| Sussex County Football Association | |
| Purpose: | Football association |
| Headquarters: | Culver Road |
| Location: | Lancing BN15 9AX |
| Region Served: | Sussex |
| Leader Title: | Chief executive |
| Leader Name: | Ken Benham |
| Leader Title2: | Chairman |
| Leader Name2: | Thura KT Win |
| Affiliations: | The Football Association |
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[1] and run a number of County Cup competitions at various levels for teams all across the county. It is affiliated to The Football Association.
Founded on 23 September 1882,[2] 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.[2]
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.[3] 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.[3]
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.[2] 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.[2]
In January 2024, Thura KT Win[4] was appointed as Chair, taking the reins from the late Mathew Major, who passed away in April 2023.[5]
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.
The Sussex County FA run several cup competitions:[6]
There are also various other cups and trophies for all levels of football in Sussex.
The champions of the Southern Combination Football League and the winners of the Sussex Senior Challenge Cup play each other in this competition
| Season | Winners | Final result | Runners-up | Venue | Attendance | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Crawley Town | 2–1 | Horsham YMCA | Gorings Mead | N/A | ||
| 2006 | Horsham YMCA | 0–0 | Lewes | Gorings Mead | N/A | ||
| 2007 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 3–0 | Eastbourne Town | The Saffrons | N/A | ||
| 2008 | Crowborough Athletic | 1–0 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Alderbrook | N/A | ||
| 2009 | Eastbourne Borough | 4–0 | Eastbourne United | Priory Lane | N/A | ||
| 2010 | Whitehawk | 2–3 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Culver Road | N/A | ||
| 2011 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 4–0 | Crawley Down Gatwick | Culver Road | N/A | ||
| 2012 | Whitehawk | 4–1 | Three Bridge | Jubilee Field | N/A | ||
| 2013 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 3–1 | Peacehaven & Telscombe | Falmer Stadium | N/A | ||
| 2015 | Littlehampton Town | 3–0 | Whitehawk | Culver Road | N/A | ||
| 2016 | Eastbourne Borough | 3–0 | Horsham | Priory Lane | N/A | ||
| 2017 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 7–0 | Shoreham | American Express Elite Football Performance Centre | N/A | ||
| 2018 | Haywards Heath Town | 1–0 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Culver Road | N/A | ||
| 2019 | Bognor Regis Town | 1–0 | Chichester City | Culver Road | N/A | ||
| 2022 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 2–2 4–3 pens | Littlehampton Town | Culver Road | N/A | ||
| 2023 | Worthing | 3–3 5–4 pens | Broadbridge Heath | Culver Road | 275 | ||
| President | The Duke of Norfolk | 1900–1920 |
| Lord Leconfield | 1920–1935 | |
| Sir Charles Kirkpatrick | 1935–1937 | |
| S.C. Thompson | 1937–1946 | |
| H.P. Brazier | 1946–1947 | |
| H.A. Ayling | 1947–1948 | |
| H.C. Hunt | 1948–1949 | |
| H.B. Cox | 1949–1950 | |
| A.E. Bailey | 1950–1951 | |
| H.G. Cottrell | 1951–1952 | |
| E.C. Martin | 1952–1953 | |
| R.S. Chatfield | 1953–1954 | |
| Sir Alan Saunders | 1954–1955 | |
| Dr. John O'Hara | 1955–1992 | |
| J.E. Davey | 1992–2010 | |
| Les Kempster [7] | 2010–2023 | |
