- 03/07/2025
Matt Pole is joined by Sussex sport guru Steve Bone and special guest Hastings United manager Lee Carey.
Lee was appointed first team manager at the Pilot Field a few weeks after returning to the club towards the end of last season to help chairman and former player Dean White oversee the side, following the departure of Danny Searle as manager.
Last season was a tough one for United and it ended in relegation from the Isthmian Premier Division, which they’d been in since winning the Isthmian south east title in 2022.
But now Lee has been tasked with leading their bid to bounce back - hopefully by gaining promotion back to step three at the first time of asking.
Lee is no stranger to the Pilot Field having played for Hastings in a career which started in the youth set-up at Brighton & Hove Albion.
He played for Tonbridge Angels, and Hastings of course - where he helped the team to promotion and captained them to the third round of the FA Cup in 2012-13, when they ended up getting knocked out at Middlesbrough.
Lee also turned out for Horsham, Lewes, Met Police, Shoreham and Crowborough Athletic.
Lee was appointed first team manager at the Pilot Field a few weeks after returning to the club towards the end of last season to help chairman and former player Dean White oversee the side, following the departure of Danny Searle as manager.
Last season was a tough one for United and it ended in relegation from the Isthmian Premier Division, which they’d been in since winning the Isthmian south east title in 2022.
But now Lee has been tasked with leading their bid to bounce back - hopefully by gaining promotion back to step three at the first time of asking.
Lee is no stranger to the Pilot Field having played for Hastings in a career which started in the youth set-up at Brighton & Hove Albion.
He played for Tonbridge Angels, and Hastings of course - where he helped the team to promotion and captained them to the third round of the FA Cup in 2012-13, when they ended up getting knocked out at Middlesbrough.
Lee also turned out for Horsham, Lewes, Met Police, Shoreham and Crowborough Athletic.
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SportsTranscript
00:00Welcome to another episode of the Sussex Non-League Podcast, where we take a look at all the latest goings-on at grassroots football across the county.
00:07I'm Matt Pohl, and on this edition I'm joined by Sussex sport guru Steve Bone and our latest special guest, Hastings United manager Lee Carey.
00:15Lee was appointed first team manager at the Pilot Field a few weeks ago after returning to the club towards the end of the season to help chairman and former player Dean White oversee the side following the departure of Danny Searle as manager.
00:26Last season was a tough one for United and it ended in relegation for the Isthmian Premier Division, which they've been in since winning the Isthmian South East title in 2022.
00:35But now Lee has been tasked with leading their bid to bounce back, hopefully by gaining promotion back to step three at the first time of asking.
00:42Lee is no stranger to the Pilot Field having played for Hastings United in a career which started in the youth set-up of Brighton and Hove Albion.
00:49He played for Tunbridge Angels and Hastings, of course, where he helped the team to promotion and captained them to the third round of the FA Cup in 2012-2013, where they ended up getting knocked out at Middlesbrough.
00:59And Lee also turned out for Horsham, where I remember him, Lewis, Met Police, Shoreham and Kroger Athletic.
01:05Lee, thank you very much for joining us today. How are you today?
01:09Yeah, very well, thank you. That list probably could have gone on a little bit longer, actually, but we'll stick to those.
01:15What have we missed?
01:19Cole Shorten, Bognor. Yeah, there's a few probably around the span of the career, but yeah, so, but bulk of it through Hastings, as you know, as well as Tunbridge and Horsham, pretty much for the bulk of it.
01:33So, all good times.
01:35Well, you're back at Hastings United now, Lee. Does it still feel like home to you? And how different is it being a manager to a player?
01:41Yeah, it still feels like home. As you know, nothing's probably changed too much at the pilot field since I was there last eight years ago under Adam Hinchwood.
01:52So, the club kind of doesn't feel any different from the outside in, but culturally there has been a kind of shift in what Hastings probably looks like over the last probably three or four years since Chris Agatha left.
02:06And, you know, we've employed managers that have kind of gone for maybe a different ethos in the way Hastings looks.
02:12So, speaking to Dean and the board when I went back in anyway was kind of, can we get back to that kind of core Hastings United values and beliefs, which is what we've done really, really quickly, which I'm really happy with.
02:26Lee, it seems like when you went and helped Dean at the end of last season, you really enjoyed that little spell, even though it was only for a few games.
02:33Did that kind of give you the spur to stay involved and to try to do a little bit more, you know, to help take the club forward again?
02:42Yeah, absolutely, Stephen. I think, like you say, I wasn't actively looking to kind of do anything.
02:48I know Dean and Ben have actively asked me to get involved with the club over the last sort of two or three years in some sort of capacity.
02:56And it just timing just wasn't right due to commitments with work and family, etc.
03:01But, yeah, I met Dean and he expressed, obviously, there was a kind of five week project towards the end of the season.
03:07He'd really like me to help him out with. And from them five weeks, kind of really kind of immersed myself back into football in Hastings and absolutely loved it.
