The Latest News From Priory Lane

20 /11/08 : U18's & 1st XI SSC
Tonights U18 fixture .v. Eastbourne UA is postponed. This Tuesday the 1st XI will travel along the coast to Woodside Road as they face Worthing in the Sussex Senior Cup

19/11/08 : F.A. Cup Replay
Details of the defeat in Cumbria are now available here.

17/11/08 : Club Results Round-Up
The details of the Woking draw are now available. The Reserves lost 1-5 away at Leatherhead but the U18's progressed .v. Hastings United 4-0 in a Sussex Cup tie.

13/11/08 : F.A. Cup 1st Round Replay Date
The club was surprised this morning when it was informed by the F.A. that the previously agreed date of Tuesday November 18th. for the Barrow v Eastbourne
Borough 1st round F.A. Cup replay had been changed to the following day. Barrow contacted the Football Association asking to switch the tie to Wednesday November 19th. following the Scotland Under 21 call up of on loan Leeds United goal-keeper Alan Martin for the international match against Northern Ireland at Hamilton next Tuesday.

Borough protested to the F.A. with strong objections to a change and asked that the original date, signed off by both clubs, should stand, citing that 5 days notice is totally inadequate for a club with part-time players who have to get permission to take time off work and use holiday entitlement, and with travel, hotel and training facilities already booked. It is difficult enough for semi-professional players facing a 760 mile round trip for a mid-week game but to be confronted with this only days before is unacceptable.

The Football Association apologised for not consulting EBFC and that the matter was being reconsidered by the Competitions Committee. Late this afternoon the club was informed that the 1st round F.A. Cup replay - Barrow v Eastbourne Borough - will
be played at Holker Street on the originally agreed date of
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 18th. kick off 19.45.

10/11/08 : BRENTFORD PRIZE FOR REPLAY WINNER:
The prize for the winner of the 1st round F.A. Cup replay between Barrow and Borough at Holker Street on Tuesday November 18th. kick off 19.45 is a home fixture with Football League Club Brentford on Saturday November 29th. The Bees are currently 9th. in Division Two and only three points away from a play-off position. Brentford disposed of Blue Square South Havant and Waterlooville 3-1 on Sunday and Karleigh Osborne who was on loan at Borough until last week came on as a late substitute for the 'Bees'. Borough face a 760 mile round trip to Barrow for the replay after Saturday"s exciting 0-0 at Priory Lane.

The Borough Supporters Club are hoping to get enough bookings to run a coach to the replay and are offering travel to Barrow for members at £25 (non members £28)
(Under 16"s, Student members with student card £10, non members £13). The coach is scheduled to leave Priory Lane at 8 a.m. but the Supporters Club needs a minimum of 40 travellers to make the trip viable....less than 40 and the coach will not run.
Les Baker on 01323 735378 is taking bookings up until Sunday November 16th.

SALISBURY CITY POSTPONED
Because of the F.A. Cup replay at Barrow the Blue Square Premier League fixture against Salisbury City at Priory Lane, scheduled for Tuesday November 18th, is postponed. The new date is Tuesday 16th December. Should Borough reach the 2nd round of the F.A. Cup then the Blue Square Premier League fixture at Burton Albion on Saturday November 29th. will be postponed.

Important League Action
Media attention might be focused on a potential mouth-watering 2nd. round F.A. Cup tie against Brentford if Eastbourne Borough knock-out Barrow in the replay at Holker Street on Tuesday November 18th. BUT before that there is a crucial Blue Square Premier League fixture at Priory Lane on Saturday (November 15th) against WOKING. This is a clash between 18th. and 20th. Borough have 20 points from 17 games; Woking 16 points from 17 matches. Woking are separated from the bottom four by virtue of slightly better goal difference than Forest Green Rovers.

