Crawley Down Village FC was formed as recently as 1993 by the merger of Crawley Down United, with two other local clubs.

Two years later the club moved from the Mid-Sussex League into Division Three of the Sussex County League, finishing as runners-up to Ifield in 1995/96. In that first season, Crawley Down also reached the Final of the Sussex Intermediate Cup, losing to Shinewater Association.

The club consolidated its position in senior football by finishing in mid-table the next two seasons, before finishing third in 1998/99 behind Sidley United and Three Bridges. Unlike those clubs however, Crawley Down (who dropped the “Village” suffix in 1999) were unable to take their place in Division One due to the absence of floodlights at The Haven. The following season it appeared as though the club had again finished in a promotion place, until Lancing were awarded three points, which saw them promoted instead. Even so, the continued absence of lights meant that Crawley Down would not have been promoted anyway.

After three relatively disappointing seasons, with the Club managing no better than a mid-table position, a fifth-placed finish, and a semi-final place in the Division Two League Cup in 2005/06 was a marked improvement. Unfortunately, this was not be continued into 2006/07 with the club finishing just above the relegation zone.

Despite this disappointment on the pitch there is now, after much uncertainty which placed the very future of the club in doubt at one point, much cause for optimism and indeed celebration, off it.

Despite having been granted planning permission for floodlights and hard standing, protracted negotiations between the Football Foundation and District Council came perilously close to forcing the Club out of business in 2006

A major factor was the insistence of the Football Foundation that a minimum lease of ten years was required as security before it could release a grant for developments. The option of development of the area was not acceptable to the Council due to their contention that, as a “recreation ground” the land must remain in their ownership and be accessible for public use when not hired by the Club. With time running out, the Foundation finally made a concession by which the Council would underwrite the grant, as an alternative to a lease; an agreement that would finally allow funds to be released, and works to commence.

In January 2007 it was announced that planning permission had finally been granted that would allow the Club to comply with FA Grading requirements for SCFL Division One football (see below).

Description of ground
The well-maintained Haven Sportsfield is dominated by the massive Village Social Club. This attractive building doubles as the clubhouse for Crawley Down FC and also houses the dressing rooms. The interior is very comfortable and visitors are well catered for.

The 2007 close season witnessed a hive of activity at The Haven with the erection of floodlights and a 2.4 metre high perimeter fence, plus hard standing being laid on all sides: a credit to the hard work of club officials and other volunteers. A 100 seat Arena Seating stand has been erected mid-way along the clubhouse touchline, and there is also an additional smaller identical cover behind the far goal, albeit without seats. New dugouts are also in place on the opposite side of the pitch, replacing much smaller portable dugouts that once stood on the near touchline, in front of the clubhouse. The ground remains accessible via gates for general use when the football club is not using the facilities.

The improvements at the ground are most impressive, especially when one reflects on the earlier photographs in the gallery (link above) and the various obstacles that the club has had to overcome. Purists might despair at the erection of yet another pre-fabricated stand and certainly the view from the seating is not particularly good, especially when there are spectators along the touchline nearby and immediately in front. Equally however, such structures are represent a relatively inexpensive and expedient means of meeting grading requirements, and in addition it is probable that a stand with a higher rake would not have found favour with local planning officials in any case.

It is perhaps surprising that one can still view the action through the green mesh metal fence whilst outside the ground but this has clearly been constructed to lessen the impact on the area that a traditional wooden fence or concrete wall would have done. Similarly the choice of dark green seating in the stand, rather than the more obvious choice of the red club colours, blends in with the surrounding foliage similar to that at Hassocks.

There is plentiful parking at the ground.

Directions
From the B2028 south: Turn right into Vicarage Road, pass the War Memorial and the Haven Centre is 200 yards on the left.  From the B2028 north: Turn left into Sandy Lane to the War Memorial. Turn left into Hophurst Lane and the ground is 200 yards on the left.  From the A22 Felbridge, turn onto the A264. Fork left into Crawley Down Road and the ground is 2 miles uphill on the right.

Nearest railway station: Three Bridges (5 miles)

Map (link to www.streetmap.co.uk)