Haywards Heath Town

Haywards Heath Town currently play at the low level of the Third Division of the Sussex County League. Despite being so far down the pyramid their basic ground has a large old stand that is a delight. I have yet to see an actual match here, but took these photos in October 2009.



The ground is set at the end of one of many residential backstreets. As you stroll down it you cannot fail to see the stand and go 'wow!'



As I reach the ground a gate is open & I stroll through, there is a tarmaced car park area immediately inside.



Just inside is this shed, which I guess is where you pay your admission on a matchday.



Going up to the pitch we see the impressive stand, but we're not heading that direction. We wil turn left, and stroll round the ground clockwise.



The pitch is neatly railed and fenced off, with only grass standing behind this goal.



Here we are standing directly behind the goal, looking to the stand.



Stepping back a little we look along the standing area, with some housing close behind.



Immediately behind the goal (minus netting) we look once more to the main stand to the right.



And with the stanchion dominating this snap we stare right down the pitch.



The building directly behind, outside the ground, has a window boarded up? A wayward shot I wonder?



Moving along the side it is just railed off, on grass. But there is a slightly sloping, not too steep grass bank, which must form a nice vantage point on match days.



Moving along you see the dugouts are facing the wrong way, at initial glance! In actual fact two men are working there, installing new ones during the top I popped in, which is how the gates were open. How lucky was that?



From this side we glance back behind the goal, which shows the size of the car park area where we came in.



Here is a closer shot of the dugouts. Wonder what the old ones looked like?



Past them the slope peters out toward the corner, as the railings continue round the pitch, but still only grass to stand on.



Before we move behind that goal it's time to have another look at the large stand from the side opposite.



Now we're behind the goal, and the grass stretches back, for a small training area.



From this corner we see the stand again, with the actually quite big stand dwarfed by the trees behind it.



Now behind the goal we glance back to the sloped side.



Through the goal we see the stand once more.



From the next corner we see the open grassed end, with the banking behind, along the side.



now on our last side of the ground there are a couple of buildings before we reach the stand. Presumably a groundstaff hut, & maybe a boardroom, or something similar?



It could be another general bar area of course. I say 'another' because we will soon see a bar at the other end of the stand.



Here we can see how smartly kept it is in front, and by, the main stand. A tidy mix of grass & concrete.



This is a side view.



And a 'full frontal' from on the pitch. I don't know how old this stand is, but I'd guess it's a nineteen fifties one, or thereabouts.



It's just wooden benches for seats, but it's such a substantial structure I'm aure it must have had seating in the past. Despite it's age it's well painted and maintained.



Note the couple of benches in front, further along. Which must be nice for any elderly fans who can't make it up into the stand.



From the back we look down, toward the end where we started our tour.



And across the pitch, over the centre circle.



And craning our necks to the right the other goal.



Slightly further along, another shot over the pitch, with the wonderfully old fashioned tannoy system hanging down from the roof.



Here we look back up , in the stand. This must be the PA box, which might 'double' as a press box maybe?



Past the stand, outside, is this recently constructed patio area, outside the bar. Presumably built post-smoking ban?



Here is a good side shot, with the bar at the end in full view.



Taking a few steps to our left we have another nice side on photo of the stand.



Now we're at the last corner, almost by the gate where we started.



Which we can see here, and where we going through now.
That completes our visit to Haywards Heath Town.

St. Francis Rangers

St. Francis Rangers play in the First Division of the Suusex County League & are based in the town of Haywards Heath. I have not seen a game here, but popped into the ground to take these photos in October 2009.



The ground is set in the land of a hospital, some of which I think has been converted to posh private housing. Behind the hospital site is the ground, and it is down below it. Here we look toward the ground, which is fairly basic.



At the top of the approach drive is this hut. I'm not sure if it is connected to the football or not, the ground being a couple hundred yards beyond it.



At the bottom you come to this building, which is the rear of the main club building, the front of which we will see once inside.



To the left of the above is this quaint rural type gate, which leads unto the ground, which you can see behind.



We are going to stroll round it clockwise, turning left. It is railed off with paving for hard standing to the corner. Up in the background you can see the old hospital buildings.



At the corner we look across the pitch, and down the touchline. There is no hard standing laid down at all, as to the left is the cricket square, with this part being the outfield in the summer months.



Before moving onwards we look back from the corner and see the front of the club building, which includes the changing rooms and a small bar area.



From the side we have a good view of the structure.



Now we're going further down the open toucchline, and you can see it is also very open behind the far goal.



Along the open side each post is clearly numbered. This must be so they can be taken down for cricket & then put back in the correct place come the start of the next football season.



Set beyond the pitch is this training area, with rudimentary training lights rigged up.



As stated behind the goal it very open, just railed off with grass to stand on.



Set behind the goal, are these old remains, I would hazard a guess that once upon a time netting was put up here to try to stop wayward shots ending up in the trees.



We are now behind the goal, and look to our left down the main side of the ground, where we can see the dugouts, and and area of cover beyond them.



Directly behind the goal we look down the pitch.



Almost in the next corner we glance back along the open standing, with the hospital buildings beyond.



Down this side there is hard standing laid down.



The path curves back, to allow for the dugouts by the halfway line.



Here are the dugouts, pitchside. A little unusual in that they are the same structure, right next to each other.



Beyond this is an another part of the ground with a bit of a difference. A small structure made of wood that is the covered standing area.



Here is a shot of it from in front of it, on the playing side of the perimeter railing.



Underneath it the support beams holding it up at the front must be a bit of an obstruction if there's more than a handful of fans standing under it.



We're now looking over to the club building, the end where we entered the ground.



Glancing back down the touchline the beams block the angles somewhat. Despite that I do like this 'shed', simply because it is so different.



Moving on, there is more hard standing to the last corner.



Finally back behind the goal there is more hard standing, to the maim building, where rails form a players tunnel.



We look over the pitch to the open sides.



Almost at the main building now.



And back to the gate with the club name on, from where it is time to move on & leave.