Season 2025-26

89TH SEASON

SEASON REPORT

After a great deal of thought and consideration, the decision was made to enter a 2nd team in the East Sussex League for the 2025-26 season. With the 1st team already in the bottom division, the League agreed to promoting the 1st team to Division Three in order to accommodate the new reserve side.

In a season that was badly affected by the weather, the 1st team had a successful year, reaching a cup final and a semi-final but the 2nd team struggled all season, winning just two matches – one league game and a friendly – and suffered a number of heavy defeats.

The veterans enjoyed a good run in the Sussex Veterans Challenge Cup but had a disappointing league campaign.

1ST TEAM

After a difficult start in both league and cup games the first team, under the management of Dan Rumsey, had a successful season. The introduction of a number of new young players saw a marked improvement with the side finishing the season as losing finalists in the East Sussex League Division Three and Four Challenge Cup and reaching the semi-final of the Hastings F A Lower Divisions Cup, losing to Burwash only on penalties.

The 1st team had a good pre-season, winning five out of six friendlies but then lost five of the opening six league and cup fixtures although nearly all of these were all against the leading sides. The only victory being a 5-1 defeat of Hollington United II.

1st Team v Wittersham

Icklesham Recreation Ground – Saturday, 11th October 2025

1st Team v Robertsbridge United II

Icklesham Recreation Ground – Saturday, 15th November 2025

Only one match was played in the three months of December, January and February due to the constant rain but when the rain relented and the pitches dried, the 1st team went on an unbeaten run of eight games including seven wins.

In a very exciting period, the victories included a 7-6 penalty shoot-out success against Wittersham in the second round of the East Sussex Football League Division 3 and 4 Challenge Cup and an 8-7 win on penalties over Ninfield II in the third round of the Hastings F A Lower Division Cup, both matches having finished 1-1 after ninety minutes.

Later in the season the 1st team lost on penalties away to Burwash in the Lower Divisions Cup semi-final, failing to convert any of their penalties and also missing from the spot during normal time!

1st Team v Robertsbridge United II

Icklesham Recreation Ground – Saturday, 7th March 2026

1st Team v St Leonards Social II

Bexhill College Sports Centre – Saturday, 11th April 2026

EAST SUSSEX FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISIONS THREE AND FOUR CHALLENGE CUP FINAL

The 1st team reached the final of the East Sussex Football League Division Three and Four Challenge Cup which was an outstanding achievement after moving up from Division Four. The side defeated Robertsbridge United II (4-1), Wittersham (7-6 on penalties after a 1-1 draw), Little Common III (2-1) and St Leonards Social II (6-3) to make the final.

The final was played at the home of Little Common Football Club on Monday, 27th April against a very strong Bexhill Amateur Athletic Club Reserves side.

The side got off to a disastrous start conceding two goals in the opening six minutes, both headers, one from a corner and the other from a long throw. The score remained the same until just before the break when Bexhill AAC broke away after an Icklesham corner and an excellent finish made the half-time score 3-0.

Bexhill AAC added a fourth goal in the 84th minute with Sean Baker netting for the Casuals from the penalty spot in added on time following a handball in the area.

It was a thoroughly deserved 4-1 victory for Bexhill AAC but the team can be proud of themselves on reaching the final, which was just a step too far, but a great learning experience for the young squad. The occasion maybe got the better of them.

Photographs from the final…..

Medal presentation…..

Charlie Snary was Player’s Player of the Year with Tom Cumber taking the Manager’s Player of the Year award. Keiron Buss was leading goal scorer with 22 goals while Tom Cumber (18) and Sean Baker (14) in what was to be his last season before announcing his retirement, both reached double figures.

Sean Baker was awarded the Colin McPhail Trophy in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the club with 1st team captain Chris Anderson earning the Bert Glazier Cup. Blake Henderson was named Young Player of the Year.

