This is a list of English football seasons played by Devonshire Park (1881 until 1889), Eastbourne (1889 until 1971) and Eastbourne Town Football Club from 1971 to the present day. Their early years (1881-1905) were spent playing in friendly and cup games. It wasn't until 1898 when Eastbourne competed in the FA Cup and FA Amateur Cup. Eastbourne joined the South Eastern League in 1905, replacing Eastbourne Swifts, the league agreed for Eastbourne to continue playing in their place. In 1907 Eastbourne were founder members of the Southern Amateur Football League and played between 1907 and 1946, winning the league on two occasions. Eastbourne were also founder members of the Sussex County League in 1920 playing just one season alongside the Southern Amateur league. Eastbourne left for the Corinthian League from 1946 until it merged with the Athenian League in 1963, playing in Divisions One and Two. In 1976, Eastbourne Town re-joined the Sussex County League playing in Divisions One and Two until promotion into the Isthmian Football League in 2007 before being relegated into back into the Sussex County League in 2015. In 2015, the Sussex County Football League was renamed into the Southern Combination Football League, the divisions being renamed into Premier and Division One.
Key
Key to colours and symbols: 1st or W Winners2nd or RU Runners-up3rd Third place Promoted Relegated
Key to divisions SE1 = South Eastern League Division 1 SE2 = South Eastern League Division 2 SA1 = Southern Amateur League Division 1 SA2 = Southern Amateur League Division 2 SAA = Southern Amateur League Section A SAB = Southern Amateur League Section B COR = Corinthian League AL1 = Athenian League Division One AL2 = Athenian League Division Two IL1 = Isthmian Division One South ISE = Isthmian South East Division SCP = South Combination Premier Division SC1 = Sussex County League Division One SC2 = Sussex County League Division Two
Key to league record P = Games played W = Games won D = Games drawn L = Games lost F = Goals for A = Goals against Pts = Points Pos = Final position
Key to rounds EP = Extra Prelimninary round PR = Preliminary round 1Q = First qualifying round 2Q = Second qualifying round, etc. 1R = First round 2R = Second round, etc. QF = Quarter-finals SF = Semi-finals
Seasons 1881–1900 In this period, Devonshire Park and Eastbourne F.C. only competed in friendly games and later in the Sussex Senior Cup.
Season∆LeagueMajor competitionsOther competitions Top scorerAverageattendanceReferencesDivisionPWDLFAGDPtsPosFA CupFA Amateur CupLeague CupSussex SeniorRUR CupOtherResult1881–82–Not entered – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –1882–83–Not entered– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –1883–84–Not entered – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –1884–85–Not entered – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –1885–86–Not entered– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –1886–87–Not entered – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –1887–88–Not entered – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –1888–89–Not entered – – – – – – – – – – – – SF – – – – – –1889Renamed from Devonshire Park F.C. to Eastbourne F.C. 1889–90–Not entered – – – – – – – – – – – – W – – – – – –1890–91–Sussex Senior Cup (League) 1514 1 0 87 17 70 29 1st––– W––––1891–92–Not entered – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –1892–93–Not entered – – – – – – – – – – – – RU – – – – – –1893–94–Not entered – – – – – – – – – – – – W – – – – – –1894–95–Not entered – – – – – – – – – Withdrew – – W – – – – – –1895–96–Not entered – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –1896–97–Not entered – – – – – – – – – – – – RU – – – –1897–98–Not entered – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Eastbourne Charity Cup W – – –1898–99–Not entered – – – – – – – – – 1Q 1R – W – Eastbourne Charity Cup 1R – – – 1899–1900–Not entered – – – – – – – – – 1Q 2Q – W – Eastbourne Charity Cup W – – –