HASTINGS CHELSEA SUPPORTERS TO MEET AT EASTBOURNE BOROUGH
Hastings is home to a very active Chelsea Football Club Supporters Branch and with a number of the membership residing in the Eastbourne area are planning to hold meetings and get togethers for the Eastbourne contingent - existing and new - and the Hastings Branch Committee will be holding an
INFORMAL EVENING FOR CHELSEA FANS IN EASTBOURNE AT EASTBOURNE BOROUGH"S IMPRESSIVE LANGNEY SPORTS CLUBHOUSE ON WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 19th. AT 7.30 p.m.

All Chelsea fans whether Supporters Club members or not are invited to attend. If there is sufficient interest regular meetings and events will be staged at Langney Sports with the Eastbourne meetings on the first Monday in the month and the Hastings meetings continuing to run on the first Wednesday of the month.

Hastings Branch Chairman Tim Reeves said "In these diffficult economic times we feel it will help the Branch membership in Eastbourne to be more involved if they are able to attend meetings on their own doorstep without having to travel to Hastings"

Eastbourne Borough Commercial Manager Lorna Gosling said: "We have excellent facilities and the Clubhouse is extremely popular with fans of Premiership clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester United etc. who come to the Clubhouse wo watch games live on tv. and many of these support Borough as well as their big club favourite. Our facilities are such that we can show three games simultaniously. This creates a great atmosphere especially on big Champions League nights. We are happy to allow supporters of other clubs to use the facilities and doing this we hope even more will take in some Borough games at Priory Lane."

Colin Hutchinson who was Chelsea managing director for 15 years and is now on the Eastbourne Borough Committe is to attend the November 19th. meeting. He said: "My focus these days is very much on Eastbourne Borough but I have great affection for Chelsea and whilst it would be wrong for me to be actively involved in a Chelsea Supporters Branch I am more than happy to give my support to the plans the enthusiastic Hastings Committe have in setting up meetings in Eastbourne".

09/11/08 : Club Results Round Up
Details of the draw .v. Barrow are now available. The Reserves and U18's fixtures were all cancelled this weekend.

07/11/08 : Squad Addition
EASTBOURNE BOROUGH have swooped to sign on loan, until January 1st,
CAMBRIDGE UNITED midfielder DANIEL BROWN.

The 28 year-old six footer was registered for Borough only seven minutes before the 12 noon Friday deadline for F.A. Cup 1st round registrations and he goes straight into the squad for the tie against BARROW at Priory Lane tomorrow (Saturday), kick off 15.00.

Brown started out at Leyton Orient but before he made his first team debut he was sold at the age of 18 to Barnet for £40,000. 94 appearances, 8 goals, two play off campaigns and a relegation...he then moved on for two seasons at Oxford United before joining Crawley in the summer of 2005. In November 2006 he signed for Cambridge United, progressing to captain the side. An influential ball winning midfielder he can also play at left back.

League appearances:

Barnet 76 (18 sub) 8 goals

Oxford 15 (1)

Crawley 26 (1)

Cambridge 46 (1) l goal

Squad number at Eastbourne Borough 26.

06/11/08 : Setanta Shield
Details of the home cup defeat .v. Ebbsfleet are now available.

04/11/08 : F.A. Youth Cup
The Boro U18's lost 3-0 away in Gillingham this evening.

F.A. Cup Executive Box Available
Watch the Barrow match this weekend at EBFC in style from one of our Executive Boxes. Our Executive Boxes accommodate up to eight people, have fantastic panoramic views of the pitch, sky television and pay bar facilities. We have availability for this Saturday the 8th November when EBFC take on Barrow in the 1st Round Proper of the FA Cup . The cost is £150.00 and anyone interested please contact Lorna on 01323 766265.

Setanta Shield .v. Ebbsfleet United
Boro exit the League Cup after a 3-1 defeat this evening at Priory Lane. Full details will follow.

Lyle Loan Extended
Eastbourne Borough have extended the loan signing - by a further month - of Millwall striker LYLE TAYLOR.
The 18 year-old scored a dramatic injury time winner in Borough"s 2-1 victory over Stevenage Borough in the televised Blue Square Premier League match at Langney
Sports in October.

