Hailsham Town F.C.

{{Infobox football club

| clubname = Hailsham Town

| image = Hailsham Town F.C. logo.png

| fullname = Hailsham Town Football Club

| nickname = The Stringers

| founded = 1885

| ground = The Beaconsfield, Hailsham

| capacity = 2,000 (100 seated)Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2016) Non-League Club Directory 2017, Tony Williams Publications, p499 {{ISBN|978-1869833695}}

| chairman = Chris Weller

| manager = Callum Standish

| league = {{English football updater|HailshaT}}

| season = {{English football updater|HailshaT2}}

| position = {{English football updater|HailshaT3}}

}}File:Hailsham Town Main Stand 2007.jpg

Hailsham Town Football Club is a football club based in Hailsham, East Sussex, England. They are currently members of the {{English football updater|HailshaT}} and play at the Beaconsfield. The club are known locally as 'The Stringers', a nickname which derives from traditional industry in the town.

History

Established in 1885, Hailsham won the Sussex Junior Cup in the 1895–96 season[https://web.archive.org/web/20070625183613/http://www.nomad-online.co.uk/html/hailsham_tn.html Hailsham Town] Nomad Online and went on to be one of the founder members of the East Sussex League in 1896.[http://www.hastingsfootballhistory.co.uk/comps/eastsussex/1890s.html East Sussex League 1890s] Hastings Football History After finishing bottom of the league for four consecutive seasons between 1901–02 and 1904–05 and then again in 1906–07 and 1907–08, Hailsham left to rejoin the Eastbourne League.[http://www.hastingsfootballhistory.co.uk/comps/eastsussex/1900s.html East Sussex League 1900s] Hastings Football History In 1912 the club merged with Hailsham Athletic.Sussex Agricultural Express, 26 July 1912, p2 Rejoining the East Sussex League in 1920, Hailsham finished bottom of the league in 1925–26. Although they were runners-up in 1927–28, they finished bottom of the league again in 1929–30, 1930–31 and 1931–32.[http://www.hastingsfootballhistory.co.uk/comps/eastsussex/1920s.html East Sussex League 1920s] Hastings Football History[http://www.hastingsfootballhistory.co.uk/comps/eastsussex/1930s.html East Sussex League 1930s] Hastings Football History The club were runners-up for a second time in 1937–38.

Following World War II Hailsham finished bottom of the table again in 1948–49 and 1950–51, before winning the East Sussex League for the first time in 1953–54,[http://www.hastingsfootballhistory.co.uk/comps/eastsussex/1950s.html East Sussex League 1950s] Hastings Football History a season which also saw them win the Sussex Intermediate Cup.[http://www.sussexcountyleague.com/tables/scl_1953-54.htm 1953-54] Sussex County League In 1955 Hailsham joined Division Two of the Sussex County League under the name Hailsham Football Club. They won the Division Two Invitation Cup in their first season,[http://www.sussexcountyleague.com/tables/scl_1955-56.htm 1955-56] Sussex County League but resigned from the league during the 1962–63 season.{{fchd|id=HAILSHAM|name=Hailsham}} They subsequently joined the Eastbourne & District League, before returning to the East Sussex League in 1968, when they joined Division Two.[http://www.hastingsfootballhistory.co.uk/comps/eastsussex/1960s.html East Sussex League 1960s] Hastings Football History

Hailsham were Division Two champions in their first season back in the East Sussex League, earning promotion to Division One. They went on to win the Division One title at the first attempt. In 1972 the now-renamed Hailsham Town transferred to the Southern Counties Combination. They won the league in 1974–75 and were promoted to Division Two of the Sussex County League.[http://www.hastingsfootballhistory.co.uk/comps/scc.php Southern Counties Combination] Hastings Football History The following season saw them win the Hastings Senior Cup.{{cite web |title=Past Competition Winners |url=https://resources.thefa.com/images/ftimages/data/league91512630/2726.docx |website=FA Full Time - Hastings FA |publisher=Hastings & District Football Association |access-date=30 April 2024}} After finishing as Division Two runners-up in 1980–81 they were promoted to Division One.{{fchd|id=HAILSHAT|name=Hailsham Town}} They won the League Cup in 1994–95 beating Wick 2–1 in the final.[http://www.sussexcountyleague.com/lgecup/index.htm League Cup] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111206050530/http://www.sussexcountyleague.com/lgecup/index.htm |date=2011-12-06 }} Sussex County League The club remained in Division One until being relegated at the end of the 1998–99 season.

Hailsham were promoted back to Division One following a third-placed finish in 2000–01. In 2005–06 they won the Sussex RUR Cup with a 2–0 win over Whitehawk in the final. The club were relegated again in 2010–11, but finished second in Division Two the following season to earn an immediate promotion back to Division One. In 2015 the league was renamed the Southern Combination, with Division One becoming the Premier Division. Hailsham finished bottom of the Premier Division in 2016–17 and were relegated to Division One. In 2022–23 the club finished bottom of Division One, resulting in relegation to Division Two. In 2023–24 they won the Hastings Intermediate Cup, beating Hawkhurst United 4–1 in the final.{{cite web |title=Hastings & District FA |url=https://fulltime.thefa.com/displayFixture.html?id=26343856 |website=The FA Full Time |access-date=25 May 2024}}