03:16Although the ending wasn't what we would hope for, but it was still a really tough ask to go in with five games to go.
03:24So, you know, it was a really tough ask. We kind of had a picture in mind what we what we look what Hastings might look like next year in the South East.
03:32And there were some really positives to come out of those final five games with bedding, you know, some youngsters in have done really well and they will get an opportunity as we move forward.
03:40So so it was, yeah, it was a kind of project that I saw for five weeks.
03:43Didn't look at it any further than that, but really kind of enjoyed my period over that time and had conversations with Dean and the board after the season.
03:52And it was kind of a decision that we all made. So, yeah, this is where we want to go moving forward.
03:56Yeah. How's it gone since you appointed Lee?
04:00You must have been busy putting your management team in place, then starting to build a squad capable of doing well next season.
04:05It must be going 100 miles an hour at the moment.
04:08Yeah, I haven't. I don't even know how long it's been now.
04:10I can't even tell you, but I know it was around around around the 16th, 17th of May, I think, when I had the conversation with Ben because I was actually on holiday.
04:19So that's why I remember it. I actually went on holiday on the 16th and I spoke to Ben in the board on the 17th when I was halfway around the world.
04:26But when they kind of came to the good news and then from then on, yeah, there was an understanding family holiday that I was on the phone quite a lot trying to sort out players and backroom staff and, you know, different things we needed to do.
04:40So, yeah, it's been a bit of a whirlwind kind of four or five weeks to where we are now.
04:45But one I've really enjoyed. And if you ask any manager, this time of year is probably the busiest, to be honest.
04:51So, yeah, it's been it's been a busy four or five weeks.
04:54And you've had a couple of weeks, but you're into your second week now, pre-season training.
04:59And I think from speaking to you earlier in the week for the for a piece for the Hastings Observer, very happy with how it's going so far.
05:05And I'm quite impressed by the way the new guys are sort of bonding with the existing players, aren't you?
05:11Yeah. So we've had three really, really good sessions, Steve.
05:15So we've had, you know, great turnout.
05:18Obviously, through this period, you're going to have holidays and different things where players are away for different periods.
05:23But we've had kind of 20 to 24 every training session for the past three sessions with real high intensity and some good some good some good stuff to come out of those three sessions.
05:35But the thing I'm really pleased with, even after the two hour session we had from the first session, when you kind of bring in a whole new squad into the football club,
05:44you know, although we've retained four or five to kind of amalgam out those groups, it happened very, very quickly.
05:51So I'm really pleased with how the lads have kind of bonded in a really, really short amount of time.
05:55And let's just talk about some of the new signings.
06:00In particular, I want to ask you about Brad Barry, because that's, I think, a signing that's made everyone sit up and take notice, Hastings fans and people further afield.
06:10That's quite a coup for you to sign Brad.
06:12You know, he's been around a number of football league clubs.
06:15I know he's local lads from Hastings originally.
06:17How have you, how have you pulled that one off?
06:20You know, how has it come about?
06:22Yeah, so it was a conversation with Brad.
06:24Obviously, he's been full time in football for the last 11 or 12 years, obviously since being at Brighton.
06:30And then obviously he's played over 100 league games in English football, like you say, for various different clubs and been at the kind of top end of the non-league period for the last few years.
06:40So to get someone like Brad's kind of experience and quality through the door at Hastings United is a massive, massive bonus for myself and the club.
06:49It was a conversation that we had over two or three meetings.
06:53And Brad just felt like this was the right time and opportunity to come back home, as he called it.
06:59You know, being a really local lad that really wants to do well for the football club for the next however many years, you know, until he finishes playing.
07:06Is that that's what Brad has in his mind.
07:08So, yeah, I'm, you know, immensely proud to get him on board.
07:13And he's going to be massive for us in the football club and in particularly the group as a whole, especially the young lads that's got that kind of experience within the group.
07:21It's going to be massive for us.
07:23And an obvious choice to be captain, I suppose.
07:26Once you knew he was going to be there, he's the obvious skipper, isn't he?
07:30Yeah, exactly.
07:30I mean, he's been he's been captain at many clubs that he's been at, Brad.
07:33So, you know, I've got absolutely no worries that he can come into the football club and really drive us forward in the cultural aspect of what we're trying to do.
07:43And if I look at Brad, he's been at the top of, you know, the top end of the non-league period and above.
07:48He knows what sort of standards should be set.
07:50So, he'll be driving those along with a couple of other more experienced lads as we move through the future.
07:59And a couple of your other new recruits to ask you about, just a line on each one from you if we can.
08:04Callum Barlow, he's going to be important.
08:06You'll be looking for some goals from him.
08:08Another player who's been hastened before.
08:10Yeah, indeed.
08:11I know, obviously, Callum joined under Danny Bloor for a very, very short period last year.
