. Wood1954–1955J.C. Langmaid1955–1956F.C. Sparkes1956–1957A. Slee1957–1958H.C. White1958–1959W.M. Pritchard1959–1960K.V. Baker1960–1961R.E. Tarratt1961–1962E. Walmsley1962–1963A.C. Penny1963–1964W.R. Dunlop1964–1965M. Farncombe1965–1966J.E. Davey1966–1967H.A. Skinner1967–1968C.C. Stevens1968–1969P.G. Cunningham1969–1970W.A. Saunders1970–1971A. Holdstock1971–1972A.C. Adfield1972–1973R.G.T. Ginnaw1973–1974R.P. Dudley1974–1975R.A. Pavey1975–1976T. Parry1976–1977S.E.L. Viccars1977–1978R.F. Wood1978–1979G.H. Cannons1979–1980K. Sommerville1980–1981F.R. Stenning1981–1982J. Ades1982–1983P. Wilkins1983–1984D.M. Bennett1984–1985H.G. Brown1985–1986P.R. Bentley1986–1987P.B. Hiscox1987–1988D.C.L. Chilton1988–1989J.M. Smith1989–1990L.J. Cornford1990–1991M.G. Witherden1991–1992P.J. Huggins1992–1993D.M. Leonard1993–1994D.N. Best1994–1995J.R. Burns1995–1996A.J. Woodland1996–1997J.P.S. Cripps1997–1998C.F.B. Groves1998–1999A.K. Knight1999–2000R.A. Pavey2000–2004Peter Bentley 2003–2013Matthew Major 2013–2023Thura KT Win2024–2026Steve Walker2026-presentDeputy Chairman/personP.R. Bentley1999–2004P.M. Chaplin2004–2013Matthew Major2013E. Potter2014–2015G.R. Flemmington2015–2017John Edwards2018–2024Steve Walker2024-2026Steve Atkins2026-presentSecretarySturgis Jones1881–1882Rev. Spencer Walker1882–1886F.C. Lingard1886–1887Dr. C. Smith1887–1888F. Pollock1888–1889Rev. C.H. Bond1889E.W. Everest1889–1945F.C. Wells1945–1956C.H. Izard1956–1968R.F. Reeve1968–1988D.M. Worsfold1987–1999Chief executiveKen Benham2000–2025Thomas Lyons2025-present

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