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 Langney Football Club was founded in 1964 and entered the Eastbourne & District Football League, competing in Division 2. Prior to season 1968/69 there was a change of name from Football Club to Sports Club when the club affiliated to the Langney Community Association. At the same time a 2nd team was introduced. At this time the club was playing on local recreation grounds before moving to Prince's Park near the sea-front. At the end of season 1973/74, the club won promotion to the Premier Division of the Eastbourne & Hastings League, and elevation to Intermediate status. The following nine years saw Langney Sports recognised as the most progressive club in the Eastbourne area.
In 1983 the club was elected as a founder member of Division 3 of the Sussex County League and at the same time, moved to it's current headquarters at Priory Lane, now recognised as one of the finest in Sussex: covered all four sides, and boasting an impressive 500 seat stand plus executive boxes. In recent years the ground has staged the prestigious Sussex Senior Cup Final, with the ground attendance record broken in both 2002 and 2003.
In 1986/87 Langney Sports became 3rd Division champions, and completed a treble by winning both the Division 3 League Cup & the Eastbourne Challenge Cup. With promotion to Division 2, Senior Status was achieved and it was no surprise when promotion again followed in 1987/88, this time to Division 1. Apart from two seasons (1994/95 and 1995/96) when they finished in 11th and 9th place respectively, Langney never finished outside of the top four in Division One. In 1989/90, they finished 3rd and also collected their first major honours as a senior club: beating Selsey 3-0 to take the Sussex County League Cup. In 1992 Langney also reached the final of the Sussex Senior Cup, losing 0-1 to Brighton & Hove Albion Reserves at the Goldstone Ground.
In the late 1990s, Langney became recognised as a force in the FA Cup, and much feared by Ryman League sides! Season 1997/98 was marked by the club's best ever run at that time, eventually losing 1-2 at then Dr Martens Premier side Sittingbourne in the 3rd Qualifying Round after disposing of Ryman League opposition (Southall, Leatherhead & Dorking) in previous rounds. In 1998/99 the club went one better, reaching the 4th Qualifying Round but unfortunately a 1st Round Round tie against Torquay did not materialise as they went down 0-7 at Worcester City in mid-week (the original Saturday fixture having been postponed). Highlight of the run was a fine 4-1 victory over Ryman Premier side Harrow Borough in the 3rd Qualifying Round at Priory Lane.
1999/00 was the most significant in the club's brief history at that point. Yet another good run in the FA Cup (knocking out Dr Marten's Premier side Havant & Waterlooville before going down 0-1 at Whyteleafe in the 3rd Qualifying Round) was capped by a wonderful League season, winning Division One of the Sussex County League for the first time, and gaining promotion to the Dr. Marten's League (Eastern Division). Langney Sports ended the season with 99 points, scoring 101 goals to just 25 conceded, and lost only one League game all season. The team finished 14 points ahead of second-placed Burgess Hill Town, who had been champions for the previous three seasons. The icing on the cake was winning the Non-League Club Directory Home Counties South award, in recognition of a memorable season, both on and off the pitch.
2000/01 saw the club elevated to the Dr Martens Southern League, competing in the Eastern Division. In a season of consolidation the club finished in a very creditable 9th position, with the highlight of the league campaign arguably a 4-1 home victory over Chelmsford City, who went on to win promotion. The season also saw the club receive a £117,000 grant from the Football Foundation, to go towards further development of Priory Lane.
At the end of the season, the Committee made one of the most crucial decisions in the club's history: the change the name of the club to Eastbourne Borough FC. Since promotion to the Southern League, it had become increasingly apparent that opposing clubs had little or no idea where Langney was (and often mis-spelt the name of the club). Certainly, very few identified Langney Sports as being part of Eastbourne. In recognition of this, and the desire to both raise the profile of the Town, and increase the potential for sponsorship, the decision to change the name was taken. With so many of the Committee associated with the club since it's earliest beginnings, sentiment weighed heavily but the decision was ultimately a pragmatic one. However, in recognition of the past, and continued association with the Langney Sports Club; the club badge and colours remained unchanged, as did the 'Sports' nickname.
The club's second season in the Southern League (2001/02), and first competing as Eastbourne Borough, was another successful one. Borough ended the season in 7th place, ten points clear of Dartford who finshed one place below them. During the campaign champions and runners-up Hastings Town and Grantham Town both suffered heavy defeats at Priory Lane, losing 0-3 and 0-4 respectively. In addition there were fine cup runs: reaching the semi-final of the Dr Martens League Cup; 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup (losing 0-1 at Ryman Premier Division champions Gravesend & Northfleet); and 3rd Round of the FA Trophy (going out to a deflected last minute goal at Conference runners-up Dagenham & Redbridge).
