Friday, February 18, 2000

Withdean FC

Withdean 0 Oving 1 - Sussex County League Division Two


Withdean is a district of Brighton & Hove. The area was originally named in the 12th century, when it was called Wictedene. The area was historically farm land but has been developed, mainly in the 1920s and 1930s, with a mix of detached, semi-detached and mid-rise flats. The Withdean manor was originally the property of the great Cluniac Priory of St. Pancras at Lewes, until 1537. This was then given to Anne of Cleves in 1541 by Henry VIII. The manor was demolished in 1936.


Originally called Westdene, the club changed their name to Withdean in the late 1980s and added the "2000" after a reorganisation in that year. However, circumstances promptly conspired against them. Since they had given up their home ground to Brighton & Hove Albion after the latter lost the Goldstone Ground, Withdean's playing facilities were not fit to qualify them for promotion from the Combined Counties League (CCL) to the Isthmian League and in the close season of 2003 their wealthy backer and many of the best players left for Isthmian League team Worthing. In the 2003-04 season Withdean 2000 struggled near the bottom of the table. In June 2004 they withdrew from the CCL for the following season.




Withdean Stadium is an athletics stadium in the Brighton suburb of Withdean. The nearest railway station is Preston Park (10 minutes walk) and having gone straight from work in London to Brighton where we had fish & chips washed down with a pint or two, it is only one stop back up the line. On a chilly Friday evening, Oving took the points courtesy of the only goal. We sat in what was the main stand at the time and enjoyed a decent contest between two evenly matched sides.   


A brisk walk back to the station afterwards enabled us to catch a train that arrived back in London before 11pm.



Attendance: 50



Subsequent visit to the Withdean Stadium

22 March 2011 - Brighton & Hove Albion 1 Notts County 0 - League One - Attendance: 7,264

Total 2







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