08:16And then, obviously, he's gone on to Whitehawks and stuff.
08:18So, he's played, obviously, a league above.
08:21But someone that I was really keen to get on board, as I know what Callum can offer us as a group.
08:26Big, strong, physical.
08:29We'll go and get goals, along with James as well.
08:32Two really good goal scorers at any level.
08:34So, I'm really pleased of how we're looking moving forward, attacking into the field.
08:41So, yeah, so I'm really pleased with the two forwards that we brought in.
08:45Tom Vickers is another one.
08:47A fairly recent recruit.
08:48Tell us a little bit about him.
08:50Yeah, well, I've known Tom for a long period of time, obviously.
08:54I played with Tom.
08:55I don't know how many years ago it was now.
08:57You'll probably remind me now.
08:58I'll probably show my age a little bit.
09:01He's that old, is he?
09:02He's actually not.
09:03No, he's actually not.
09:05But I am.
09:06So, I know when I played with Tom, he was kind of a younger lad coming through the group.
09:11But, obviously, I know Tom's upbringing coming through Brighton.
09:15He's had a similar sort of upbringing than what I had with the same people.
09:20Really, really good technical footballer.
09:22If we can get him fit and get him firing, I know he's going to be a real asset for the football club moving forward.
09:27And I think your most recent signing this week is George Taggart, another one who was at Hastings, I think, quite a few years ago and has played at some good Sussex clubs since.
09:38Yeah, I mean, getting George something to school.
09:40Yeah, so George was at the football club when I come in with Adam Hinchwood and Chris Agata about eight or nine years ago and was a young lad at the time that showed real promise.
09:49And things happen in football where he's had to go elsewhere to learn his trade, as many of the others have that have come into the football club, like Dan Hull, James Hull, JJ Walker that was on loan last year.
10:03So, there's been some really good youngsters that come through Hastings, through the academy.
10:06I mean, they've had to go and play elsewhere in Sussex and pick up some experience.
10:10But to get George through the door for someone who's got great quality, moving up the pitch, can really kind of unlock defences and go and score goals as well.
10:20He's going to be important for us this year, for sure.
10:24One or two more signings to come, possibly, over the coming weeks?
10:30Yeah, I'm sure there will be, Steve.
10:32So, there'll be some announcements in due course.
10:34And, yeah, so we're probably there or thereabouts.
10:38But if anything comes available that will add to the quality of the squad, then we will do so.
10:45And I'm sure there'll be movement in and around clubs over the next four to six weeks as people are on trials that may be higher up the pyramid and, you know,
10:51maybe not get the game time that they were promised or hoped for.
10:54So, I'm sure there'll be some movement as we go through the next four to six weeks.
10:57We've mentioned about Hastings wanting to bounce back next season.
11:03Is that the aim for the 25-26 season, Lee?
11:07Yeah, I think that's got to be the aim, Matt, right?
11:10So, Hastings United is a massive, massive club at step four, for sure.
11:16When we look at the attendance that the club gets, we look at the background of the club, we look at the size of the town.
11:21You know, it's got to be a club that should be playing at least at step three, for sure.
11:27And I really feel within the time that I know the football club, if there would have been maybe some different decisions made maybe off the field,
11:35I feel like it could have been a club that really kind of progressed after the FA Cup run and all these kind of things,
11:40when the investment should have been made to change the pitch at that time and stuff like other clubs have done.
11:45I think it would have been a point where we would have been higher at the pyramid, for sure.
11:50So, definitely the aim for this year would be to be in and around the top five in a chance of promotion by the end of the season,
11:56whether it's automatic or by the playoffs.
11:59And do you and the club as a whole have a longer-term sort of vision and plan as well?
12:05You know, have you talked beyond next season?
12:09Is there, you know, if you can get back to step three, do you then start to think about consolidating there?
12:13And could you push at the top end of that?
12:15Or is that for another day?
12:17Yeah, I think from my own personal conversation, Steve, and if you ask any manager,
12:23it kind of is week-to-week, game-to-game, I suppose, in the remit of how the club wants to press forward.
12:31In regards to the club, as you know, there's been some really exciting plans to move the club forward over the last few years,
12:37obviously, with the new ground.
12:38It's going to have to happen at some point.
12:41That will happen at the end of next year.
12:43Hopefully.
12:44So as a club, from their perspective, there is some really long, exciting plans,
12:48more longer term than this season.
12:50From my own personal kind of targets that I want to hit,
12:56it's kind of, it's just basically looking at this season.
12:58Can we obviously be in and around the top five by the end of the season?
13:01How are we going to achieve that with the group that we've got?
13:05And that's kind of where I'm sitting at the moment.
13:07And then anything off the field that can really propel us into the kind of the upper echelons of non-league football will come after this season.
13:14I think when the ground gets done, et cetera.
13:16Well, thanks, Lee, for the insights into the goings on Hastings United.
13:21Me and Steve wish you both the very best for next season.