1900–1920 In this period, Eastbourne only played in cup games before joining the Amateur Football League and the Southern Amateur League in 1907
Season∆LeagueMajor competitionsOther competitions Top scorerAverageattendanceReferencesDivisionPWDLFAGDPtsPosFA CupFA Amateur CupAFA Senior CupSussex SeniorRUR CupOtherResult1900–01–Not entered – – – – – – – – – 1Q 1R – W – Eastbourne Charity Cup SF – – – 1901–02–Not entered – – – – – – – – – 1Q 2Q – – – Eastbourne Charity Cup RU – – – 1902–03–Not entered – – – – – – – – – – 2Q – W – Eastbourne Charity Cup RU – – – 1903–04–Not entered – – – – – – – – – 2Q 3Q – – – Eastbourne Charity CupTournoi du Nouvel An Paris 1RW – – – 1904–05–Not entered – – – – – – – – – – 1Q – – – Eastbourne Charity CupOxford Hospitals Cup 1R RU – – – 1905Joined South Eastern League (as Eastbourne FC) replacing Eastbourne Swifts, who withdrew. Entered Division 1 1905–06–SE1 24141936125-89613th PR 2R – – – Eastbourne Charity Cup W C. Rudd Wallace Gardner 11 – 1906–07–SE21860123663-27127th – 1R – RU – Eastbourne Charity Cup SF Wallace Gardner 31 – 1907Left South Eastern League and joined Southern Amateur League as founder members, entered Section A 1907–08–SAA 166 4 6 35 46 -11 16 6th – – SF – – Eastbourne Charity Cup RU Wallace Gardner 24 –1908–09–SAA 166 6 4 44 43 +1 27 3rd – – 2R – – Challenge International du NordEastbourne Charity CupSussex AFA CupW1R1R Wallace Gardner 20 –1909–10–SAA 167 3 6 37 43 -6 17 4th – – 3R – – Challenge International du NordEastbourne Charity CupSussex AFA Cup 1RWRU H. Grevett 20 –1910–11–SAA 164 1 11 25 31 -6 9 8th – – 1R – – Eastbourne Charity CupSussex AFA Cup SFRU W. Dann 9 –1911–12–SAB 1611 1 4 36 18 +18 23 2nd – – 2R – – Eastbourne Charity CupSussex AFA Cup RUSF Jack French 21 –1912–13–SAA 183 0 15 28 52 -24 6 10th – – – – – Eastbourne Charity CupSussex AFA Cup SFRU Donald Wood 10 –1913–14–SAB 147 2 5 34 23 +11 16 4th – – 2R – – Eastbourne Charity CupSussex AFA Cup WW C. Cook Fred Garrard 7 –1914–19Football was suspended until after the First World War1919–20–SAA 1211 0 1 48 20 +28 22 2nd – 2R – 3R RU Eastbourne Charity Cup W C. Goldsmith Guy Hollobone 20 –
1920–1946 In this period, Eastbourne remained in the Southern Amateur League, but also joined the Sussex County League as a founding member, playing in two leagues for just one season.
Season∆LeagueMajor competitionsOther competitions Top scorerAverageattendanceReferencesDivisionPWDLFAGDPtsPosFA CupFA Amateur CupAFA Senior CupSussex SeniorRUR CupOtherResult1920–21Joined Sussex County league1920–21–SA1 206 7 7 29 44 -15 19 8th – 4Q – RU – Eastbourne Charity Cup W Guy Hollobone 26 ––SC1 2113 6 2 63 31 +32 32 3rd1921Left Sussex County league1921–22–SA1 2014 3 3 60 31 +29 31 2nd – 1Q W W – Eastbourne Charity Cup 1R Guy Hollobone 33 –1922–23–SA1 1914 1 4 79 32 +47 32 1st – 2R RU RU – – – Guy Hollobone 28 –1923–24–SA1 2010 1 9 43 43 0 21 6th – 1Q RU 3R – Eastbourne Charity Cup RU Guy Hollobone 25 –1924–25–SA1 2011 2 7 37 35 +2 24 4th – 1R W – – Eastbourne Charity Cup RU Guy Hollobone 19 –1925–26–SA1 2214 3 5 67 53 +14 31 1st – 1R 1R RU RU Eastbourne Charity Cup W Guy Hollobone 25 –1926–27–SA1 229 7 6 53 47 +6 25 3rd – 1R 2R – – Eastbourne Charity Cup W Tommy Francis 23 –1927–28–SA1 249 7 8 65 56 +9 25 5th – 1R 3R RU – Eastbourne Charity Cup RU E. Bean 18 –1928–29–SA1 218 3 10 51 60 -9 19 6th – 1R 2R 2R – Eastbourne Charity Cup RUTommy Francis 19 –1929–30–SA1 2214 2 6 72 41 +31 30 2nd – 1R 3R 2R – – – Tommy Francis 37 –1930–31–SA1 229 3 10 71 57 +14 21 6th – 4Q 3R 2R – Eastbourne Charity Cup SF Vic Francis 37 –1931–32–SA1 229 5 8 54 50 +4 23 6th – 2Q 1R W SF Eastbourne Charity Cup SF Vic Francis 331932–33–SA1 227 2 13 42 57 -15 16 8th – 1Q 3R W W Eastbourne Charity Cup W Vic Francis 251933–34–SA1 2210 3 9 41 34 +7 23 4th – 3Q 3R SF SF Eastbourne Charity Cup W Vic Francis 19 –1934–35–SA1 226 3 13 41 47 -6 15 11th – 1Q 1R 1R – Eastbourne Charity Cup RU C. Burton Reg Teague 12 –1935–36–SA1 229 5 8 58 49 +9 23 6th – 4Q 3R 2R – Eastbourne Charity Cup W F. Kennedy 22 –1936–37–SA1 228 3 11 54 53 +1 19 9th – PR 1R 1R SF Eastbourne Charity Cup WStan Joyce 17 –1937–38–SA1 225 5 12 37 57 -20 15 11th – 1Q 2R 2R – Eastbourne Charity CupNewhaven Charity Cup RURU Stan Joyce 13 –1938–39–SA2 1811 2 5 47 30 +17 24 1st – 1Q 1R 1R – Eastbourne Charity CupNewhaven Charity Cup WRU Tommy Francis 18 –1939Played in the Sussex County League East Division at the start of the Second World War 1939–40–SCFL East Division 144 4 6 30 35 -5 12 6th – – – 1R 1R Eastbourne Charity CupBaldwin Cup RURU P. Davies 8 –1939–45Football was suspended until after the Second World War1944–45– – – – – – – Eastbourne Charity Cup W –1945–46–SA1 147 2 5 43 31 +12 16 5th – 3R – SF RU – – Paddy Tracey 30 –
1946–1960
In this period, Eastbourne left the Southern Amateur League and joined the Corinthian League.
Season∆LeagueMajor competitionsOther competitions Top scorerAverageattendanceReferencesDivisionPWDLFAGDPtsPosFA CupFA Amateur CupLeague CupSussex SeniorRUR CupOtherResult1946Left the Southern Amateur League and joined the Corinthian League1946–47–COR 248 2 14 57 80 -23 18 10th 4Q 1R 1R 1R SF – – Paddy Tracey 29 –1947–48–COR 2610 4 12 68 80 -12 24 9th – 4Q 1R SF W Eastbourne Charity CupNewhaven Charity Cup WW Paddy Tracey 25 –1948–49–COR 246 4 14 49 68 -19 16 12th – 4Q 2R 2R SF Newhaven Charity Cup W Charlie Morgan 21 –1949–50–COR 2610 7 9 52 46 +6 27 7th – 4Q 1R1R W Eastbourne Charity Cup W William Stovell 30 –1950–51–COR 268 3 15 47 65 -18 19 12th 4Q 3R 1R RU 1R – – William Stovell 35 –1951–52–COR 269 7 10 53 53 0 25 8th 3Q 2R 2R 1R 1R – – Alan Burgess 30 –1952–53–COR 267 7 12 40 58 -18 21 11th PR – SF W SF Eastbourne Charity Cup W Alan Burgess 24 –1953–54–COR 2611 5 10 47 45 +2 25 8th 2Q PR SF SF SF – – Jim Simmonds 14 –1954–55–COR 283 7 18 24 63 -39 13 14th 2Q 2Q 1R 3R – – – Jim Simmonds 9 –1955–56–COR 266 4 16 29 54 -14 16 12th 1Q 2Q 1R 2R RU – – Derek Morris 11 –1956–57–COR 2812 6 10 67 56 +11 30 7th 2Q 2Q SF 1R 1R Freeman Thomas Shield W Gerry Colbran 26 –1957–58–COR 287 9 12 40 50 -10 23 10th PR 1R 2R 1R SF – – Ron Applebee 22 –1958–59–COR 265 7 14 28 50 -22 17 13th PR 4Q 1R 2R – AFA Invitation CupEastbourne Charity Cup SFW Ron Applebee 13 –1959–60–COR 308 4 18 41 67 -26 20 15th 2Q PR SF R1 – AFA Invitation Cup SF R. Charlton 8 –
1960–1980 In this period, Eastbourne left the Corinthian League and joined the Athenian League, later renamed to Eastbourne Town and joined the Sussex County League.