Whitehawk FC

andybaha · Dec 28, 2010

Desperate for a fix of live football I took myself off to the Enclosed Ground yesterday to watch Whitehawk v Horsham YMCA and a very interesting and enjoyable afternoon I had.

The match itself was excellent entertainment with the Hawks winning 6-1 although it should have been a lot more. It was good to see the likes of Paul Armstrong, Stuart Tuck and Joe Gatting again and Sam Gargan came on for the second half. He looked big and strong and showed some nice touches but he left his scoring boots in the dressing room. I don't know why, but I had doubts as to whether Darren Freeman would be any good as a manager but they were totally dispelled as he has put together a good side that played some excellent free flowing football. I was impressed.

Off the field I'm still totally puzzled. The directors must be pumping some serious money into the club. There can't have been more than 100 spectators,
I would be surprised if total gate receipts were much more than £500. I would suspect that is what some of the players are picking up each week.
They will look a bit sad at Withdean next season with 100 fans rattling around the stadium. I read they are planning to build a stadium in East Brighton that will hold 5,000. I guess they are hoping that if they fund success on the pitch and get to the Conference eventually the fans will turn out. Someone must have very deep pockets.

I had a chuckle to myself at the name of the snack bar - Fanny's Of Hanover. It sounds like a German massage parlour.

grummitts gloves · Dec 28, 2010

Definitely a club with ambition. They have taken over what was Withdean Youth teams and are keen to develop a youth set up in the near future. Could they emulate what Eastbourne borough have achieved one day? Good luck to them, glad to see that Withdean will still be used for football when we leave.

Scotty Mac · Dec 28, 2010

horsham ymca are by far and away the worst team in that division - with the players whitehawk have, and more importantly the money they are on, they should be thrashing them

its a big big gamble that the owners are taking - if the crowds dont come i wonder how long it will be until the owners decide that pumping all this money in isnt really worth it and pull out. at which point they will be left with no squad and an expensive ground to maintain with no way of doing it. there are plenty of examples in the county league of teams who have spent way beyond their means and its backfired but i cant think of any (bar maybe st leonards, who are now out of business) who have done it on such a grand scale

AMEXican Wave · Dec 28, 2010

Maybe they'll change their name to something like Brighton Whitehawk to raise their profile and widen their fanbase? Apparantly their ambition is to reach conference national level.

Pinkie Brown · Dec 28, 2010

With the money Darren Freeman has at his disposal, Whitehawk should be walking that league. But they aren't. A monkey could manage a team with the budget he has at his disposal. Their 'poaching' of players from other clubs by fair means or foul isn't going down well in Sussex non league circles. Somebody needs to explain the rules of '7 day approach' to those in charge at Whitehawk because its quite apparent those in charge haven't been aware recently - Or maybe they think 'money talks' anyway regardless & they think they can do as they please?

Many of Whitehawks squad are those who have peaked in higher leagues & have bagged themselves a final big pay day. Nice work if you can get it.

Like many small clubs who have rich benefactors, more often than not they tire of their 'project'. So often these 'projects' end in tears. Look at St Leonards Stamco? Where are they now? Extinct with the dinosaurs. They once had ex Albion defender Steve Gatting on their books who was reputedly trousering £800 way back when.

Lewes? Almost went to the wall thanks to reckless budgeting & living beyond their means. Crawley? Ditto on more than one occasion.

There's only so long these benefactors will throw money into a bottomless pit. I personally see no reason why Whitehawk will fare any better?

The pitiful attendance of 110 for a bank holiday game against Horsham YM suggests their ambitions to harness local support is a waste of time & money. The only other non league game is Sussex yesterday was Worthing - Bognor which attracted a gate of almost 700.

