The East Sussex Football League is an English association football competition for amateur teams based in East Sussex and south-west Kent. The league has a total of five divisions, headed by the Premier Division.
The league was formed in 1896 as the East Sussex Senior League, with the winners of the league competing for the Irish Rifle's Cup against the winners of the West Sussex League also founded in the same year. A second 'Junior' division was formed in 1899; however, by the 1908–09 season league membership was at an all-time low and the league went inactive for two seasons, reforming in 1911. The league was inactive during the First World War and Second World War, but has been running continuously since 1946.
In its early years the league was entered for by the most senior teams in East Sussex with the best sides from local leagues entering the competition. Over the course of its history the league has seen its geographical catchment area shrink due to the formation of the Mid-Sussex League and Brighton League, with the formation of the Sussex County League and additional divisions further up the pyramid affecting the standard of the league.
The league currently acts as a feeder to the Southern Combination Football League and the Premier Division of the Mid-Sussex Football League, with the top two teams who possess the required ground grading eligible to apply for promotion.
History The league was founded in 1896 consisting of seven founder members who were Brighton Athletic, Eastbourne Swifts, East Grinstead, Hailsham, Hastings, Lewes and North End Rangers (Brighton). The first winners of the competition were Hastings, who went on to compete for the Irish Rifle's Cup to become the champions of Sussex, losing out to Southwick, winners of the West Sussex League. An additional 'Junior' division, which primarily contained reserves teams of those in the 'senior' division, was created in 1899 and league membership remained steady throughout the early 1900s, but by the 1908–09 season there were only five teams playing in one division and the league was inactive for two seasons. The league reformed in 1911, but membership remained low until the competition was abandoned due to the outbreak of World War I in 1914.
The league returned after the First World War and enjoyed a steady membership throughout the 1920s and 1930s, with Rock-a-Nore, Rye United and Sidley United winning the league during the period; Hollington United and Hastings Rangers, who have a long association with the league, also enjoyed successful seasons. By 1939 the number of teams competing was up to 14, but the outbreak of World War II saw the league abandoned once again.
The league returned after the War for the 1946–47 season and the following seasons saw Hastings Rangers, Hollington United and Rye United dominate the league and other local competitions; however, the league would go onto lose Rye and Hastings to the newly formed Second Division of the Sussex County League in 1952, with Sidley United and Hastings & St Leonards also making the move. Hailsham won the league in the 1954–55 season and left to join the Sussex County League. The rest of the 1950s and 1960s was mostly dominated by Rye United Reserves, with Wadhurst winning the league in 1964 before joining the County League.
By the mid 1970s the league had expanded to five divisions, with a large number of teams joining from the Hastings League. During this period the league saw more clubs from the Eastbourne area and Kent also join the league. Teams from areas such as Alfriston, East Dean and Polegate played in the league during the 1970s, but numbers dwindled by the 1990s, with teams from this area seemingly opting to compete in the Mid-Sussex League. From Kent, teams like Tenterden, Hawkhurst United and Wittersham were successful in the 1970s and 1980s, with Hawkhurst still competing in the league.
In recent years the league has seen Shinewater Association, Wadhurst, Seaford, Westfield and Little Common enjoy league titles en route to the County League, with Langney Wanderers being the most recent club to do so in the 2012–13 season.
Current structure
The most senior division in the league is the Premier Division which is at the intermediate level of football, whilst Divisions One to Five are at junior level. Reserve and third teams from clubs playing at a higher level have competed in the league throughout its history, with Bexhill United, Little Common, Langney Wanderers and Westfield all having fielded reserve and third teams in recent seasons. The league acts a feeder to the Southern Combination League, though it is likely that any teams based in Kent would join the Southern Counties East. In the past the Hastings League and Eastbourne League would have acted as feeders to the league, before their demise due to low numbers. Any teams transferring to and from the league typically transfer from neighbouring leagues of similar standard, such as the Mid-Sussex League, Ashford & District League and the Kent County League.
The league is currently sponsored by Macron Store Hastings, which provides all match balls for teams in the league, having previously been sponsored by the ADA restaurant, based in Hastings. Two of the three league cup competitions are also sponsored, with the East Sussex Challenge Cup, sponsored by Premier Travel and the Division Two & Three Cup sponsored by Wisdens Sports; Division Four and Five Cup is currently not sponsored and known as the Chairman's Challenge Cup.
League Cups The league currently run three cup competitions, the most senior being the East Sussex Challenge Cup (Premier Travel Cup) founded in 1911 as an invitational trophy for teams in East Sussex, which is now competed for by teams in the Premier Division and Division One. Teams in the league also compete in the Hastings FA and Eastbourne FA run cup competitions, as well as the Robertsbridge Charity Cup competitions.
Member clubs 2025–26
Premier Division Battle Town Jesters Town Ninfield Rye Town Sandhurst Sidley United Westfield II Division One Bexhill Amateur Athletic Club Crowhurst II Hawkhurst United Herstmonceux SC Pass & Move St Leonards Social Victoria Baptists Wadhurst United Westfield III
Division Two Battle Town II Catsfield Little Common II Mountfield United Northiam 75 II Parkfield Robertsbridge United The Junior Club Tackleway II
Division Three Bexhill Amateur Athletic Club II Burwash Hastings Athletic Hollington United II Icklesham Casuals Pevensey & Westham Sedlescombe Rangers The Junior Club Tackleway III Ticehurst Wittersham
Division Four Bexhill Amateur Athletic Club III Hawkhurst United II Herstmonceux II Hollington Hawks Youth Icklesham Casuals II Little Common III Ninfield II Northiam 75 III Robertsbridge United II St Leonards Social II
Champions SeasonChampions1896–97 Hastings1897–98 Brighton Athletic1898–99 Brighton Athletic
For the 1899–1900 season the league added a secondary 'Junior' Division.
