Eastbourne United Association

I've never been to The Oval, home of Eastbourne United Association before. So when the Hamlet were in town last week I took the opportunity to have a look. It's certainly a strange ground, the 'oval' being a disused track, and the closed main stand, and a few steps of terracing down the sides being a long way from the modern inner railings around the touchline. Despite being basic and run down, there is a 'ghostliness of character' about this venue, only a stones throw from the sea.
Having seen the place it's certainly somewhere I would like to go back to to watch a match & 'tick off' one day.

The club in it's current incarnation is the result of a merger between Eastbourne United & Shinewater Association,in 2003, & this is their current crest.



Fading, on another board, is the old Eastbourne United crest. The new one may be modern, & encompass both clubs, but I must prefer the traditional one.



Here is the entrance to the ground.



The sign on the gate tells you it is a local council facility.



Just inside the gates is this hut, presumably where they take the actual gate from.



A welcoming sign, albeit slightly vandalised.



As we look behind the goal, from the corner with the entrance, you can clearly see the old cinders, from the old track. And the hard standing inside it, behind the goal. The pitch is railed off inside the old track all the way round.



The ground is open on three sides, from this first corner we look across to the far open side, and the other goalmouth.



We start to move round, clockwise, taking the hardstanding behind the goal as our route.



Directly behind the goal we look towards the far side.



And back down the main side, where all the club failities are, which we will soon get a closer look at.



Now we're on the far side. The rails, & hard standing close to the touchline. Old track behind, with steps of terracing behind that. Presumably in times past, when the track was in use, there would have been a fence in front of this.



Here we look directly down the hard standing, towards the dugouts.



And here is the old terracing, set back behind the old track.



Here are the dugouts.



Past the dugouts it's more open hardstanding. I'll bet this is a bit bleak on a rainy winters midweek night!



Moving on, behind the goal, the rail seems a long way from the action.



Why it was railed off so far back I have no idea, but from the corner of the rails you can seen how far away the corner flag is.



The track is clear here, despite being derelict.



Now down the main side, the stand looks so weird, being set so far back.



Here we look down the hard standing by the touchline.



Here we have the old stand, with a few steps of old terracing in front of it.



Here is my best shot of the ground. Note the barrier at the top of the steps to the stnad. It appears to be disused now, so there are presumably 'officially' no seats or cover here.



Here is one of the barriers.



Didn't stop me mind! ;-)
It's a long way to the pitch, with a 'tunnel' of rails.



And this is looking back the other way.



Were there once more of those slatted rows. Or was this a 'concession' to ground gradings, to create some sort of "directors' area?"



And from the other end of the stand we look up the ground.



Back down below we look back at the stand and stretch of terracing.



Moving on we look down the open 'tunnel'.



Here we see the bar, tea bar, and changing room area.



The traditional half time raffle board.



And poignantly the club war memorial outside the clubhouse.



Back to the corner where we came into the ground and we look down the main side, with an excellent view of the terracing along here.

Eastbourne Town

My first visit to Eastbourne Town was for an FA Cup tie versus Carshalton Athletic, in 1987 & I hadn't been back until last Saturday. It is clearly more enclosed now, and been developed, but still has the feel of a friendly county league club, despite now being in the Isthmian League.

Walking along this road you might think this is a nice stone wall. But it's not any ols stone wall, it's actually the perimeter to the ground!



Further along here is a gate, but it's not the actual entrance.



Is there a more beautiful turnstile block anywhere? I'm sure there is, but this must be up with the best of them.



Here is a closer view.



Now inside there are also turnstiles in the opposite corner, which is where I am now standing. That building in the background id Eastbourne Town Hall. Magnificent! From this vantage point I am going to take you round the ground, clockwise.



All the way along the end behind this goal is this cover. Somewhat different, in that there are seats at either side of it, with terracing in the middle.



Here we look along the first bank of seating.



The end of this corner is reserved for club officials. This must be the most unusual location for a 'directors box', and not the best vantage point.



Moving along is the tunnel area, with the changing rooms behind.



Past that is the terracing in the middle.



From behind the net we look to our right, and the open side, where the dugouts are.



Glancing leftwards is open terracing, with cover down the far end of it; with the Town Hall towering over.



Moving along there's hot & cold drinks on sale.



With th second section of seating past that.



In the corner is a stand alone tea bar, where you can buy food.



In here you can make a note of the team changes.



We look back down this end before moving on.



And now our first good look down the 'town hall' side.



From here we get a full length view of the cover behind the goal.



As we move along the open terraced side we see the covered section at the far end of it, which is by those lovely turnstiles where we came in.



From the halfway line we look across the playing area. The South Downs behind, such a pity those modern ugly blocks are there.



Now we have reached the covered terrace in the corner.



And from this corner we look back up the pitch.



Before turning to the stretch of open terrace behind this goal.



Behind the net we look up the pitch.



Before we glance back down the open end.



Now on the 'last leg' it's just hard standing down this side, with the cricket ground over the fence.



Moving along we see the dugouts.



Holding the camera 'blind' over the fence we get a look at the cricket pavilion.



By the dugouts a good old fashioned, home made, hand knitted Eastbourne Town bobble hat!



Past the dugouts it's back to the corner where we started our tour of The Saffrons.



With one last look at the covered end before we finish.



But before we leave Eastbourne Town I must mention Hamlet fan Mark Hutton, 58, pictured here. He was born in Eastbourne, and he was told that the first game he was ever taken to was one at The Saffrons, in his pram. He has no memories of the place, so was really looking forward to Dulwich playing here, when they were promoted. Unfortunately he was working for the corresponding match last season, but he was eagerly looking forward to us playing here.



Before the match he went to see this house, in an adjacent street, which is where his father lived when in Eastbourne. It was a quietly emotional return for him, I'm sure he won't mind me saying.