13:24We will come back to you later as the podcast progresses.
13:27But now we'll move on to looking at how Sussex's non-league clubs have been preparing on and off the field ahead of the rapidly approaching 2025-26 campaign.
13:35And we'll start in the Eastman South East.
13:37We've already discussed Hastings United.
13:39So now we will turn our attention to the six other Sussex clubs completing in that division,
13:43mainly Broadbridge Heath, East Grinstead, Eastbourne Town, Three Bridges and New Boys, Krober and Hassox.
13:49It's another league filled with Sussex sides, Steve.
13:53What have been the main talking points from these clubs during the off-season?
13:56Yeah, we, as you say, always a lot of Sussex interests in this division.
14:00We've lost a few teams this year.
14:03Little Hampton have moved sideways.
14:04We'll talk about them a bit more in a bit.
14:07Lance and Senni have gone down.
14:08Burgess have gone up.
14:10But we've still, with Hastings, Hassox and Krober coming to this league,
14:14we've still got seven Sussex teams in it in total.
14:18So a lot of interest.
14:20Mostly from the other teams, it's been about retaining players so far.
14:23All the announcements so far have been about retaining players.
14:27I think there probably will have been a lot of work to secure signings.
14:32You know, people will be in place, but they probably just haven't been released yet.
14:37It's still quite early days.
14:38We only had the first of July earlier this week.
14:41But just some examples.
14:42Broadbridge Heath, who had a pretty good season last season.
14:44They've been announcing a lot of retained players.
14:48They include Callum Dowdle, Brad Peters, Sean Terry and Sal Marino.
14:55They've also signed Zach Young, who's an ex-Bears player who's been away at uni.
15:00He's gone back and he'll be in their squad next season.
15:04Three Bridges, who the season before last got to the playoffs last season were just a little way off.
15:10I think they finished seventh or eighth, but they'll be expected to be strong again.
15:15They've announced quite a few retentions in recent days, including Rhys Hallard, Noel Leighton, Sambal.
15:23They've also signed Hayden Velvic from Tombridge Angels.
15:26He was a player who was with them last season on dual registration.
15:30Down at Eastbourne Town, obviously we've had Jude MacDonald on the podcast before.
15:34And they're another Sussex side who had a good year in Isthmian South East last year.
15:39Retained players there include Harvey and Leon Gregg, Jack Murphy, Nathan Hover and the goalie Chris Winterton.
15:47Not a lot of news yet from East Grinstead Town.
15:51They will have kept a lot of their squad together from last season.
15:55They had a reasonable season.
15:57They were a bit below halfway last season, so they'll be looking to improve on that.
16:00But Haseks and Krobra, again, so far, most of the news has been about keeping their people together from last season squads,
16:10who obviously were successful squads because they got promoted.
16:12Haseks came up as champions.
16:15Krobra came up through the playoffs.
16:18Both will, I'm sure, be making some new additions to add to all those they've retained.
16:23And you need to be that little bit stronger in step four compared to step five.
16:29So, yeah, I think we'll know more once the friendlies start.
16:34And friendlies have started for some this week.
16:37And there's a lot of friendlies this weekend coming up.
16:41So once we see who's turning out for these teams, there'll be some trialists among them.
16:45I'm sure we'll get a better idea of who's looking strong as the season begins.
16:50But, Lee, we were going to ask you, obviously, you're taking your place in the Eastman South East this coming season.
16:57Which of the other Sussex teams in the division do you think you need to look out for if you're going to be at the top end?
17:06Yeah, I think they're kind of – I'm hoping they all do very well.
17:10Unfortunately, when they play us, I hope not so much.
17:13But I think an ex-teammate of mine in Jamie Crellin has done a great job at Free Bridges over the last couple of years.
17:22And I think, like you say, I think any time you can kind of keep the core kind of group together, I think it bodes well for success.
17:28If you look at Burgess Hill, for instance, what Jay's done with that group over the last two or three years, keeping them together.
17:34And also what Dom's done at Horsham, similar.
17:37When you kind of keep a core group of people together and time is given, I think you can kind of really push on and create good things.
17:45So I think Free Bridges will be strong this year in the retentions that they've made.
17:49And I know one or two that are going there from a new addition as well, which they're going to be really strong, I feel.
17:54So I think out of the Sussex teams in that league, I think they'll be the ones to kind of be at the top of the kind of playoff push, I would say.
18:00So you're a former Crobra man, Lee.
18:04I'm sure you kept an eye on their exploits last season.
18:07Brilliant for the club, wasn't it, last season?
18:09How do you think they'll fare this season and what were your memories of your time there at Crobra?
18:14Yeah, so I went there with Sean Mugbridge, who's been the manager for a long period of time.
18:21And Sean is probably one of the nicest people I've met in football.
18:24I don't know if you've come across Sean or not, but I'm really pleased for him that he's been at the football club
18:29for a long period of time.