SeasonSenior DivisionJunior Division1899–1900 HastingsHastings Reserves1900–1901 HastingsHastings Reserves
The 'Junior Division' was dropped ahead of the 1901–02 season.
SeasonChampions1901–02 Hastings1902–03 St Leonards1903–04 Hastings1904–05Newhaven & Cement Works1905–06Newhaven & Cement Works1906–07Eastbourne St Mary1907–08Rock–a–Nore1908–09Newhaven
The league was inactive for the 1909–10 and 1910–11 seasons.
SeasonChampions1911–12St Leonards Amateurs1912–13St Leonards Amateurs1913–14Hastings & St Leonards Amateurs Reserves
Between 1915 and 1919 the competition was suspended due to the First World War.
SeasonChampions1919–20Not known1920–21Bexhill Town1921–22Not known1922–23Rock–A–Nore1923–24Bexhill Town1924–25Rock–A–Nore1925–26Sidley United1926–27Hollington United1927–28Hastings & St Leonards 'A'1928–29Rock–A–Nore1929–30Hollington United1930–31Hellingly Hospital1931–32Hollington United1932–33Sidley United1933–34Rock–A–Nore1934–35Rye1935–36Hollington United1936–37Hastings Rangers1937–38Hastings Rangers1938–39Rye United
The league was split into two divisions for the 1939–40 season, with Hastings Rangers winning the play–off game between the Eastern and Western champions.
SeasonEastern SectionWestern Section1939–40Hastings RangersHeathfield United
The league was abandoned due to World War II with the league resuming for the 1946–47 season.
SeasonChampions1946–47Rye United1947–48Rye United1948–49Heathfield United1949–50Rye United1950–51Rye United1951–52Rye United1952–53Battle Rangers1953–54Hailsham1954–55Not known1955–56Hellingly Hospital1956–57Not known1957–58Rye United Reserves1958–59Rye United Reserves
For the 1959–60 season the league added a second division.
SeasonDivision OneDivision Two1959–60Hellingly HospitalRye United 'A'1960–61Tunbridge Wells United 'A'Rye United 'A'1961–62WadhurstRye United 'A'1962–63 Not known1963–64WadhurstRye United 'A'1964–65Rye United ReservesOre United1965–66 Not known1966–67BurwashRye United 'A'
Two more divisions were formed for the 1967–68 season.
SeasonDivision OneDivision TwoDivision ThreeDivision Four1967–68Old CentmodiansSpartakNorthiamAshburnham1968–69Rye United ReservesHailshamSt James ParkHooe Reserves
Division Five was formed for the 1969–70 season.
SeasonDivision OneDivision TwoDivision ThreeDivision FourDivision Five1969–70HailshamSt James ParkSt James Park ReservesBohemia UnitedHollington United Reserves
For the 1969–70 season Division One was split into Division One East and Division One West.
SeasonDivision One EastDivision One WestDivision TwoDivision ThreeDivision FourDivision Five1970–71Rye United ReservesSidley United ReservesNinfield UnitedAlbion UnitedNortheyePolegate Reserves
For the 1971–72 season, the top teams of each Division One table was placed in the new Premier Division, whilst the other sides were put into Division One.
SeasonPremier DivisionDivision OneDivision TwoDivision ThreeDivision FourDivision Five1971–72TenterdenHastings RangersAlbion UnitedApolloAlbion United ReservesSeeboard TW Reserves1972–73HooeAlbion UnitedApolloAlbion United ReservesJarvis BrookSeaford Athletic1973–74Tenterden Not known1974–77 Not known1977–78WestfieldOak RoadRye AthleticSandhurstLaughtonLinton Athletic 'A'1978–81 Not known1981–82WittershamHastings Civil ServiceHooe Not known1982–83 Not known1983–84BodiamPunnetts TownFlimwellCosmosStaplecrossFrant1984–88 Not known1988–89Rock–A–Nore Not known1989–90Rock–A–Nore Not known
Division Six was added during the 1990s, though which year it was added is currently unknown.
SeasonPremier DivisionDivision OneDivision TwoDivision ThreeDivision FourDivision FiveDivision Six1990–91Firehills Not known1991–92Shinewater Association Not known1992–93Wadhurst United Not known1993–94Hollington United Not known1994–95Hollington United Not known1995–96Hollington United Not known1996–97Polegate Not known1997–98Wadhurst UnitedSandhurstOld CentmodiansBexhill AACWadhurst United ReservesHeathfield UnitedPebsham Sibex1998–99SeafordOld CentmodiansWestfield ReservesHeathfield HotspursOld Centmodians ReservesHastings RangersWittersham Reserves1999–2000Rock–A–NoreHollington United ReservesHeathfield HotspursHeathfield UnitedHastings RangersFirehills SeniorsWestfield 'A'
For the 2000–01 season, only the Premier Division completed the season, the rest of the league was abandoned due to a combination of adverse weather and the foot–and–mouth outbreak.