History of Lewes Football club

Lewes Football Club was formed following a meeting at The Royal Oak pub on 23 September 1885. For the first eight years, the players wore light green shirts which were designed to reflect the scenery of the surrounding South Downs, but black and red finally became the club colours in 1893.

 The club has played at the Dripping Pan ever since, apart from a couple of seasons prior to the First World War when the club was banished to the adjoining Convent Field. The early years of the club produced only mediocre results and successes were few and far between. In 1920, Lewes became founder members of the Sussex County League. 

Progress was slow and despite four runners-up places, by the 1960s Lewes had only one Sussex RUR Cup win to their name. In 1965, the club’s fortunes changed dramatically, winning the County League title for the first time with a massive nine-point lead over runners-up Lancing, as well as both the RUR and Sussex Senior Cups. 

Lewes became members of the Athenian League and after winning the Division 2 title in 1968, promotion to the Premier Division was gained just two years later when the Division 1 title was snatched from Boreham Wood, with a further Sussex Senior Cup triumph added in 1971. Six years later, the club entered the newly expanded Isthmian League.

Promotion to Division 1 soon followed although two sixth-place finishes in 1982 and 1989 were the highest positions attained in Division 1. During that time, Lewes reached the final of the Sussex Senior Cup on three occasions, and won the trophy in 1984/85. 

Disaster struck in 1990/91 when Lewes were relegated for the first time in their history. An immediate return as runners-up to Purfleet followed, but that success was short-lived and relegation in successive years meant that by the 1994/95 season the club was down in Division 3. The slide continued and the first season in the basement division would have been the last in the league if it hadn’t been for Cove who conveniently propped-up the league and saved Lewes from automatic demotion. 

The club survived rather than thrived until the 1998/99 season when Jimmy Quinn joined as manager, and at the first attempt missed out on promotion by just one place. Midway through the 1999/2000 season the current Chairman and board of Directors stepped in and immediately the fortunes of the club began to improve. 

The Ryman (Isthmian) League Division Two Championship was won in 2002 and the club’s first appearances in both FA Vase Quarter-Finals (lost to AFC Sudbury) and the FA Cup 1st Round (lost at the Britannia Stadium to Stoke City) occurred in the same year, as well as a Senior Cup final defeat to Eastbourne Borough. 

In 2002/03 the Rooks were denied a promotion to the Ryman Premier when the Dripping Pan was deemed to not be of the necessary standard. Quinn departed the club at the end of the season and was replaced by a virtual unknown in Steven King. Lewes won the Division One (South) title in King’s first season but better things followed when, following a series of play-off victories at Yeading and Basingstoke Town, and a 1-0 win over Kingstonian at the Dripping Pan, Lewes were promoted two divisions to the newly formed Blue Square South.

Lewes enjoyed an excellent inaugural season in Conference South although the fine fourth place was tempered by the fact that the club were told in February 2005 that they would be barred from the play-offs due to the Dripping Pan not meeting grading requirements. Sadly this was also the case in 2005/06, with the Club again finishing in a play-off position but unable to take part, although Lewes did win the Sussex Senior Cup following a 3-1 over old rivals Horsham.

The club stepped up work on the Dripping Pan and the new Rookery Stand along the south side of the pitch was completed in time for the visit of Division Two side Darlington in the 2006 FA Cup first round which Lewes lost 4-1 in front of 1500 fans.Lewes began the following season in tremendous form, and forging an early lead by Christmas.

An FA Cup first round tie saw the Rooks go down bravely at League Two side Mansfield, but following two epic matches against local rivals Eastbourne Borough over the festive season, Lewes took a lead of nine points into 2008. The rivalry with Eastbourne continued until March, when Borough suffered a devastating Easter period that saw the Rooks snatch back the lead and from then on, Lewes didn’t look back, securing promotion with two matches to spare, at home to Dorchester. 

King and the club parted company soon after promotion and the Rooks appointed rookie manager Kevin Keehan as Lewes made the step up into the Blue Square Premier for the first time.

However Keehan found things difficult and his lack of managerial experience wasn't helped by the lack of finances available to him. With a disappointing defeat to Eastern Counties side Leiston in the FA Cup first round and consistently poor league form, the club was soon cast adrift at the bottom of the league and relegation was confirmed with seven games still to play at the end of the season.

Keehan resigned in March following the away game at Rushden & Diamonds, and U18 manager Steve Ibbitson stepped in on a caretaker basis until the end of the season, taking the position permanently this summer with his U18 coach Jason Hopkinson alongside him.