18:31And he's got that success now to push him into the Eastman South East.
18:35I've got great memories of Crobra.
18:37It's a great club.
18:39Really nice, really nice facilities, grounds, people.
18:43So I've got really fond memories of my year there.
18:45It wasn't long.
18:45I was only there for a year.
18:47But I've got really fond memories.
18:49And I hope they do well this year, as I say, because I've got a lot of time for Sean.
18:54We'll stay in at the same level.
18:55Bognor and Littlehampton are looking forward to a new season.
18:57And it'll be in new divisions.
18:59The Rocks and Golds have been moved laterally from the Isthmian South East, as Steve said,
19:03to the Isthmian South Central.
19:06What's the latest from these two clubs, Steve?
19:08And I don't think we've spoken about it yet.
19:09But what do you make of their moves to the South Central?
19:12Do you think that would be beneficial or detrimental to both clubs?
19:14Yeah, I think it was a little bit of a surprise to some people when they were both moved into South Central
19:20instead of South East, purely because we've been used to teams from Sussex,
19:25if they're at step four, being in the South East.
19:27Obviously, the geography changes.
19:30The make-up of these leagues does change from year to year.
19:33I think it will be beneficial, actually, to both.
19:38For the fans, it's a lot of new grounds and new teams, new opposition.
19:43And for the managers and players, they're kind of an unknown quantity in that league.
19:48So I think they might surprise a few clubs.
19:52It's an interesting league.
19:54There's some Hampshire sides in there.
19:56There's some sort of London-area sides in there.
19:58I'll just run through some of the teams that are in there.
20:00There are Portchester, Ascot United, Hamworth Villa, Hartley Whitney, Hayes and Yedding,
20:06obviously a big club who have slipped down the steps a little bit are there.
20:11Horne Dean, who are a former club of Michael Birmingham, who's now joint manager at Bogner,
20:17so he'll be coming up against some people he knows.
20:19Kingstonia are in there.
20:20Leatherhead are in there.
20:21Met Police.
20:22So there's some strong teams in there, and there's quite a lot of teams that have been at step three.
20:27But I think it'll do Bogner and Littlehampton good to have what's effectively a new challenge.
20:34Obviously, for Bogner, they're coming down from step three to step four,
20:37so they will automatically be expected to be strong there.
20:41Littlehampton, it's a bit more of a step into the unknown for them
20:44because they've done okay at step four, but they only just stayed up last season,
20:48so they'll be looking to consolidate in that league.
20:51I think it'll be really interesting, actually, and there's a lot of sort of Hampshire-West Sussex derbies to come,
20:56so there'll be a lot of players on different sides there that know each other.
21:00So, yeah, it could be quite spicy in places, I think.
21:05And both Bogner and Littlehampton have made a number of signings.
21:09One that has been talked about a little bit is that Littlehampton
21:13will be making use of Lucas Pattenden, who has, I think, joined Horsham
21:18but will be loaned out to Littlehampton, as we understand it, from Bogner,
21:22where he had a few injury problems.
21:24So that's a great acquisition for Littlehampton.
21:29And one sort of re-signing at Bogner that's caused a few headlines
21:33is that Tommy Block looked as though he was going to leave Bogner.
21:36He had a bit of an injury hit season last season, announced that he was leaving.
21:39He's now actually committed to another season at Bogner, so he'll be an important player for them.
21:46You know, he should do very well at step four.
21:48And if he can stay fit and help those around him, then you'd expect Bogner to be at the top end of that league.
21:54So it'll be an interesting adventure for them both, I would think.
21:57Yes, I think it will be indeed.
21:59Well, going up a division into the Eastman Premier, we have Chichester City, Lewis Whitehawk and promoted Burgess Hill.
22:04So what have been the big headlines from these clubs, Steve?
22:07How have the Hillians been preparing after promotion and can Chichester go one better this season?
22:13Yeah, so Burgess Hill are kind of following in Chichester's footsteps, aren't they?
22:17They've gone up to the Premier through the step four playoffs.
22:23They've retained almost all of the squads that won them promotion last season.
22:2714, I think, retained from those they had last season.
22:32They've also signed Jadon Perez, ex-Eastbourne Borough midfielder, which looks a very good signing for that level.
22:39They've signed Rocco Rees, goalkeeper, who was on Brighton's books for a while and Worthing fans will know well.
22:45And they've also signed Josh Spinks, centre-half, with possibility one or two more to come.
22:51I spoke to Jay Lovett this week, the joint manager at Burgess Hill.
22:54He's happy with progress so far, quite sort of relaxed about where they're at with their squad
23:00and very much looking forward to the club being back at step three, which is where they were a few years ago.
23:07Chichester City, it's going to be hard for them to do as well again, I think, in their second season at step three.
23:13They finished sixth.
23:13They very nearly got into the playoffs again, which would have just been so against the odds.