The disappointing aspect of the season was the number of yellow cards picked up by the 1st team.

1ST TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
2/7/2025Icklesham Casuals IIHomeFriendly7 – 3Tom Cumber 2, Zak Mansfield 2, Ryan Harffey, Keiron Buss, Archie Brunt
19/2/2025Northiam 75 IIIAwayFriendly5 – 2Keiron Buss 2 (1 pen), Ryan Harffey, Chris Anderson, Oli Spain
26/7/2025Northiam 75 IIAwayFriendly4 – 3Keiron Buss 2 (1 pen), Archie Brunt, Joe Hoblyn
30/7/2025Robertsbridge UnitedAwayFriendly1 – 6Tom Cumber
9/8/2025Hastings Athletic IIAwayFriendly16 – 0Ashley Newell 4, Ryan Harffey 2, Mike Amar 2, Tom Cumber 2, Keiron Buss 2, Luke Keagle, Makenzie Moakes, Jack Harper, Alex Whiteman
20/8/2025Icklesham Casuals Semi-VeteransHomeFriendly5 – 2Tom Cumber 2, Chris Anderson, Sean Melvin, Joe Hoblyn
30/8/2025BurwashAwayLeague2 – 3Keiron Buss 2
6/9/2025The Junior Club Tackleway IIIHomeLeague0 – 4
13/9/2025Pevensey and WesthamAwayLeague3 – 7Stuart Pearson, Oli Spain, Sean Baker
20/9/2025Hollington United IIAwayLeague5 – 1Stan Coleman, Blake Henderson, Sean Baker, Archie Brunt, Oli Spain
27/9/2025Bexhill Amateur Athletic Club IIHomeMacron Store Hastings Vase 1st Round2 – 7Keiron Buss 2
4/10/2025Billingshurst IIIAwaySussex Junior Cup 1st Round0 – 3
11/10/2025WittershamHomeLeague6 – 2Sean Baker 3 (1 pen), Tom Cumber 2, Archie Brunt
18/10/2025Bexhill Amateur Athletic Club IIAwayLeague1 – 6Keiron Buss
8/11/2025The Junior Club Tackleway IIIAwayLeague4 – 2Keiron Buss, Blake Henderson, Sean Baker, Archie Brunt
15/11/2025Robertsbridge United IIHomeEast Sussex Football League Division 3 and 4 Challenge Cup 1st Round4 – 1Tom Cumber 2, Keiron Buss 2
22/11/2025Hastings AthleticAwayLeague7 – 0Keiron Buss 4, Tom Cumber 2, Joe Hoblyn
3/1/2026Bexhill Amateur Athletic Club IIHomeLeague0 – 4
7/3/2026Robertsbridge United IIHome<<Hastings F A Lower Divisions Cup 2nd Round3 – 0Blake Henderson, Sean Melvin, Oli Spain
14/3/2026WittershamHomeEast Sussex Football League Division 3 and 4 Challenge Cup 2nd Round1 – 1^Keiron Buss
21/3/2026Sedlescombe RangersHomeLeague4 – 3Blake Henderson 2, Keiron Buss, Jared Dobinson
28/3/2026BurwashHomeLeague3 – 0Sean Baker, Sean Melvin, Blake Henderson
4/4/2026Little Common IIIAwayEast Sussex Football League Division 3 and 4 Challenge Cup 3rd Round2 – 1Sean Melvin, Sean Baker
6/4/2026WittershamAwayLeague3 – 3Tom Cumber 2 (1 pen), Oscar Wincott-Stone
11/4/2026St Leonards Social IINeutral<East Sussex Football League Division 3 and 4 Challenge Cup Semi-Final6 – 3Sean Baker 2, Keiron Buss, Tom Cumber, Ellis Jackson, Jared Dobinson
18/4/2026Ninfield IIAwayHastings F A Lower Divisions Cup 3rd Round1 – 1+Sean Baker (pen)
25/4/2026TicehurstHomeLeague1 – 5#Charlie Snary
25/4/2026TicehurstHomeLeague4 – 1#Sean Baker 2, Joe Malpass, Oscar Wincott-Stone
27/4/2026Bexhill Amateur Athletic Club IINeutral>East Sussex Football League Division 3 and 4 Challenge Cup Final1 – 4Sean Baker (pen)
2/5/2026BurwashAwayHastings F A Lower Divisions Cup Semi-Final1 – 1*Oscar Wincott-Stone
9/5/2026Pevensey and WesthamHomeLeague0 – 8
13/5/2026Sedlescombe RangersAwayLeague2 – 2Charlie Snary, Tom Cumber
16/5/2026Hollington United IIAway>>League2 – 1Tom Cumber, Dan Rumsey

