Non-league day at Whitehawk FC

To the uninitiated and ill-informed, a day out at Whitehawk FC might suggest a rather nervous and potentially jittery experience, but having agreed to join my good friend Guy Lloyd following his confident advice that watching the Hawks was relaxed and generally fun, we decided to meet up for an afternoon of football and frivolity on Non-League Day.   

This was the first Non-League Day for two years having been first set up in 2010 as a social media experiment. It has since grown to become an annual part of the football calendar, coinciding with an international break and provides an opportunity for clubs to promote the importance of affordable volunteer-led community football while giving fans across the country the chance to show support for their local non-league side. Most non-league clubs are almost exclusively run by volunteers, and where the level of skill on offer at non-league grounds is undoubtedly not at the same as the Premier League, there are other parts of the experience where the smaller non-league clubs will always prove to have a winning formula. 

The vast majority of games still kick off at 3pm, ticket prices are realistic, you can often stand and partake of an alcoholic beverage anywhere in the ground and will be guaranteed a warm welcome by people who run their clubs for a love of the game.

Whitehawk FC are no different and currently ply their trade in the Isthmian League South East Division at The TerraPura Ground located at the far end of East Brighton Park. Non-League Day saw the visit of Sevenoaks Town, with the visitors beginning the game four points behind their hosts and both teams languishing in the wrong half of the table. The reverse fixture back in December saw the Hawks triumph 3-0, so hopes were high for a potential double and a chance to move away from the relegation zone.

Not being sure of what to expect, I arrived at the ground around an hour before kick off to be greeted by smiling, friendly staff who were only to willing to share a joke or two about whether I could go in and out as I pleased. (That’s a yes by the way!) It was a mere five pounds to get in, so I was more than happy to drop some money in the bucket to support Prostate Cancer, the charity supporting non-league day, before availing myself of the facilities and going about getting my bearings.

Fortunately, it was a day bathed in glorious sunshine, so I wandered around three sides of the ground, meeting Kevin Miller, the Vice Chair at Whitehawk FC, and Isaac Gleave, the PR man in the process. On purchasing a Hawks scarf for ten pounds (I collect them!), I went off to mingle with the locals over a few libations and my overriding feeling was unquestionably NOT one of nervously looking over my shoulder, but quite the opposite – relaxed, friendly and what a refreshing change from the regimented ‘you can’t do this, and you can’t go there’ attitude that you receive at many of the higher-level clubs. I have a few friends who choose to enjoy their football with other clubs in Sussex in this way and now I could begin to see why. 

With kick off fast approaching and despite a sloping pitch and a northerly wind that suggested this was not going to be an afternoon conducive to a flowing passing game, I made my way to one end of the ground to join in with the ‘Ultras’. Now I’d heard great things about these Whitehawk fans, and they certainly didn’t disappoint; namely that they noisily support their club for ninety plus minutes with drums and whistles, whilst proudly singing about no to racism no to homophobia and no to sexism – they locate themselves at which ever end the team are attacking and there’s no absolutely no offensive chanting – again quite the opposite of what you can hear at the so-called bigger clubs.

 The first half saw the ball spending prolonged periods in the sky, and arguably Whitehawk were marginally the better side in the first half which ended goalless, despite neither ‘keeper being really tested.

As described earlier, the second half saw the ‘Ultras’ change move to the Sea end and, if anything, the volume of support went up a notch. Myself and Guy were joined by LGBT and mental health campaigner Dr Sophie Cook, the club’s Equality and Diversity Officer, who was the first transgender woman to work in football’s Premier League and who is a regular supporter at the TerraPura Ground. Whitehawk are truly a club for all, amplified by the Rainbow flag fluttering proudly underneath the TV gantry, and I can honestly say it was a pleasure to be part of Whitehawk’s biggest crowd of the season of 613. (The average attendance this season was just over 321.) 

Despite the game looking increasingly like it was going to end in a disappointing stalemate, the deadlock was broken just over ten minutes into the second half when Oaks striker Yahaya Bamba was brought down by Hawks defender Adam El-Abd, the former Egypt international and Brighton & Hove Albion no nonsense defender (and at one time my favourite Seagulls player!).

Bamba stepped up to take the penalty and Whitehawk sensed a brief moment of elation when the Whitehawk goalkeeper, Stroomberg-Clarke dived to his right, saving the initial shot, before Bamba tucked away the rebound to give Sevenoaks the lead.

The expected siege of the visitors’ goal didn’t materialise until the final five minutes when a late effort from Hawks player Javaun Splatt went wide, and no-one was on hand to convert a late cross which flashed across the visitors’ six-yard box in the dying moments.

A thoroughly enjoyable day out and, despite the disappointment of a 0-1 defeat, unquestionably one that characterised everything about what an inclusive club should be. I for one will be returning soon and would thoroughly recommend it.