03/11/08 : Boro In The News : Business Awards For The Club
Behind every success story there is nearly always a driving force and a visionary.
Such is the case in the amazing rise of Eastbourne Borough Football Club. That person is 62 year-old chairman LEN SMITH who recently was acclaimed BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR at the 2008 Eastbourne Business Awards. The Club was also highly commended in the Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Category for the way it is putting Eastbourne on the national map with its travels and profile in what is the 5th. division of English football.


Eastbourne Borough Chairman Len Smith (left) receives the 2008 Eastbourne Business Person of the Year Award
from T.R. Beckett Managing Director Steve Clark.

Smith took early retirement from a finance director role at 59 to devote more time to Borough and like the rest of the Commitee that has overseen the climb from the third division of the Sussex County League in the Eighties to today's dizzy heights of the Blue Square Premier League - the pinnacle of non-league football and only one step away from the Football League - he is a volunteer and puts in around 60 hours a week for nothing. Eastbourne Borough have only three full time employees...the rest are volunteers and give their time for the Club with its community ethos.

Smith rates as a 'gold star' volunteer having served the Eastbourne Borough cause for 44 years (46 if you count in two years playing for Langney Youth) since the Club was founded in 1964; first as Langney F.C; from 1968 to 2001 they were known as Langney Sports and since 2001 - a bold Smith initiative that initially was not universally received within the Club - renamed themselves as Eastbourne Borough to ensure the club could be identified with the town of Eastbourne. A move that is paying off in 2008 with Eastbourne Borough putting the Eastbourne name on the map via television, radio, national and local press with the publicity generated by playing nationwide...Borough will clock up over 9,000 miles this season on away trips.

Smith, current vice chairman Mick Grimer and Melvin 'Buller' Key were amongst the founders of the Club. In the past four decades Len Smith has held just about every role at the Club: chairman (several times and currently); treasurer, secretary, team manager Langney Sports Sunday side, entertainments manager and in the early days
like the rest of the Commitee took his stint on serving behind the bar. Mick Grimer another Borough stalwart and his life-long friend says Len's greatest achievement was persuading the Council to allow the Club via its Playing Fields Committee to lease two fields on marshland in Langney to be home. In December 2008 Eastbourne Borough will celebrate its 25th. anniversary at Priory Lane. Today it is a thriving community asset boasting a 5,600 capacity stadium including a 600 seat stand; seven executive suites, Legends Lounge, conference and seminar facilities in the impressive Clubhouse which can accommodate between 150 and 200 depending on the type of function; Langney Sports Club with over 2000 members; indoor bowls hall (with over 600 members); a youth football section with over 400 youngsters between 6 and 18 spread over 30 teams; archery club, tai chi classes, over 60's week day club, bingo evenings for locals, computer classes for beginners. Eastbourne Borough has always had at the heart of its ethos the provision of amenities for others and during the week executive suites are used for Owletts Nursery providing quality pre-school provision for children of the local area.


Lorna Gosling, Commercial Manager, Chairman Len Smith with Business Person of the Year Award
and Vice Chairman Mick Grimer with the Highly Commended certificate in the Hospitality, Travel and
Tourism Category which was awarded to Eastbourne Borough Football Club.

Len Smith did the entire design for the stadium and it was built solely by Commitee members and volunteers. The Clubhouse was built by members and volunteers. Money was so tight in those early days that Len Smith used to spearhead a team that went out evenings knocking at local residents doors selling scratch tickets....the proceeds of which were immediately ploughed into materials for the building programme. A new meaning of living hand to mouth!!!

Eastbourne Borough so far this season are averaging over 1,500 per home game with a highest of 2,200; the Club will be featured several times on live tv., despite competing against 75% of sides that use full time professional players (Borough players combine with Monday to Friday jobs) have won four of their opening eight games.