Return of the Rev · Dec 28, 2010

100 would be one of there better crowds,having watched non league around sussex a bit i find hawks one of the least favourite teams to watch,very niggly side and last time i saw them at shoreham one of their fans tried to start a fight with an old boy supporting arundel

empire · Dec 28, 2010

few players on 500 sovs a fact,the first team coach is developement etc for sussex youth players(chelsea),and the storys he has told me

Scotty Mac · Dec 28, 2010

empire said:
few players on 500 sovs a fact,the first team coach is developement etc for sussex youth players(chelsea),and the storys he has told me

the league win bonus from last season was a particularly

story

Spun Cuppa · Dec 28, 2010

I used to go up there a bit a few years ago, and on a recent visit for the first time in ages, was surprised by the new perimeter fence around the place. I know it's probably due to going up a division, but made it a bit claustrophobic for me. Perhaps it's to keep people IN :smile:

Race · Dec 28, 2010

andybaha said:
Desperate for a fix of live football I took myself off to the Enclosed Ground yesterday to watch Whitehawk v Horsham YMCA and a very interesting and enjoyable afternoon I had.

The match itself was excellent entertainment with the Hawks winning 6-1 although it should have been a lot more. It was good to see the likes of Paul Armstrong, Stuart Tuck and Joe Gatting again and Sam Gargan came on for the second half. He looked big and strong and showed some nice touches but he left his scoring boots in the dressing room. I don't know why, but I had doubts as to whether Darren Freeman would be any good as a manager but they were totally dispelled as he has put together a good side that played some excellent free flowing football. I was impressed.

Off the field I'm still totally puzzled. The directors must be pumping some serious money into the club. There can't have been more than 100 spectators,
I would be surprised if total gate receipts were much more than £500. I would suspect that is what some of the players are picking up each week.
They will look a bit sad at Withdean next season with 100 fans rattling around the stadium. I read they are planning to build a stadium in East Brighton that will hold 5,000. I guess they are hoping that if they fund success on the pitch and get to the Conference eventually the fans will turn out. Someone must have very deep pockets.

I had a chuckle to myself at the name of the snack bar - Fanny's Of Hanover. It sounds like a German massage parlour.

did a lad called craig richards play at right back or centre half? he's got longish hair and wears an alice band? if so, how did he do?

Harry H · Dec 28, 2010

Whitehawk are never going to have the fan base.They are stuck out in the middle of nowhere,and very few involved there now are from the estate.There is no public transport to the ground,and only a nutter would walk across the park these days.It is a project with no thought behind it other than lets get the best of the unwanted players from higher levels and give them loads of money that they won't have to break sweat very often to earn.I would probably put 20 clubs in the Brighton area in front of Whitehawk as far as fanbase potential is concerned.Only one thing really surprises me,and that is that Alan Pook isn't involved somewhere along the line.Getting Withdean while their pitch is turned around

(great thinking there) may actually raise crowd potential while they are there.It will slip back when they return to the outskirts of town.
Whitehawk is a County League Club at the very best.I'm afraid you can't buy class,and as soon as the moneybags investors realise what a cock up they've made,Whitehawk may even disappear completely.Eastbourne,Burgss Hill,Worthing,Bognor,Horsham all have teams in their league.All small Towns,and still struggling for support.Whitehawk isn't much bigger than a village.

timbha · Dec 28, 2010

Harry H said:
.Getting Withdean while their pitch is turned around (great thinking there) Whitehawk is a County League Club at the very best.I'm afraid you can't buy class,and as soon as the moneybags investors realise what a cock up they've made,Whitehawk may even disappear completely.Eastbourne,Burgss Hill,Worthing,Bognor,Horsham all have teams in their league.All small Towns,and still struggling for support.Whitehawk isn't much bigger than a village.

Have you thought that the investors might be thinking a little more creatively/laterally than just getting a winning team, big crowds, promotions, etc? Look at the land around Whitehawk's ground. Look at the land free'd up when the pitch is turned round.....and look at the businesses the investors are in. Now put your thinking caps on.....

Pinkie Brown · Dec 28, 2010

timbha said:
Have you thought that the investors might be thinking a little more creatively/laterally than just getting a winning team, big crowds, promotions, etc? Look at the land around Whitehawk's ground. Look at the land free'd up when the pitch is turned round.....and look at the businesses the investors are in. Now put your thinking caps on.....