23:18You know, you barely believed it possible, having come up through the playoffs the previous year.
23:23One problem Chai have got is that Jimmy Wilde, the top scorer last season and the season before that,
23:30is out until probably around sort of latter part of 2025 with quite a serious knee injury.
23:36Just had surgery, which we think has gone well.
23:39So they're looking to replace his goals, really, and his place in the team.
23:44And they are running the rule over Billy Vigar, who some may know as an ex-Arsenal youngster who's played at Eastbourne Borough,
23:51a couple of other clubs.
23:52I think he might have been at Hastings for a little while.
23:55Lee might be able to correct me if I'm wrong there.
23:57Yeah, he was.
23:59He was another one.
24:00He picked up a bit of a bad injury.
24:02So he's coming back from an injury that saw him out for quite a period of time.
24:05Yeah, he's training with Chai at the moment, I think.
24:07So they may well bring him in and that will help them get over the loss of Jimmy Wilde.
24:11They've also signed Jack Farrier, the centre-half from Petersfield.
24:17But the thing with Chichester City is year on year, they don't change their squad a lot.
24:22They tend to keep players year on year.
24:25They always lose one or two and add one or two, and that's about it.
24:28And that has served them so well in recent times.
24:31Lewis and Whitehawk have both been pretty busy in the transfer window.
24:34Lewis more than Whitehawk, really.
24:38Obviously, Brad Pritchard is back at Lewis and now as manager.
24:43Just to reel off a few of their signings, Jordan Maguire, Drew has been announced this week.
24:47Good signing for them.
24:48Jack Birchall, Louis Rogers, ex-Hastings has gone in to Lewis as the keeper.
24:54Ian Gale, Jabari Christmas, Hassan Ibrahim and Ryan Burnell have also joined Lewis in the last couple of weeks.
25:02Whitehawk have signed a few as well, including Ify Allen from St Albans, Bailey Vose, goalkeeper, and they've retained Rob O'Toole and said he's going to be captain for next season.
25:15So you've got four Sussex teams in the ESPN Premier there.
25:18Very hard to judge which of any of them will sort of fly the highest, really.
25:25Any of them could do well.
25:28There'll be some interesting derbies there.
25:30So, yeah, lots to sort of keep our interest piqued in that division as well.
25:35Absolutely.
25:36Lee, you spent a brief time at Lewis.
25:37I think it was during the 2015-16 season.
25:40I had a look and it was a difficult time for the Rooks as they were relegated to the then Ryman League Division 1 South.
25:46What do you remember about your time at the Dripping Plant?
25:50I've had a couple of stints there, Matt.
25:52Yeah, so originally I went there, oh, I can't remember the year now, but it was when it was in the National South.
25:58And I think Steve Ivinson was the manager at the time and Simon Wormel and a couple of other more experienced Sussex people were alongside me in that team.
26:08And then I went back with Darren Freeman.
26:11So I left Humbridge and went to Lewis in the 2015-16.
26:15It was around about Christmas time at that time.
26:18And my family situation had changed that year with my daughter being born.
26:23So I wanted to be a bit closer to home.
26:26And Lewis gave me the opportunity to do that.
26:28And as I say, we were in the relegation zone when I went there and it didn't work out for us.
26:32It was a really tough season.
26:33But again, a really, really big, big football club at Step 3.
26:36It's had good success over the years as well.
26:39So I'm wishing them all the best, all the Sussex teams in that Step 3.
26:42I'm wishing all the best.
26:43And I think it'd be a really, really close league this year between the four Sussex teams.
26:49Yeah, couldn't agree more.
26:50Moving to the National League South, we have three clubs, Worthing, Eastbourne Borough and Isthmian Premier title winners Horsham.
26:56What's the latest from these three, Steve?
26:58Have the Rebels and thoughts been busy in their pursuit of National League promotion?
27:02Yes, obviously both Worthing and Eastbourne had great seasons last year, got to the playoffs and always looked like they were going to get to the playoffs.
27:09Just missed out in the end.
27:10So it can be hard then, I think, to sort of go again and arrange yourself for another season where you know you have to be as good if not better.
27:19Quite a few changes at Worthing.
27:21They've actually announced a new assistant manager this week.
27:24Dean Hammond has stepped up from his coaching role to be number two to Chris Agata.
27:29And that is because Aaron Racine is still very much at Worthing, but he is going to concentrate on playing.
27:34I think that surprised a few people.
27:36Aaron retired from playing a couple of years ago, missed it, decided he could still do it and went back to it and turned out for Worthing a few times at the end of last season.
27:45So that would be interesting to see how that works out and how many games Aaron Racine gets.
27:51New signings at Worthing include Toby Byron, Razcom and Graftex Lewis Winger, who Worthing have high hopes for, Matt Burgess, former Bognor midfielder,
28:03Kweku Frimpong, another midfield player, Anointed Chukwu, who I think we're going to call Chucks, is going to add some goals for them.