Eastbourne Borough's impressive community Club reputation - they have collected seven awards in the last five years - was further cemented with an announcement on September 1st 2008 that Eastbourne Borough Football Club has become a registered limited company but with a difference: a Community Interest Company. EBFC CIC is the first football club to officially gain CIC status recognising the work achieved by the Club and Langney Sports. A CIC is for the use of people who want to conduct a business for community benefit and not purely for private advantage. An asset lock to protect the community interest will be held by held by the Langney Playing Fields committee (a registered charity) who will at all times own MORE than 50% of the issued share capital. Share income will be used to further develop community projects and facilities. Eastbourne Borough Football Club CIC is the 2000th CIC in the U.K. and were recently presented with ceremonial certificate at Companies House in Cardiff. The brains behind the CIC is Len Smith.

Len Smith was for many years finance director of Smith and Ouzman specialist printers based in Eastbourne. He also had a spell on Eastbourne Borough Council.

Boro In The News : Miss Eastbourne Borough
Eastbourne Borough have found a new striker...Kylie Higgs!



The 21 year-old Hailsham hairdresser - born in Eastbourne - has followed Borough for the last five years and is the niece of Andy Higgs who is a manager for the club main sponsor Hailsham Roadway.



The 5 ft. 4 ins blonde started learning the hairdressing trade at the age of 14. Her favourite player is Borough goal-keeper Lee Hook. Kylie is representing the club in the Miss Non-League Today Competition and all at the club wish her good luck.



Apart from football Kylie enjoys shopping!!
Pictures: Rob James/NonLeagueToday

01/11/08 : Club Results Round-Up
Details of the League away victory at Northwich are now available. The Reserves and U18's fixtures this weekend all fell foul of the Eastbourne weather.

29/10/08 : Sussex Senior Cup Details
Details of the win at Priory Lane .v. Mile Oak are now available.

CIC
Information regarding the CIC are now available from the CIC page of this site.

28/10/08 : Sussex Senior Cup Result & Draw
'The Sports' will travel to Worthing FC in the next round of the Sussex Senior Cup after tonights dramatic 4-3 win .v. Mile Oak - Full Details To Follow.

Cup Ties Dominate November Fixture List
Eastbourne Borough have two home Cup ties in five days to kick off a busy November! EBBSFLEET UNITED arrive at Langney Sports on TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4TH. kick off 19.45 for the third round of the Setanta Shield.

Borough then face Blue Square Premier League rivals BARROW in the 1st. round of the F.A. Cup at Langney Sports on SATURDAY NOVEMBER 8th kick off 15.00.

This is the third time Eastbourne Borough have reached the first round proper stage but so far they have never progressed beyond. In November 2005 in front of a record Langney Sports attendance of 3,770 they held Oxford United, then a Football League club, 1-1 before losing the replay 3-0 at the Kassam Stadium. Last season, as a Conference South side, Borough were knocked out at home by BSP Weymouth 4-0.

Admission for the November 8th. tie will be normal BSP prices of £12.50 adults,
£8 concessions and £4 juveniles. Season ticket holders are required to pay for this match.

Should a replay be necessary against Barrow this will be at Holker Street on Tuesday November 18th. kick off 19.45. Ticket prices: Grandstand £12 adults, £9 concessions. Terracing £11 adults, £8 concessions. Under 16's £4. all areas.

As reported below Eastbourne Borough U18's have reached the 1st round proper of the F.A. Youth Cup : for only the second time in their history, and will meet Gillingham at the Priestfield Stadium on Tuesday November 4th. kick off 19.45.

The only other time Borough reached the lst round was 20 years ago in 1988/89 - at a time when the senior side were still in the Sussex County League - and that season the U18's defeated Banstead, Crawley and Dartford before going out 2-1 in a replay at Welling (senior team in Conference at that time) having held them 2-2 at Priory Lane.

This season Borough have reached the lst round by beating
Folkestone Invicta 3-2 aet; Lingfield 7-0; Hastings United 6-1 and Chatham 2-0 aet.