| Chairman/person | Rev J. Walker | 1882–1883 |
| Rev S. Walker | 1883–1889 | |
| George Cole | 1889–1903 | |
| R.H. Whittaker | 1903–1905 | |
| E.A. Newman | 1905–1906 | |
| E. Denne | 1906–1907 | |
| J.H. Jordan | 1907–1908 | |
| S.C. Thompson | 1908–1909 | |
| W.O. Norman | 1909–1910 | |
| C.F. Butcher | 1910–1911 | |
| R.N. Collins | 1911–1912 | |
| G.T. Apps | 1912–1913 | |
| H.B. Cox | 1913–1914 | |
| F.C. Winton | 1914–1920 | |
| H.A. Ayling | 1920–1921 | |
| G.E. West | 1921–1922 | |
| W. Stephens | 1922–1923 | |
| M.W.T. Ridley | 1923–1924 | |
| H.G. Cottrell | 1924–1925 | |
| A.E. Bailey | 1925–1926 | |
| W.B. Stone | 1926–1927 | |
| F.A. Cull | 1927–1928 | |
| J. Morrin | 1928–1929 | |
| H.G. Duvall | 1929–1930 | |
| H.J. Carnaghan | 1930–1931 | |
| A.G. Whittaker | 1931–1932 | |
| E. Ford | 1932–1933 | |
| H.F. Gentry | 1933–1934 | |
| P.F. Chambers | 1934–1935 | |
| F.C. Gates | 1935–1936 | |
| W.A. Grainger | 1936–1937 | |
| F.C. Wells | 1937–1938 | |
| R.H. Willmer | 1938–1939 | |
| D Noakes | 1939–1944 | |
| F.C. Winton | 1944–1945 | |
| H.G. Cottrell | 1945–1946 | |
| F.J. Comber | 1946–1947 | |
| G. Aucock | 1947–1948 | |
| J.T. Mengham | 1948–1949 | |
| J. Rabson | 1949–1950 | |
| A.C. Cruttenden | 1950–1951 | |
| M.W. Simmonds | 1951–1952 | |
| F.C. Crouch | 1952–1953 | |
| J.E. Kibblewhite | 1953–1954 | |
| E.J. Wood | 1954–1955 | |
| J.C. Langmaid | 1955–1956 | |
| F.C. Sparkes | 1956–1957 | |
| A. Slee | 1957–1958 | |
| H.C. White | 1958–1959 | |
| W.M. Pritchard | 1959–1960 | |
| K.V. Baker | 1960–1961 | |
| R.E. Tarratt | 1961–1962 | |
| E. Walmsley | 1962–1963 | |
| A.C. Penny | 1963–1964 | |
| W.R. Dunlop | 1964–1965 | |
| M. Farncombe | 1965–1966 | |
| J.E. Davey | 1966–1967 | |
| H.A. Skinner | 1967–1968 | |
| C.C. Stevens | 1968–1969 | |
| P.G. Cunningham | 1969–1970 | |
| W.A. Saunders | 1970–1971 | |
| A. Holdstock | 1971–1972 | |
| A.C. Adfield | 1972–1973 | |
| R.G.T. Ginnaw | 1973–1974 | |
| R.P. Dudley | 1974–1975 | |
| R.A. Pavey | 1975–1976 | |
| T. Parry | 1976–1977 | |
| S.E.L. Viccars | 1977–1978 | |
| R.F. Wood | 1978–1979 | |
| G.H. Cannons | 1979–1980 | |
| K. Sommerville | 1980–1981 | |
| F.R. Stenning | 1981–1982 | |
| J. Ades | 1982–1983 | |
| P. Wilkins | 1983–1984 | |
| D.M. Bennett | 1984–1985 | |
| H.G. Brown | 1985–1986 | |
| P.R. Bentley | 1986–1987 | |
| P.B. Hiscox | 1987–1988 | |
| D.C.L. Chilton | 1988–1989 | |
| J.M. Smith | 1989–1990 | |
| L.J. Cornford | 1990–1991 | |
| M.G. Witherden | 1991–1992 | |
| P.J. Huggins | 1992–1993 | |
| D.M. Leonard | 1993–1994 | |
| D.N. Best | 1994–1995 | |
| J.R. Burns | 1995–1996 | |
| A.J. Woodland | 1996–1997 | |
| J.P.S. Cripps | 1997–1998 | |
| C.F.B. Groves | 1998–1999 | |
| A.K. Knight | 1999–2000 | |
| R.A. Pavey | 2000–2004 | |
| Peter Bentley [8] | 2003–2013 | |
| Matthew Major [9] | 2013–2023 | |
| Thura KT Win | 2024-present | |
| Deputy Chairman/person | P.R. Bentley | 1999–2004 |
| P.M. Chaplin | 2004–2013 | |
| Matthew Major | 2013 | |
| E. Potter | 2014–2015 | |
| G.R. Flemmington | 2015–2017 | |
| John Edwards | 2018-present | |
| Secretary | Sturgis Jones | 1881–1882 |
| Rev. Spencer Walker | 1882–1886 | |
| F.C. Lingard | 1886–1887 | |
| Dr. C. Smith | 1887–1888 | |
| F. Pollock | 1888–1889 | |
| Rev. C.H. Bond | 1889 | |
| E.W. Everest | 1889–1945 | |
| F.C. Wells | 1945–1956 | |
| C.H. Izard | 1956–1968 | |
| R.F. Reeve | 1968–1988 | |
| D.M. Worsfold | 1987–1999 | |
| Chief executive | Ken Benham | 2000–present |