2ND TEAM

The newly reformed 2nd team had a difficult season. Matt Ford joined the club as manager of the side until it was necessary for him to relinquished the role in March when Martin Tytherleigh stepped in to see the team through to the end of the season. The club would like to place on record their thanks to Matt for all his hard work in managing the side.

A pre-season friendly victory was achieved against Bexhill Amateur Athletic Club III but in the league, the 2nd team along with Hollington Hawks found themselves adrift of the other sides in Division Four.

The only other win came in a league game in December with a 5-3 success away to Hollington Hawks with Alfie Hillman netting a hat-trick although the seconds were awarded three points when St Leonards Social II withdrew from the League late in the season.

Despite the results, the 2nd team fielded a full side in all matches apart from the penultimate game of the season at home to Northiam 75 III when only ten players were available. In all other games the side not only had substitutes but on some occasions players had to be left out of the squad due to having too many players!

2nd Team v Northiam 75 III

Icklesham Recreation Ground – Saturday, 18th April 2026

The 2nd team maintained the club’s reputation for sportsmanship by finishing in joint fourth place for the East Sussex League Sportsmanship Cup with an average mark of 91.

Goalkeeper Young Rok Yoon was voted 2nd team Players’ Player of the Year and captain Blue Willoughby was Manager’s Player of the Year.

2ND TEAM PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
2/7/2025Icklesham Casuals IIAwayFriendly3 – 7Val Gonzalves, Jake Hughes, Blue Willoughby
19/7/2025Little Common IIIHomeFriendly2 – 13Frankie Dickson 2
26/7/2025Northiam 75 IIIAwayFriendly0 – 3
18/8/2025Bexhill Amateur Athletic Club IIAwayFriendly0 – 9
16/8/2025Bexhill Amateur Athletic Club IIIAwayFriendly4 – 3Keiron Buss 2, Lee Pierce, Blue Willoughby (pen)
23/8/2025Bexhill Amateur Athletic Club IIIHomeFriendly0 – 6
30/8/2025Hawkhurst United IIAwayLeague2 – 4Jake Hughes, Alfie Clement
6/9/2025Bexhill Amateur Athletic Club IIIHomeLeague0 – 10
20/9/2025Hawkhurst United IIHomeLeague1 – 2Zach Locke
4/10/2025Robertsbridge United IIAwayLeague2 – 4Blue Willoughby, Sean Baker
11/10/2025St Leonards Social IIAwayLeague2 – 4Jake Hughes, Ashley Newell
18/10/2025Herstmonceux IIHomeLeague2 – 9Jake Hughes, Zach Locke
25/10/2025Little Common IIIAwayLeague1 – 7Stan Coleman
8/11/2025Northiam 75 IIIAwayLeague0 – 11
15/11/2025Bexhill Amateur Athletic Club IIIHomeLeague0 – 4
22/11/2025Ninfield IIHomeLeague0 – 10
29/11/2025Herstmonceux IIAway<League1 – 8Harry Sullivan
13/12/2025Hollington Hawks YouthAwayLeague5 – 3Alfie Hillman 3, Harry Sullivan, Zach Locke
31/1/2026Sedlescombe RangersAway<Macron Store Hastings Vase 2nd Round2 – 5Sean Baker, Lee Pierce
28/2/2026Little Common IIIHome<League1 – 2Lee Pierce (pen)
7/3/2026Northiam 75 IIIAwayHastings F A Lower Divisions Cup 2nd Round1 – 3Ellis Jackson
4/4/2026Robertsbridge United IIHomeLeague1 – 4Ellis Jackson
11/4/2026Hollington Hawks YouthHomeLeague1 – 3Archie Brunt
18/4/2026Northiam 75 IIIHomeLeague0 – 3
21/4/2026Ninfield IIAwayLeague1 – 9Oli Spain