Admission prices at the Priestfield Stadium will be £4 adults, £2.
concessions (Under 16, over 65).

26/10/08 : Club Results Round-Up
The 1st XI progressed into the 1st Round of the F.A. Cup at the expense of Oxford City. Details are available here. Manager Garry Wilson stated "In past seasons we have found ourselves in a similar position (to Oxford City), just losing out one nil to a Conference side with the opposition stating 'job done' so it was nice to be on the other end of this result". On a rare Baker goal; "Fantastic to see Darren scoring such a vital goal for the club", and on the draw which sees Priory Lane welome Barrow on the 8th of November - "Its not the draw that we would have hand picked but I am delighted that we are at home."

On Saturday the Reserves lost for the 1st time this season, heavily, 3-7 away at Merstham, although the side remain top of the table. The U18's won away at Westfield this morning - 11-0, and the Ladies beat Bognor Regis Ladies 2-1 away.

F.A. Youth Cup Prices
Alex Howell bagged two goals in extra-time at Chatham to book Eastbourne Borough an away trip to Gillingham in the lst round proper of the F.A. Youth Cup. Borough won the third qualifying round tie 2-0 after the sides were locked together at 0-0 after 90 minutes. Howell found the net in each period of the extra 30 minutes and took his tally to five goals in two F.A. Youth Cup games, having notched a hat-trick in the 6-1 demolition of Hastings United in the 2nd. qualifying round. Borough travel to the Priestfield Stadium to take on Gillingham on Tuesday November 4th. kick off 19.45.

Admission prices for the game will be £4. adults and £2 for concessions (under 16 and over 65).

Eastbourne Borough Ladies
The Ladies section are looking for a coach to help conduct training sessions at Beresford House Astro turf on Thursday evenings 8pm -9-30pm. Any person interested in assisting the Ladies should contact the club by phone or via web@ebfc.co.uk

The club, sitting 3rd in the Premier Division of the SECWFL are also looking to strengthen the squad. Any Ladies interested can again contact the club by phone or via web@ebfc.co.uk



26/10/08 : 13.30 : F.A. Cup 1st Round
In the 1st Round draw, completed live on ITV this afternoon, 'The Sports' have been drawn at home to divisional rivals Barrow.

24/10/08 : The F.A. Cup 2008/2009
The 1st XI squad have the chance to emulate the U18's as they make their first steps in this years F.A. Cup. The club travel to a now familiar city, Oxford, but visit Court Place Farm, Marston - capacity 1,500 - the home of Oxford City.

Oxford City FC was originally formed in 1882 and eleven years later, was joined by members from Cygnets FC, Oxford Wanderers FC and Oxford United College Servants. In 1906 Oxford City won the Amateur Cup and the following year entered the Isthmian League. Since their formation, City have won the Oxfordshire Senior Cup on more than 30 occasions, the Oxfordshire Benevolent Cup 18 times and the Oxford Charity Cup 9 times.

In 1979 the club became a limited company for the first time and in the following year Bobby Moore was appointed manager with Harry Redknap as his assistant but unfortunately the club was relegated for only the second time in their history. Oxford City remained in Division One of the Isthmian League until forced to resign from the league in 1988 when Brasenose College, owners of the White House Ground, terminated City's lease due to a contravention of the terms, and sold the site for housing. Determined to revive the club, loyal supporters continued to hold regular meetings after the directors had resigned, even though no Oxford City teams played until 1989 when City entered a side in the Oxfordshire Youth League. For the 1990/91 season, an Oxford City senior side was elected into the South Midlands League, playing in the First Division. Gratefully sponsored by Unipart Group, the club utilised temporary facilities in Cutteslowe Park and finished third in the league winning promotion to the Premier Division. After securing the use of the larger Pressed Steel Ground at Roman Way in Cowley, it took two more seasons for the City to gain further success, this time winning the League Championship (a first for the club other than the war years).

