A Season of Sussex Soccer
By Tom Dunmore • Aug 1st, 2008 • Category: Features • 15 responsesThe south eastern English county of Sussex (actually, it’s not a single county politically any more, but a place divided into East Sussex, West Sussex, and the unitary authority of Brighton and Hove) stretches from the seaside to the outskirts of London, home to well over a million people.
Most of them do not follow a professional club. Unlike another similarly sized county such as Lancashire, home to the likes of both Manchesters in the Premier League, as well as Preston, Bury, Burnley, Rochdale, Oldham, Stockport County, Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers, Sussex only features Brighton and Hove Albion of League One.
In non-League football, though, Sussex does have a variety of clubs, many of which had a surprisingly strong showing last season — a season of football across Sussex captured with aplomb by photographers Terry Buckman and David Bauckham in their new book, “A Season of Sussex Soccer”.
Attending around 140 games, the two managed to capture action from 62 clubs in the region, in what they describe as a “microcosm of The National Game”. The photos are interspersed with monthly roundups of the action on the field, from the perspiration of pre-season friendlies in August to the mud covered battles of mid-winter, through to the exciting climax for two of the largest teams aside from Brighton, promotion winning Lewes FC and Eastbourne Borough in Blue Square South.
Bognor Regis goalkeeper, groundsman, and former Chelsea apprentice Eddie Broadbent prepares for pre-season action.
Tubby midfielders, tiny stands, and greenery dominate the action. This is Havant and Waterlooville territory, not Anfield. As Mile Oak take on Storrington in front of 68 folks, we see the few travelling fans tucked under a stand barely wider than the beefy chaps themselves, perhaps relations of the players on the field.
East Preston keeper Tom Rand despairs, as his team goes down 1-0 to Crowborough Athletic in front of a crowd of 96. 
The photographers lean more towards action shots than scenery, but even these — given the close quarters — can’t fail to give a sense of the intimate surroundings, and the sometimes strange disconnect between the passion on the players faces and the lush, lazy countryside rolling behind them.
The raw energy is at times captured brilliantly in the book, as in this photo of Eastbourne Town taking on Worthing, the players livid after the referee controversally disallows a goal:
As we make it to the end of the season and the celebratory team photos for trophy winning sides across the county from Bexhill to Lewes, we’ve perhaps been following too many teams across too many divisions to really feel deeply for any. But in a sense, that approach does capture the grassroots of the game in a county like Sussex scattered with small, locally embedded clubs quite perfectly.
A Season of Sussex Soccer is available for shipping worldwide. More information is available at Center Circle Publishing.
Tom Dunmore is the editor of Pitch Invasion.
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Sorry to be pedantic, Brighton and Hove Albion currently occupy a place in League One
hah. typo. Thanks Adam. Amusingly, I made the mistake wearing my Seagulls shirt.
I’m not looking forward to this season as much as I was last season. Eastbourne and Lewes are likely going to stink the Conference out, and expectation levels at the Albion seem to excessively high, considering the fact that they seemed to out-perform all expectations last year. Still, it’s good to see Adam Virgo back.
Does everyone one from Sussex hate Crystal Palace?
I follow local semi-pro side Ipswich Wanderers, who play in the East Anglian regional league, the Ridgeons League. As you say, crowds under 100, tiny stands, a handful of travelling fans, but some of the best days ever and I followed Ipswich Town in the Premiership / Championship all over the place for many a year.
It’s good to see someone supporting the unsung heros of English football, the teams at this level need extra support, and the fanbase seems to be getting older as few younger fans want to watch football at this level.
When I switched to watching Wanderers (got fed up with costs of following league football, it’s not the money, it’s the way the clubs don’t give you value for what you do spend) we formed a supporters group called the Kesgrave Ultras, (Kesgrave is the estate where I live and near the ground) and for the first time in the history of the Wanderers got regular singing, a good away contingent, and even the odd flare chucked in for good measure. Search Ipswich Wanderers on YouTube and you might see some excellent footage of us at the Ridgeons League Cup Final.
I’m now starting my third season with the club, am on the committee, and rarely miss a game. I’ll also be keping an eye out for this book - looks a good read.
Adrian - Kesgrave Ultras
Ipswich Wanderers and Ipswich Town FC
As the co-author of ‘A Season Of Sussex Soccer’ it’s nice to see that the book has stimulated a bit of interest in what us non-League fans often refer to as ‘real’ football. The project was something of a labour of love for Terry Buckman and myself.
I set up Centre Circle Publishing to produce books that no mainstream publisher would consider. It’s purely a part-time venture but I hope to publish more ‘niche’ books, with a non-League and football culture theme in the future. Coming soon is ‘Wick to Wembley? … on the trail of the FA Cup’ by Andy Ollerenshaw, which follows the world’s greatest knock-out competition from last season’s extra-preliminary round right through the Wembley Final.
A Season Of Sussex Soccer is only available online through the CCPub website, but I can now take orders by credit/debit card and ship worldwide.
I played youth, reserve and very fleetingly first team football in the Sussex county league in the early-to-mid 80s and had great times. As always in football some amazing characters on and off the pitch. I have also spent a good amount of time as a spectator over the years. will chase this book down.
Pattrick, probably not everyone in Sussex hates Palace but they bloody well should. Mind you not everyone in Brighton or Hove let alone Sussex support the Albion, which they also bloody well should.
you don’t mention crawley town who are in blue square premier
I’m a Man Utd fan (I know, boo, hiss etc.), but I moved to Bury and have watched FC United and Bury a few times.
Lower league football is what the game’s all about - commitment, desire and a crowd that can identify a little with the players.
Great photos.
I’m a Man. city fan and
great photos really enjoyed it
Hey man, the guy on the second picture looks exactly like a young Peter Schmeichel. Another funny thing is that the guy on the third image look like he is on his way to take his shorts off By the way, I live in Sweden and English Football is really popular here.
Nice to see the book is generating some comments … and don’t forget you can order a copy via http://www.ccpub.co.uk
Mirsad, your observation re: the unfortunate East Preston goalkeeper Tom Rand is interesting, as many think he looks very much like Oliver Kahn (although I can the the Schmeichel likeness in that pic).
Nice photos! lol that photo is funny as hell!
I love football good photos thank you.
Why do you think that the Americans think so highly of their foot ball? While it has it’s merits, it clearly is not as quick and relentless as real football!