28:12Nathan Adocaniero is another striker that some Sussex sides, including Bognor, will be familiar with.
28:20And news came out yesterday that Jack Spohn is staying with Worthing.
28:24And I think that's been widely welcomed by their fans, especially after Danny Cashman moved on.
28:31To have that bit of sort of a, you know, the playmaker role in midfield, somebody who's a bit of a dead ball specialist in Spohn,
28:39and that's going to be important to them because they have lost, they've lost a few goals.
28:43You know, they've lost Mo Files' goals, Mo has moved on, and Danny Cashman was quite a goal scorer as well.
28:50So there's, you know, there are some goals and chances to replace there.
28:55But, you know, that squad does seem to be coming together quite well.
28:59And Chris Agatha says he thinks they're stronger already than they were last season with the squad as a whole.
29:04So that's interesting.
29:06Eastbourne Borough, of course, some we have mentioned in, but the new manager down at Priory Lane, Matt Gray,
29:13is building his squad, putting that together at the moment.
29:17Four signings, I think, for them so far.
29:20Craig Eastman has come in.
29:22He worked with Matt Gray at Sutton, and he's going to be club captain.
29:27He's a midfield player.
29:29Tate Trusty, another midfield player.
29:31He's come in from Maidstone.
29:32Jamie Searle, goalkeeper from Forest Green.
29:35And Joey Futey, a player they have high hopes for.
29:38He's a winger who has most recently been with Sheffield Wednesday.
29:44Won't be the only player to leave Sheffield Wednesday in their current life.
29:47But Matt Gray has said since pre-season started, he expects about another six or seven to come in.
29:55So a lot of business to be done still at Eastbourne Borough.
29:59Which brings us to the National South New Boys, Horsham.
30:03And I'm going to hand to you on that because you're the expert on Horsham.
30:06A bit of activity starting to occur down there now with Don.
30:12Yes.
30:12They brought in a striker, James Roberts, formerly of Hampton and Richmond Borough.
30:16He has previously played for both Oxford sides, Oxford United and Oxford City.
30:20He has played in both Leagues 1 and 2 for Oxford United during his spell there.
30:26We've mentioned Lucas Pattenden.
30:28It's a bit of a funny one that both Bognor and Littlehampton have announced that he's moved on and joined Littlehampton.
30:36But Horsham haven't announced anything yet.
30:38So it's all very bizarre.
30:40But...
30:40Perhaps he's got lost on the A24 somewhere.
30:43Made a wrong turn at Crawley.
30:46He's got very lost.
30:48And yes, continuity is all the day, like many clubs in Sussex.
30:53I think all bar three of last season's squad have departed.
30:56Joel Daly, who Dom called an unsung member of their title-winning squad, has left.
31:00And just last week, strikers Dan Adjikai and Chris Dixon have both left as well.
31:04Chris Dixon finished last season as their top scorer and got Horsham's consolation goal against Chichester in the FA Cup first round.
31:13It was a great moment for the club, thoroughly deserved.
31:15And Dan Adjikai, who scored in not this season's Sussex Senior Cup win, but last season's Sussex Senior Cup win over Hastings United, was also gone.
31:24Both of them are very popular members of the side.
31:26And, yeah, Dom said some very nice words about both of them.
31:30But from what I understand, Horsham are in the market, including Lucas Pattenden, which, as I said, I don't know what comes much of a surprise.
31:39But, yes, I think they're recruiting quite well in, like most clubs, their pre-season friendly start very, very soon.
31:45But, Lee, as I mentioned at the start of the podcast, I remember watching you play for Horsham doing, I think it was the 2008-09 campaign.
31:53It was a bit of an odd time for the club as it was the first season away from Queen Street and you were playing down at Woodside Road.
31:58And what were your memories of the time at the club?
32:01And I remember, I think it was Stevenage away in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round when you came so, so close to knocking them out.
32:09Yeah, I've got some really good memories.
32:11I think they've been there twice again under John Maggs, different periods.
32:15The first time in a team with Gary Charman, Lee Carney, Jacob Mingle, Lee Farrell, which is a really good squad.
32:22Mark Knee, I've got some really good memories.
32:26But it was a strange one, obviously, coming away from Horsham to go and play at Woodside Road was a bit of a strange one.
32:32But I've got some really good fond memories of that period.
32:36And like I say, I've had a couple of good stints in FA Cup runs, and that being one of them.
32:41But yeah, we've got some really fond memories of Horsham and I think laterly we went and played at, was it Goring's Mead at Horsham YMCA?
32:50We ended up going there as well for a season as well.
32:53So yeah, we've got some really fond memories of both playing for Horsham and Worthing down in that kind of West Sussex area.
33:00So really fond memories.
33:01Oh, excellent stuff.
33:03And finally, Steve, what has been the big headline news across the SCFL?
33:07I won't name all the clubs, but I'm sure they've all been very busy and active in the transfer market across the two divisions.
