Horsham YMCA FC was formed in 1898, and in 1929 moved to its current ground at Gorings Mead, for which the club was able to secure the freehold at a later date. In the early years YM played in the Horsham & District League, before moving to the Crawley League, and subsequently to the Mid Sussex League. The club’s rise through the latter two Leagues was swift and facilitated the club’s entry into the Sussex County League in 1959.

YM spent seven seasons in Division Two before gaining promotion in 1965/66 as champions. The club remained in Division One for sixteen years until the end of the 1981/82 season when they were relegated. The best performances during that period were two consecutive third place finishes in 1977/78 and 1978/79.

The club bounced straight back as Division Two champions in 1982/83 and this time spent five seasons in the top division before being relegated once more in 1987/88. Promotion back to Division One was achieved by finishing third behind Mile Oak and Hassocks in 1994/95.

Horsham YMCA gained a reputation as a ‘cup side’ in 1999/00 when the club enjoyed good runs in both the FA Cup and FA Vase, as well as reaching the semi-finals of the Sussex Senior Cup. In 2000/01 YM again reached the semi-finals of the Senior Cup, and won the Sussex RUR Cup with a fine victory over Burgess Hill Town. The following season, the League Challenge Cup was also added to the YM trophy cabinet, after beating Ringmer.

2002/03 saw another good season for the club, finishing third in Division One. Despite slightly increased attendances YM’s 13th place the following season was disappointing by comparison, and few were prepared for massive improvement shown in 2004/05 that saw John Suter’s side take the County League championship to Goring’s Mead for the first time. Having looked in an unassailable position for most of the campaign there were a few wobbles in the final months, but fortunately the team recovered to ultimately romp home 15 points clear of runners-up Rye & Iden United.

The season was tinged with disappointment when Goring’s Mead failed to meet grading requirements for entry into the Isthmian League, and many pundits wondered whether YM might have missed the boat.

With YM trailing Ringmer by 12 points as the season reached its climax, and struggling to find the the money for the required work on the ground, it very much looked like that might be the case. Remarkably however, the players maintained their resolve as rivals buckled and YM not only over-turned the deficit but romped home by 9 points to achieve back-to-back championships.

The ground was passed by FA inspectors to allow the club to take its place in the newly created Isthmian Division One South for 2006/07, completing a fantastic season for the town, with neighbours Horsham also winning promotion to the Premier Division. With attendances slightly up, a ninth place finish for the club at the end of its first season as an Isthmian League club was very satisfying and once again demonstrated that well-run clubs with ambition can progress out of the County League and further up the Non League Pyramid.

Description of ground
Gorings Mead occupies a large area of land that extends behind the clubhouse and also into neighbouring gardens behind the top goal, with tenants paying a peppercorn rent to the YMCA organisation. The ground backs on to the neighbouring Queen Street home of Horsham FC, with the floodlights visible over the fence.

The large clubhouse is located within the rear of the main stand, and has a comfortable bar, and snack bar serving burgers etc. on match days. However, because the latter is located away from the pitch-side there is always the risk that one might risk missing the beginning of the second half, and an early goal ... as happened to me on one occasion.

The brick built stand is situated on the half-way line of the eastern side of the ground, and except for a poorly positioned floodlight pylon, affords a good unobstructed view due its cantilever roof. It can however, be rather cold when the prevailing wind is blowing into it - which always seems to be the case whenever I visit!

Having not been able to take promotion at the end of the 2004/05 season due to Goring’s Mead not meeting FA regulations, it looked like a similar scenario at the end of March 2006 when the Club had run of out money. Fortunately, sponsor, Horsham-based Victor Gladwish stepped in with the necessary funding to allow improvements to be completed

Visitors to Goring’s Mead will now be greeted by a new timber-built turnstile block at entrance, built by a former player in a matter of days as the inspection deadline loomed, and extensive new timber perimeter fencing. The main stand now has new seating. The old fixed red seats have been replaced by blue tip-seats that the Club originally purchased from the old Goldstone Ground, and although at the time of writing some of the old red ‘bucket’ seats remain in the back row, the stand currently has a capacity of 213. There are also now facilities for press and disabled spectators. It has also not surprisingly been named the ‘Victor Gladwish Stand’. The old brick dugouts to either site have also been replaced.

Adjacent a new Changing Room block with the aid of Football Foundation funding has been built with much improved facilities, at a reported cost of £160,000 that included extensive drainage and plumbing work.

On the opposite side of the pitch, the aforementioned Andy Piper stand (named in memory of a former player) has had its few seats relocated to boost the capacity of the new stand, although because of its location, set back from the touchline, was always pretty hopeless as a seated stand in any case and will remain as an area for covered standing with an option to extend it in the future. Bob Lilliman's archive photographs show that there was originally a smaller cover built on to a larger wooden hut that housed the original changing rooms. Spectators with weak bladders who cannot be bothered to walk around to the stand side, will also be ‘relieved’ that the ramshackle toilet facilities on that side of Goring’s Mead have been renovated!

Because Gorings Mead itself is a long narrow cul-de-sac with the ground at the end, a large car park has always been a prerequisite, and this has been greatly enlarged and will be extended around behind the stand and adjacent to the new dressing room building.

Directions
Travel north on the A23, turning off onto the A272 at Bolney. Continue on the A272 to Cowfold then follow the A281 to Horsham.

On entering the outskirts of the town, follow the A281 (Brighton Road) a short distance and Gorings Mead is a turning on the left, just before Horsham FC. The entrance to the ground is at the bottom of Gorings Mead.

Nearest railway station: Horsham (15 mins walk).

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