The season ended on a high note however, as the club won the Sussex Senior Cup for the first time, beating the holders Lewes 2-1 after extra time, in front of a crowd of over 1,500 at Priory Lane, then a record attendance for the ground. The Reserves also enjoyed a fine campaign, and lost only four times all season, winning both the Sussex County League Reserve Section Premier Division and League Cup.
At the end of the 2002/03 season the club took another enormous stride forward, winning promotion to the Dr Martens Premier Division, as runners-up to champions Dorchester Town (losing out only on goal difference). The squad proved itself the most consistent in the DM Eastern Division, with two matches the worst run of defeats, and boasting the best defensive record in the League. The club also finished top of the Division's 'Fair Play' league. The Reserves retained the League title and added the Sussex Intermediate Cup to the trophy cabinet.
Sadly Borough failed to retain the Sussex Senior Cup, but only by the narrowest of margins – losing in a sudden-death penalty shoot-out to Crawley Town after the game had finished goal-less after extra time. One consolation however, was a new record crowd of just over 1,700.
Season 2003/04 began with the target of finishing outside of the bottom four in the club's first season in the DM Premier Division, with a play-off place the height of ambitions. However, once more expectations were surpassed and by finishing in eleventh place, Borough again made history to become founder members of Conference South in 2004/05 ... just twenty years after helping found Division Three of the Sussex County League. Only one club completed the league 'double' over Sports. In addition, the Reserves picked up a third successive League title, and also the League Cup for the second time in three years.
2004/05 proved to be the arguably the most memorable in the Club's history to date ... and certainly as Eastbourne Borough FC. Once again, ambitions were limited to survival in Conference South and, after a dreadful start that saw Borough at the bottom of the table by the end of August, it looked as though fears of the Club's ability to cope at a higher level were well-founded. A remarkable turnaround was to follow however, with Garry Wilson twice picking up the Manager of the Month award, and guiding the team to fifth place, and into the play-offs despite an arduous run-in that saw them play three times in five days. The final table showed that only runaway winners Grays Athletic had a better goal difference over the season, and significantly failed to beat Borough in the two league fixtures. In the play-off quarter final, Borough turned around a half-time deficit at Thurrock to win 4-2; before travelling to Cambridge City where the League runners-up were comprehensively beaten 3-0.
Over 1,000 Borough supporters made the 500 mile round trip to Stoke City for the North v South Play-off Final against Altrincham, but it wasn't to be and a last minute Scott Ramsay penalty wasn't enough to prevent a 1-2 defeat. League attendances were up by more than 20% with Borough officially the 32nd best supported club in Non League football.
Under the leadership of Gareth Sefton, the Reserves picked up yet another League & Cup double; with the U18s finishing as SCFL Youth Section champions, and the Ladies' side also winning a League & Cup double in their inaugural season.
After the euphoria of the 2004/05 season expectations were high amongst supporters, many of whom had experienced nothing but success previously. Certainly, no-one involved at the Club had ever been involved in a relegation battle. Garry Wilson assembled what many considered to be the Club's strongest ever squad and, after an opening day victory at Bishop's Stortford and a good win at Cambridge City boded well. However, it wasn't long before a catalogue of crippling injuries began to seriously undermine the team's performances, with Wilson seldom able to pick the same side twice. The pattern of what was to follow came at St. Albans City in early September, where Borough crashed five-nil.
The remainder of the season was spent hovering nervously above the relegation zone, largely due to injuries but also some very inconsistent performances. Although Borough recorded a good Boxing Day victory over Lewes and performances generally improved in the New Year, it wasn't until the side won at Welling United in April that Conference South survival was all but assured, with a 6-2 win at relegated Maidenhead on the penultimate day of the season confirming this as Borough eventually finished in 17th place.
Despite their League form, the Club still achieved another milestone by reaching the 1st Round proper of the FA Cup for the first time. As one might imagine, they did it the hard way: requiring replays after hard-fought draws at both Redbridge and Metropolitan Police, before a 1-0 win at Hellenic League club Bishop's Cleeve saw them through. Following his performance at Bishop's Cleeve, club captain Stuart Tuck was named 'FA Player of the Round' and received an award at the Final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
Borough's reward was a home tie against League Two club Oxford United. Cheered on by a new record crowd of 3,770, Borough dramatically forced a replay as Ollie Rowland held his nerve to equalise in the last minute from the penalty spot after the referee had ordered his first spot kick to be re-taken. Although the replay was lost three-nil, most considered that the result flattered Oxford and Borough certainly left the Kassam Stadium with heads held high. A spin-off to the tie was that striker Yemi Odubade was later offered a contract for Oxford and signed in January 2006 for an initial fee of £15,000.
Meanwhile, the Reserves (now re-named the Midweek Squad) continued their success by taking the inaugural title of the Sussex Midweek Alliance League.
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