VETERANS

The Veterans entered the Sussex Veterans Challenge Cup for the first time and reached the last eight despite being drawn away in each round. The side defeated Rustington Veterans and Horsham Crusaders Veterans before meeting the holders West Chiltington Veterans in the quarter finals.

In a match played in a very strong wind, after taking an early lead, the Veterans found themselves 4-1 down before fighting back to level the tie. At 4-4 it was all to play for and a shot from Ali Adams hit the inside of the post and came back along the line which would have given the Casuals the lead. A strong penalty appeal was then turned down with the referee also ignoring the fact their linesman was indicating a corner for the same incident. Within 30 seconds West Chiltington had gone up the other end to take a 5-4 lead and added a late sixth goal.

The team lost 2-1 to Sidley United Veterans in the semi-final of the Hastings FA Veterans Cup despite being the better team.

The cup runs as well as the wet weather affected the Veterans leaving them with a number of matches at the end of the season which undoubtedly affected their final league placing of fifth.

Tim Johnson was Veterans Player’s Player of the Year with Stuart Pearson Manager’s Player of the Year. Stuart Adams, assisted by Martin Tytherleigh, once again did an excellent job of running the team.

The team played twelve matches during the season plus a semi-veterans friendly – the highest number of veterans fixtures in a season.

Veterans v Westfield Veterans

Icklesham Recreation Ground – Sunday, 10th May 2026

VETERANS PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
14/9/2025Sedlescombe Rangers VeteransAwayLeague2 – 3Rob Levett 2 (1 pen)
12/10/2025Rustington VeteransAwaySussex Veterans Challenge Cup 1st Round4 – 3David Altendorff 2, Val Gonzalves, Jake Penfold
9/11/2025Horsham Crusaders VeteransAwaySussex Veterans Challenge Cup 2nd Round2 – 0Tim Johnson, Michael Georgeson
16/11/2025Battle Town VeteransHomeLeague3 – 0Tim Johnson 2, Simon Randall
7/12/2026West Chiltington VeteransAwaySussex Veterans Challenge Cup 3rd Round4 – 6Tim Johnson 2, Ben Davis, Val Gonzalves
29/3/2026Battle Town VeteransAwayHastings F A Veterans Cup 1st Round1 – 1*Ali Adams
12/4/2026Bexhill Amateur Athletic Club VeteransAwayLeague3 – 3Val Gonzalves, Ali Adams, Michael Georgeson
19/4/2026FC Parker 99 VeteransAwayLeague0 – 3
26/4/2025Sidley United VeteransHomeLeague1 – 1Tim Johnson
3/5/2026Sidley United VeteransAwayHastings F A Veterans Cup Semi-Final1 – 2Ben Davis
10/5/2026Westfield VeteransHomeLeague0 – 5
17/5/2026Little Common VeteransHomeLeague7 – 1Michael Beaumont 2, Luke Keagle 2, Michael Georgeson, Adam Golding, Simon Randall

SEMI-VETERANS

A mainly veterans side with a few second team players met the 1st team in a pre-season friendly in August as preparation for the Veterans League season.

