Hastings

Early years

The club was founded in 1893 as Rock-a-Nore and played their home games on the East Hill in Hastings Old Town. They played in local cup competitions winning the Hastings FA run Carlisle Cup on two occasions before becoming inactive between 1899 and 1901, however the club made a return to enjoy more success the local competitions. In 1904 they joined the East Sussex Football League and played at the newly laid out 'Sports Ground' for one season, sharing with St Leonards United, before returning to the East Hill the following season. They won the East Sussex League in the 1907–08 season, however by the years leading up to the First World War, the club were back playing in the local junior leagues.

Hastings & St Leonards

After the First World War, Rock-a-Nore became founder members of the Sussex County League and moved to the Pilot Field in 1920, after one season in the league they changed name to Hastings & St Leonards FC, to reflect becoming the most prominent team in the town. A merger with local side All Saints was proposed, but the move never went through as All Saints did not want to lose their identity, though several players went on to join Hastings. Not long after the name change, a local team called Old Town United changed their name to Rock-a-Nore, taking on the former identity of the club.

Hastings & St Leonards, often shortened to Hastings, spent seven seasons in the Sussex County League, finishing runners on two occasions before leaving to join the Southern Amateur League in 1927. The team would win Division Two in their first season and were promoted into Division One for the 1928–29 season, where they remained until the outbreak of World War Two. During the 1930s the club enjoyed a highly successful spell, winning the league in 1934–35, 1935–36, 1936–37 and 1938–39, the Sussex Senior Cup in 1935–36 and 1937–38 and the Amateur Football Alliance Senior Cup in 1937–38.

Post-war years and new ground

After the Second World War, Hastings joined the Corinthian League and played two seasons in the league. However, ahead of the 1948–49 season, the club lost their home ground at the Pilot Field to newly formed professional team Hastings United. The club, now known as Hastings Amateurs were unable to match the rent on the pitch and unable to find a suitable home pitch, forcing them to leave the Corinthian League having only played one league game.

The club returned for the 1949–50 season, playing in the Hastings League and joined the East Sussex League for the 1950–51 season. By now the club were playing their home games on the upper pitch of the Pilot Field, later known as the Firs. Hastings became founder members of Division Two of the Sussex County League in 1952 and would go on to spend nearly thirty years in the league with little success.

Hastings Town and the Southern League

In 1976, the club changed name to Hastings Town and part of the late 1970s was spent playing at Bulverhythe, home to Hastings Rangers, whilst the clubhouse and pitch at the Firs was being upgraded. The club won Division Two in 1979–80, winning promotion to Division One where they played until 1985.

Hastings Town applied for membership to the Southern League Premier Division following the folding of Hastings United, but were admitted to the Southern Division following objections from another club. The club negotiated a long-term lease with Hastings Borough Council for the use the Pilot Field and several of old Hastings United players joined the club.

The club's ambition was the win promotion to the Premier Division of the Southern League, but would go onto play several frustrating seasons of top-half finishes. Peter Sillett took charge of the club and built up a side that eventually won promotion, winning the league in 1991–92. The 1990s saw the club enjoy more success winning the Southern League Cup in 1995, beating Leek Town on aggregate and winning the Sussex Senior Cup twice in 1996 and 1998, beating Crawley Town and Burgess Hill Town respectively.

Local lottery winner Mark Gardiner, previously involved at local rivals St Leonards Stamcroft, became involved ahead of the 1997–98 season and made a generous playing budget available to manager Garry Wilson. Even with the healthy budget available, the club found themselves in the bottom half of the table despite the signing of former football league players including Mark Morris and the goal scoring exploits of Stafford Browne. Wilson was sacked after a FA Trophy loss to Bath City and Dean White and Terry White were brought in as joint managers.

Despite a fifth-place finish in the 1998–99 season, the second highest finish in the football league pyramid for the club, there was trouble off the pitch. With Mark Gardiner no longer involved, the club was in administration and also faced the possibility of playing in the Sussex County League, after applying to join the Isthmian League, later changing their mind, but the Southern League had refused their attempt to withdraw their resignation from the League. A consortium led by another local lottery winner Mick Maplesden saved the club from folding and the club were allowed back into the Southern League, but into the Eastern Division. The club finished in the top five for the following two seasons before eventually winning promotion back into the Premier Division after winning the league in 2001–02.