The Official Matchday Programme of Midhurst & Easebourne
SAT 18 OCT 2025
KO 3pm
Chairman
Tom Merrit-Smith
Vice-Chairman
Barry McMahon
Club/Matchday
Secretary
Donna Laycock
Assistant Secretary
Gavin Laycock
Treasurer
Barry McMahon
Groundsman
Bernie Penny Social Media
Libby Adey
Bar Manager
Heather Good Café Manager
Lucinda Davis
Photographer
Teresa Bright Manager
Tylan Borachan
Assistant Manager
Adam Brice Lead Coach
Ollie Maynard
Physio
Lewis Sandy
Matchday Programme
JMA Programmes
Welcome to The Rotherfield
Good afternoon and a very warm welcome to The Rotherfield for this afternoon's match against Roffey.
We would like to give our best wishes to the players, management, supporters and our Match Officials, we trust that you all enjoy your visit with us this afternoon.
We come into this game after a loss at home to little common, but we remain positive and the boys have been training hard.
Our clubhouse bar will be open this evening, please enjoy a drink and refreshments while backing the team, as always, your backing makes a real difference so let's get behind the lads and cheer them on to what we hope will be a successful game.
Up the Stags!
Tylan Borachan
The club has 2 senior teams, and we currently have 7 youth teams. The First Team are currently members of the Southern Combination Football League and compete in Premier Division, whilst the Community Team play in the West Sussex League Division 2.
The club was established in 1946 by a merger of Midhurst, whose ground had been used to build a school on, and Easebourne, who had lost several officials and players during the World War II. They joined the West Sussex League and went on to win the title in 1955–56, 1962–63 and 1964–65, as well as the Malcolm Simmonds Memorial Cup in 1959–60. After the top division was renamed the Premier Division, the club won the league again in 1967–68, the Bareham Cup in 1970–71 and the Malcolm Simmonds Memorial Cup in 1973–74. They won the Premier Division and Malcolm Simmonds Memorial Cup double in 1976–77 and retained the cup the following season, before winning another league and cup double in 1979–80. Although an application to join the Sussex County League was rejected in 1980, they were accepted into the league the following year, becoming members of Division Two. In their first season in Division Two, Midhurst & Easebourne were runners-up, earning promotion to Division One. The club finished bottom of Division One in 1986–87 and were relegated back to Division Two. They won the Division Two Cup in 1988–89, beating Newhaven 5–3 on penalties in a replay. The club returned to Division One after finishing second in 1991–92 but were relegated back to Division Two at the end of the following season. A second successive relegation in 1993–94 saw them drop into Division Three. Although they won Division Three at the first attempt, the club were relegated back to the division at the end of the 1997–98 season.
In 1998–99 Midhurst & Easebourne finished bottom of Division Three and were relegated to the Premier Division of the West Sussex League. They were Premier Division champions and Centenary Cup winners in 2001–02 and were
promoted back to Division Three of the Sussex County League. The following season saw them win the Division Three title and the Division Three Cup, earning promotion to Division Two. Although they finished bottom of Division Two in 2009–10, the club avoided being relegated to Division Three. In 2015 the Sussex County League was renamed the Southern Combination, with Division Two becoming Division One. Midway through the 2018-19 season, the club found themselves bottom of Division One and appointed Liphook United Manager, Andrew 'Lemmy' Ewen as First Team Manager, who subsequently saved the club from relegation to Division Two. The 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons were both ended early and deemed null and void due to COVID-19, with the club sitting 6th and 4th in respective seasons.
The 2021-22 saw a return of success to the club. With the first team winning promotion to the premier division via the playoffs and winning the league cup. A real triumph for Lemmy and his team after having the two previous seasons curtailed when in strong positions. The reserve team also enjoyed success with a second-place finish, securing promotion to their respective premier division.
With that season's achievements, and subsequent promotion to step 5 football we found ourselves competing in the FA Cup for the first time in our history. 2022-23 was sure an exciting historical season for everyone involved in the club and town.
2025-2026 Started with us looking for a new Chairman and Team Manager as Mark Broughton and Lemmy Ewen stepped down from their roles, which leads us to now where we welcomed Tom Merritt –Smith as our new Chairman and Tylan Borachan as our First Team Manager and we did a rebrand for our reserve team into our new Community Team which is co -managed by Sean Brockhurst and Wayne Hyde. Their will to succeed and passion of the game hope to propel the club forward to a successful future.
Roffey Football Club was founded in 1901. The club’s first success came in the 1920s, twice winning the Horsham Junior Charity Cup. More success followed in the 1930s, twice crowned as Horsham league Division 1 Champions, and twice winners of the Horsham Senior Charity Cup.
In the 1954/55 season, the 1st Team were crowned Division 1 Champions with a 100% record, gaining the title the following season. In 1969 the club joined the Crawley & District League, winning the Premier Division in 1982
In the 1980s they were twice finalists in the Mick Hastain Cup before winning the Division 1 title in 1987. More success came in the early 1990s, lifting the Les Searle Floodlit Cup and runners up in the Malcolm Simmonds Cup. 1993 saw the 1st Team finish runners up in Division 1. The following season the 1st Team finished runners up in the Premier and won the Malcolm Simmons Cup and in 1994/95 the 1st Team won the Newton International Floodlit Cup.
Roffey FC joined the Mid Sussex Football League in 2005. In 2008 the 1st team won Division three, the Sussex County Junior Cup and were finalists in the Mowatt Cup. Two more top finishers and a runners-up spot in the Premier Division saw them accepted by the Sussex County Football League in 2011, which, at the time, was a major landmark in the club’s history and the first time at intermediate level.
2012/13 saw the Club get back to winning ways with a mid-table finish in County 2
and success for the reserves and 3rd teams in the Mid Sussex leagues. It also saw the introduction of an U18 squad for the first time, who narrowly missed out on the Arun and Chichester League title but won the cup and were runners up again the following year.
In recent seasons the 1st Team finished runners up in 2015/16 failing the ground requirements for promotion, while the U18 team won the Combination Central League of Leagues. The 2017/18 season saw the 1st Team narrowly miss out on promotion after being top at Christmas. In the Summer of 2019 the Roffey FC was finally awarded the funding and approvals to install floodlights and a spectator stand, allowing the club the opportunity to go forward. Later in 2019 Hills Farm Veteran’s club joined hands with Roffey FC to become the Vets team (vets being over 35!).
Post-covid, in the Summer of 2022 the 1st Team won the SCFL Division 1 title gaining promotion to the Premier Division for the first time in the Club’s long history! After a difficult start to 2023 Season the arrival of Jack Munday as the new Manager was the opportunity to start the successful rebuilding of the team and although we ended the season strongly, it was too late to maintain its position in the Premier Division. In Division 1 the team dominated during 2023-24 gaining straight promotion back to the premier Division. Today Roffey also has an U23s and two U18 teams, and on the other end of the age scale we have a vibrant vets section!
Johnny
Jermaine
Seamus
Conor
Tim
Dan
Jamie