SEMI-VETERANS PLAYING RECORD

DATEOPPONENTSVENUECOMPETITIONRESULTGOAL SCORERS
20/8/2025Icklesham CasualsAwayFriendly2 – 5Michael Georgeson, Lee Pierce

SEASON AWARDS

SPONSORSHIP

The club was extremely grateful to Long Rake Spar of Rye Harbour for sponsoring a new 2nd team kit. Long Rake Spar, established in 1867, are suppliers of quality specialised decorative aggregates.

The 2nd team wore the kit for the first time in a friendly against Bexhill Amateur Athletic Club III in August 2025.

PRESENTATION EVENING

Cinque Ports Arms, Hastings – Saturday, 30th May 2026

With the Robin Hood unavailable, the club presentation evening was held at the Cinque Ports Arms in All Saints Street, Hastings, a venue that has been used in a number of recent seasons. The event was again well attended.

GENERAL MATTERS

The club lost two stalwarts during the season with the passing of Chris Ades and Mickey ‘The Dog’ Zysemil.

Chris, who died on Tuesday, 21st October 2025, was undoubtedly one of the best players ever to play for Icklesham Casuals, making a memorable debut at the start of the 1960-61 season in a friendly away to Westfield which the Casuals won 14-1 with Chris netting six goals.

A member of the 1st team that was Hastings League Division One champions in 1960-61, Chris was part of the greatest achievement in the club’s history to date, playing in the 2-0 win over Longley’s of Crawley at the Saffrons in Eastbourne when the first team won the Sussex Junior Cup in the 1963-64 season. Chris scored 11 goals in the rounds leading up to the final but he and brother David missed the fifth round tie at home to Burwash on Saturday, 1st February 1964 as it was Chris’ wedding day when he married Marie, his wife for fifty two years. Will Dunlop, club secretary at the time, was not too happy about players getting married during the football season and even asked Chris if the wedding could take place in the morning so both could make the game in the afternoon!

Chris was leading goal scorer for the 1st team in 1960-61 with 46 goals, 1961-62 with 36 goals and 1963-64 with 40 goals.

The 1969-70 season was the last when Chris played regularly for Icklesham after being injured in a game at Brede, but he still turned out for the club on the odd occasion in the years that followed including for the veterans, pulling on the famous green and white quartered shirt for the final time on 31st May 1997 for the veterans side that played Old Centmodians Veterans as part of the club’s 70th anniversary celebrations. In total, Chris made 215 appearances for Icklesham Casuals scoring 206 goals. He also played for Hastings Town and Rye United and the Robin Hood on Sunday.

Chris remained a supporter of the club, attending all the celebrations and reunions to mark milestones in the club’s history. He was present when the memorable photograph was taken at the start of the 75th anniversary season which included players from all the decades of the club to that date and was in attendance at Westfield in May of this year when the veterans side took on Westfield Veterans in the final of the Hastings F A Veterans Cup.

Mickey, who passed away after a long illness just before Christmas, played 26 matches for the 2nd and 3rd teams between 2004 and 2007, almost all, if not all in goal but it was his contribution off the field that was so much appreciated.

He was an excellent assistant to Michael Hambridge and Keith Swallow in running the 2nd team, refereeing games when no match official was appointed or acting as linesman and was always encouraging and supporting the younger players.

Mickey was presented with an award at the end of the 2006-07 season in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Icklesham Casuals. Every club needs a Micky Zysemil.

Both Chris and Mickey will always have a place in the history of Icklesham Casuals Football Club.

The 18th Icklesham Casuals Golf Tournament took place at Eastbourne Downs Golf Club in July 2025 with ten former players taking part and a closely contested event was won for the first time by Steve Fuller.

In June the club supported a Charity Golf Day held at Chartham Park Golf Club in East Grinstead which raised the excellent sum of £4,374.92 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

The Annual General Meeting was held in the pavilion at Icklesham Recreation Ground on Wednesday, 17th June commencing at 7 pm.

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