The progress of the club meant that a new ground was urgently needed to realise the ambition of a return to the Isthmian League after having been forced to resign in 1988. With great help from the local council and numerous other contributors a site for a new stadium was made available at Court Place Farm. The opening game was played against neighbours Oxford United in front of a crowd of 1800 spectators, with City winning by three goals to one.

For more info, directions, and a preview of the tie, visit the clubs website here.

23/10/08 : U18 F.A. Cup
The U18's needed extra-time to beat Chatham Town in the F.A. Cup 2-0. The side will now face league opposition, again in the Medway towns, Gillingham, on a date/time to be confirmed.

Soccer School At Priory Lane
With the school holiday soon upon us there are spaces available in the Soccer School next week. Details are available via download from the foot of the right-hand info bar.

22/10/08 : Reserves
The Reserves continued their excellent season with a 4-0 win at Priory Lane over Horley Town.

F.A. CUP
Eastbourne Borough are AWAY to OXFORD CITY in the 4th. Qualifying Round of the F.A. Cup on SATURDAY OCTOBER 25TH. at Court Place Farm, Marston, Oxford, kick off is at 15.00.
City play in the Southern Premier League - promoted via the play-offs last May - and are currently 16th. out of 22 clubs with 11 points from nine games. In the 3rd. Qualifying Round they defeated Chesham 2-1 at home in front of a crowd of 454. Capacity of Court Place Farm is 1,500.
POSSIBLE REPLAY: should a replay be necessary this will be at Langney Sports on Tuesday October 28th. kick off 19.45. Entrance for any repaly in the F.A. Cup will be as League match prices £12.50, £8, £4. As per F.A. rules Season Ticket holders will also need to pay

FIRST ROUND PROPER DRAW LIVE ON TV
The draw for the first round proper will
be live on ITV1 on SUNDAY OCTOBER 26TH. BETWEEN 13.00 AND 13.30.
This is the stage where Football League Divisions 1 and 2. - including Leeds United, Leicester City and Brighton - enter the competition.

SUSSEX SENIOR CUP:
Provided Borough are NOT involved in an F.A. Cup replay on TUESDAY OCTOBER 28TH. they will be in action that night - 19.45 kick off - at Langney Sports against MILE OAK in the Sussex Senior Cup. Admission prices for this fixture: £8 adults, £4. concessions, £2. juveniles.

SETANTA SHIELD
Eastbourne Borough will be at home to EBBSFLEET in the third round of the Setanta Shield on Tuesday November 4th. kick off 19.45. Prices for this League Cup fixture will also be as per League match prices, £12.50, £8, £4. Season ticket holders again pay.

CIC - 2000th In Te Country
Not only is Eastbourne Borough F.C. the first football club to gain CIC status but it is also the the first football club to officially gain CIC (Community Interest Company) status but it is also the 2000th CIC in the United Kingdom.
Recently Chairman Len Smith and Chief Exectuive Mike Spooner were invited to Companies House in Cardiff and the Club were presented with a ceremonial certificate to mark the 2000th CIC company to be incorporated.
Regulator of CIC's Sarah Burgess said: ' I am delighted to welcome Eastbourne Borough Football Club as a community interest company (CIC) and in particular congratulate them on becoming the 2000th CIC in the UK. Eastbourne Borough Football Club is at the heart of the local community and through its community based activities offers the best in social, educational and sporting opportunities. The Club embodies all the qualities of a community interest company and I have every confidence that they will be fine ambassadors.'



21/10/08 : Reserves
The Reserves will face Maidenbower Village at Priory Lane on Saturday -1/11/08 in the Sussex Intermediate Cup, and anyone wishing to see some live action tomorrow (21/10/08) can catch the side in league competition .v. Horley Town, KO 19:45.


Boro at Aston Villa Training Centre

Barrow Match Details
The 1st XI match details at Barrow, the fixture Neil Jenkins' 100th appearance, are now available here.