33:14Yeah, from what I can tell, still fairly early days in terms of new signings.
33:20And I think we will see what they've been doing once the Friendlies start.
33:24I think there'll be some surprise names pop up at surprise clubs, but plenty of them seem to have retained a lot of last season's squads.
33:34That's where the focus has been, I think.
33:38I mean, one interesting new development for them this season is they've all got a trip to Guernsey to come.
33:43Guernsey have moved into the SCFL Premier.
33:47Actually, we haven't mentioned the fact that Jersey, it's been South East.
33:51So, Lee, you'll be off to Jersey at some point as well, I want to look forward to.
33:56Nice weekend away.
34:00But, yeah, SCFL Premier will be an interesting one this year.
34:02There's a lot of clubs there.
34:03If you look down the list of clubs who are in it, there's going to be quite a few clubs who are thinking, yeah, we want to win that title.
34:10For a start, you've got Lansing and Stenning, who have gone down from the Eastman South East last year.
34:16You've got Haywards Heath, who were expected to be title contenders last year and probably were up to a point, but just at a mid-season sort of fade after a change of manager.
34:28But they've been busy in the transfer market.
34:31They'll be strong again.
34:33And then you've got some of the sort of nearly clubs of recent years as well.
34:37Well, excuse me, Peacehaven and Towskine are never too far away.
34:43New Haven weren't quite so strong last year, but could be strong again.
34:47Roffey were very close to playoffs last year.
34:51And then Guernsey themselves are a bit of an unknown quantity.
34:54They could come into that league and do very well.
34:56Plus, you've got the likes of Crawley down and Eastbourne United, who have both sort of flirted with promotion in recent years as well.
35:05So, yeah, we don't know too much about which squad will be looking the strongest at this stage.
35:10But I think by the time we do our next podcast, we'll have a better idea.
35:15It's interesting, isn't it, Lee, flying down to Jersey this year.
35:19Have you talked about planning and preparation for that?
35:22Because I ask because my best friend, he's into his rugby and his rugby team played in Jersey and they flew and flew there and back on the same day.
35:30Is that something that will look likely to happen or are you kind of putting it in the back of your mind?
35:34Do you know what, Lee?
35:35I haven't even thought about it, I must admit.
35:38I haven't thought about any fixtures and away days and those sort of things.
35:41I must admit, fully focused on pre-season and how that's going at the moment.
35:46But, yeah, how that pans out and the logistics of it all, I hope I'm not planning that, to be honest.
35:51I'm hoping someone at the club will do that for me.
35:54But, yeah, I know when I've played Guernsey before, we did it there and back in the day and it can be done.
36:00It's just logistically, if it works, great.
36:02But, obviously, it's going to be interesting to see how all that pans out.
36:07Don't want it on a Tuesday night, do you, Lee?
36:09I was just about to say, I'm hoping that that's not going to be the case.
36:13It does throw it into the works where people have to get days off work and two-day travel and these kind of things.
36:20And what kind of squad can do that, I'm not so sure.
36:23So, I'm hoping we don't get picked out of the hat to go down on a Tuesday night, that's for sure.
36:27So, I'm hoping it's a weekend one.
36:30Well, fingers crossed for you.
36:31Well, I think we'll leave it there.
36:33Thank you very much for joining us, Lee.
36:35Before we let you go, for people who don't know, would you like to let us know what Hastings United's pre-season itinerary is
36:41and where you'll be playing during the summer?
36:44Yeah, so we start next Saturday on the 12th, which we go to Horsham YMCA.
36:49And then on the Tuesday night, we go to Whitehawk away.
36:52And then we field into Hayward Teeth away on the following Saturday.
36:55And then we've got a few local ones in Westfield, which we do every year, being a local community club.
37:01We play Westfield at their place.
37:03And then we host our first home friendly on the 26th of July, which will be Bexhill United.
37:09And then we've got our friend, Aggie, coming over from Worthing on the Wednesday night to give us a test.
37:15And then the following Saturday, we go to Ramsgate.
37:18So, we kind of go into the back end of pre-season with a couple of real tough games.
37:23And it'll be a good mix of how we field on and off the ball, how we deal with different issues
37:28and things we may face coming into the season.
37:31So, I'm looking forward to the games we've got.
37:34Excellent stuff.
37:35Yeah, best of luck this summer and best of luck this season.
37:37Thank you very much for joining us this week.
37:39Thank you very much for joining me, Steve.
37:41And don't forget to keep checking out sussexwell.co.uk forward slash sport
37:44for the best coverage of local football, plus your local Sussex weekly papers.
37:49And keep your eyes peeled for more bonus editions of this very podcast during the summer,
37:52where we'll be joined by a variety of guests looking ahead to what 2025-26 will have in store for Sussex non-lead clubs.
37:59Thank you very much for listening and or watching.
38:01And we will see you when we see you.
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