Without doing a Google etc, I assume East Brighton Park is Council owned? Thinking cap? Investors business? I don't think the council would take kindly to the surrounding area of East Brighton Park being used for waste landfill?

West Hoathly Seagull · Dec 28, 2010

Pinkie Brown said:
With the money Darren Freeman has at his disposal, Whitehawk should be walking that league. But they aren't. A monkey could manage a team with the budget he has at his disposal. Their 'poaching' of players from other clubs by fair means or foul isn't going down well in Sussex non league circles. Somebody needs to explain the rules of '7 day approach' to those in charge at Whitehawk because its quite apparent those in charge haven't been aware recently - Or maybe they think 'money talks' anyway regardless & they think they can do as they please?

Many of Whitehawks squad are those who have peaked in higher leagues & have bagged themselves a final big pay day. Nice work if you can get it.

Like many small clubs who have rich benefactors, more often than not they tire of their 'project'. So often these 'projects' end in tears. Look at St Leonards Stamco? Where are they now? Extinct with the dinosaurs. They once had ex Albion defender Steve Gatting on their books who was reputedly trousering £800 way back when.

Lewes? Almost went to the wall thanks to reckless budgeting & living beyond their means. Crawley? Ditto on more than one occasion.

There's only so long these benefactors will throw money into a bottomless pit. I personally see no reason why Whitehawk will fare any better?

The pitiful attendance of 110 for a bank holiday game against Horsham YM suggests their ambitions to harness local support is a waste of time & money. The only other non league game is Sussex yesterday was Worthing - Bognor which attracted a gate of almost 700.

I think Hornchurch and Hythe (Kent) are other examples of this phenomenon. Perhaps someone who follows the Non-League scene can confirm. Huge amounts pumped in by ego trip chairmen and crowds no more than 100 or so. Okay till they lose interest.

Pinkie Brown · Dec 28, 2010

Harry H said:
.Only one thing really surprises me,and that is that Alan Pook isn't involved somewhere along the line.

The master of disaster had his snout sniffing in the trough when the money men first started splashing the cash at Whitehawk but was supposedly told to take a hike by the Kingspan crew. Technically he's still a director of Worthing & is only still onboard as his mates have money owed to them. He brought in 'connection's' to Worthing, talked them into investing or guaranteeing loans then as these things tend to, it went belly up. Still being a director of Worthing should prevent him being involved in Whitehawk although his old sidekick Danny Bloor was manager of Eastbourne Town while still (technically) a director of Worthing FC.

There's a common pattern to all clubs Mr Pook has been involved in - Boom & bust. Every club he's walked away from, he's left in a mess bar none.

Beach Hut · Dec 28, 2010

Disappointed with the whole set up as my son started in their U21/ Reserve team this season and it folded around October with no advice or messages to the players advising what went wrong.

Pretty piss poor in my opinion and badly set up.

Guerrero · Dec 28, 2010

I'm afraid the guys at the top have no football pedegree to speak of.I like Ted and Goyle,but I don't know Ned that well.What I do know is that in the 30 odd years I was involved in Sussex football,they were mostly Sunday League people.Darren,who I also know really well,will be off at the first sign of trouble.Pinkie Brown.I'm guessing you and I probably know each other.I spent around 20 years involved at the club in one capacity or another,and I really think that it could end up not existing,which would be sad.I suppose the chairman has been blinded by pound notes and a quick fix of success.Then Wally was never really a leader.I don't mean that nastily,but the chairman should be giving orders,and I don't really see Gargan & co taking them.I hope it works out though.For the ones who have been there for years.

One Legged Striker · Dec 28, 2010

I think you have answered your own question, Three weeks without a game, supposedly the biggest game of the season (Boxing day fixture), against localish rivals in that division, second in the league, and the official attendance was 110.

Guerrero just on another note did you hear about Steve Collingbourne?

Hope your well.

Kuipers Supporters Club · Dec 28, 2010

My Dad played for YM for 10 years, and still goes to watch them sometimes.

There is no doubt they are going back into the County League this season as they pay far less money than teams in the County League, let alone the Ryman. There's a club that will never overstretch itself, but will never go far either.

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