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.

In 1983 the club was elected as a founder member of Division Three of the Sussex County League and at the same time, moved to it's current headquarters at Priory Lane, having previously played on a pitch in Princes Park near the seafront. In 1986/87 Langney Sports became Division Three champions. With promotion to Division Two, Senior Status was achieved and it was no surprise when promotion again followed in 1987/88, this time to Division One.

Promotion to Division One coincided with the move to the current pitch, after the club satisfied the League that the ground would be sufficiently developed in time to meet grading requirements. Up until that time fixtures had been played on the pitch immediately to the right as one enters the ground, albeit at right-angles to its current position. Until the provision of a small steel shelter the only cover was provided by a converted wooden packing case.

Langney's time in Division One saw the club only only finish outside the top six in three occasions and regarded by many as a 'sleeping giant'. Having slowly developed the facilities at Priory Lane the appointment of Garry Wilson in 1998 was the final piece in the jigsaw and the club immediately made a successful bid for promotion.

Thus 1999/00 turned out to be without doubt the most significant season in the club's brief history, comfortably winning Division One of the Sussex County League for the first time (only one defeat all season), and gaining promotion to the Dr. Marten's Southern League (Eastern Division). In a season of consolidation the club finished in a very creditable 9th position.

The 2000/01 season 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. 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 second season in the Southern League (2001/02), and first competing as Eastbourne Borough, saw the club end the season in 7th place, and lifting the Sussex Senior Cup for the first time, following an extra-time victory over holders Lewes.

2002/03 saw Borough winning promotion to the Premier Division of the Southern League, as runners-up to Dorchester Town; just missing out on the championship on goal-difference having led the table in the closing weeks, up until the penultimate week of the season. The club also finished as runners-up in the Senior Cup, losing after a penalty shoot-out against Crawley Town. A further promotion followed in 2003/04 after the club ended the season in 11th place in the Premier Division, thereby securing a place in the new Conference South for the 2004/05 season.

2004/05 saw the The Sports stage a remarkable recovery after being bottom of Conference South early in the season, to finish in 5th place and book a place in the play-offs. Again the club surprised many pundits by winning at Thurrock (4-2) and Cambridge City (3-0) to reach the North vs South Play-Off Final at Stoke City FC. Unfortunately dreams of a staggering rise up the Non-League Pyramid from County League to Conference in five years was not to be achieved, as over 1,000 fans who made the 500 mile round trip from Eastbourne saw Borough lose 1-2 to Altrincham.

Understandably, hopes were high ahead of the 2005/06 season but a combination of inconsistency and a crippling injury list in the first half of the season, saw Borough struggle to escape the relegation zone and only mathematically confirming survival on the penultimate day of the season. There was still plenty for the fans to cheer however, as the Club reached the 1st Round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in it’s history - earning a dramatic replay with League Two club Oxford United with a re-taken penalty kick by Ollie Rowland in the final minute of the match in front of a record crowd of 3,770 and the BBC cameras.

Manager Garry Wilson and Head Coach Nick Greenwood strengthened the squad for 2006/07 although it was still very small compared to that of many rivals in the Division. Nevertheless, form, particularly in the second half of the season marked Borough as serious play-off contenders although progress was again hampered by injuries and also serious drainage problems with a couple of small areas of the Priory Lane pitch that resulted in a number of postponements. Ultimately the club found itself having to play its final four fixtures in the last eight days of the season with a threadbare squad. Despite winning the first three, the final game of the season against Braintree Town proved to be one too many as a tired Sports side fell to only its second home defeat of the campaign.

Description of ground
The facilities at Priory Lane have been continually improved, particularly in recent years, and the ground is now recognised as one of the finest in the county. Since 2000, it has been used by the Sussex County FA to stage the Sussex Senior Cup final.

The first game at the present ground took place on 9 September 1988, where volunteers had constructed a covered terrace - the Peter Fountain stand - in readiness for the club’s first fixture in Division One of the County League. A small extension - the Chris Cooper stand - was added in the early 1990s, in memory of a youth team player who died of a heart attack whilst playing for the club. At this time, dressing room facilities were in the large clubhouse (again built entirely by the club) just outside the main entrance to the playing area. The remainder of the ground was exposed to the elements, with a large grass bank behind the near goal providing an elevated vantage point.

In 1993, the bank was removed to make way for an ambitious new dressing room complex, with four executive boxes and a directors’ lounge above. As before, this was built almost entirely by the club itself, and the dressing rooms were in use by the beginning of the 1995/96 season. The stand, which houses an additional tea bar and provides further covered terracing, was named the Mick Green stand in memory of the popular club captain, tragically killed in a building site accident in November 1994.

Work began on a 250 seat stand on the far side of the pitch during the 1999/00 season, and both this and a further small area of covered terracing were in use by the Sussex Senior Cup final, staged by the club at the end of that season, after a tremendous effort by an army of volunteers to meet the deadline for promotion set by the Southern League.

Ground developments have continued with an extension to the stand doubling its capacity and including a new directors’ lounge, and a further two executive boxes. The covered terracing behind the far goal has also been extended from the Chris Cooper stand, round to the main stand; and new floodlights were opened during the 2003/04 season.

The excellence of the Priory Lane facilities received further recognition in May 2006 when the ground was chosen by the FA to stage all three of England’s fixtures in the Non League Home Nations Tournament.

The original Priory Lane pitch immediately inside the entrance to the ground is now used by the Ladies' team and Youth sections. The first spectator cover on the site is still in place, and has also been converted into a memorial for Josh Briggs, who became the second (and hopefully last) youth team player to tragically collapse and die whilst playing for Borough, during the 2006/07 season.

Directions
If approaching from the east (via Hastings) take the A259 from Hastings, and approaching the roundabout at Pevensey, take the 2nd exit. Carry straight on at the traffic lights. Pass through Pevensey, past the castle on your left, and turn left at the Swan Fish & Chip Shop in Westham onto the B2191 Eastbourne Road. Travel along the B2191 (you will see the floodlights on your left) and at the roundabout, turn left into Priory Road. Priory Lane is about 200 yards down the road on the left.

If approaching via to A27 from Brighton, turn left at the Polegate traffic lights, and then take the second exit at the large roundabout shortly afterwards to continue eastwards on the A27 (signposted Eastbourne, Hastings & Bexhill). Skip next paragraph...

If approaching via the A22, take the first exit at the large roundabout shortly before Polegate, signposted A27 Eastbourne, Hastings & Bexhill. At the next roundabout, take the second exit towards Stone Cross and Westham (A22); at another roundabout shortly afterwards, take the first exit signposted Stone Cross and Westham.

Continue towards Stone Cross village. Shortly afterwards you will come to a crossroads, with a church on your left, the Red Lion pub on the right, and Stone Cross windmill immediately ahead. Turn right, down the B2104 Friday Street. At the end of Friday Street, turn left at the double mini-roundabout into Hide Hollow (B2191), passing Eastbourne Crematorium on your right. Turn right at the roundabout into Priory Road, and Priory Lane is about 200 yards down the road on the left.

Nearest railway station: Pevensey & Westham (approx 30 minutes walk). Taxis and buses available from Eastbourne station.

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