Formed in 1892, Steyning FC spent all its earlier years in the lower intermediate and junior divisions of the Worthing and Brighton leagues, where the club had limited success winning the Sussex Junior Cup in 1902 and the Vernon Wentworth Cup in 1934.

The club gained senior status in 1964 joining the Sussex County League, playing in Division Two up until 1978 when they were promoted to Division One as Champions, and changed their name to Steyning Town the following season. Their only success during this time was winning the Division Two Invitation Trophy in 1966.

During the 1980s Steyning were one of the top Non League clubs in Sussex and spent eight years in Division One, only once finishing outside the top four. In 1984/85 and 1985/86 they were crowned County League Champions, doing the “double” of League and League Cup on both occasions. In 1986 they also won the Sussex Senior Cup and reached the last eight of the FA Vase.

Having won the County League for the second successive time Steyning left to join the newly formed Wessex League. However, the endless traveling was to prove too costly and after only two seasons the club joined the Combined Counties League in 1988.

Steyning spent five years in this league, during what proved a difficult time for the club, although they did repeat their Senior Cup success in 1989 beating Hastings Town in the Final at the Goldstone Ground. They returned to the Sussex County League in 1993 joining Division Two but were relegated in 1997 to Division Three and back to Intermediate football.

At the end of 2001/02, Steyning won promotion back to Division Two as runners-up to Pease Pottage Village, and also won the Vernon Wentworth Cup after a gap of 68 years. After a bleak decade there are hopes that one day the club will able to recapture their glory days of twenty years ago. After an encouraging 5th place in 2003/04, two consecutive finishes just outside the relegation zone suggested that it might still be a way off yet. However, 2006/07 saw improved performances as Steyning finished 8th in the League and were also beaten finalists in the Division Two League Challenge Cup (by Wealden).

Easily the best attendance for the season was for a Sunday fixture. This attracted quite a few neutral supporters, including a number of groundhoppers to the Shooting Field and is an initiative the club might consider repeating in the future.

Description of ground
Quite a scenic venue considering its location within a housing estate in the pretty West Sussex village of Steyning, The Shooting Field stands on what was once open fields belonging to the local church which is passed on the way to the ground. The ground was fully enclosed in 1965 and four years later a breeze-block built covered standing area was erected, with its roof butting on to the clubhouse behind. This cover since been re-roofed, and serves as the club’s ‘stand’, with chairs provided. Behind this lies the clubhouse, and on either side the snack bar and another slightly raised area that has featured a couple of picnic-style benches in the past. Towards the near corner flag is a further covered area. The two dugouts are now situated on the near side of the pitch, adjacent to the ‘Vice Presidents Club’ building, although there are plans for these to be moved once again.

The dressing room building is situated in the near corner of the ground, where a rather hopeful looking net stands behind the goal to prevent wayward balls being lost. Floodlights were erected in 1985, with hard standing added in the mid-1990s.

Although big crowds are not the norm, parking at the ground itself is extremely limited, although there is ample in the surrounding roads and also in the grounds of the Grammar School next door although this may not actually be permitted, strictly speaking.

Directions
Entering Steyning from the west, take the 1st left into the High Street (Tanyard Lane). Follow into Shooting Field Estate, and ground is 4th turning on the left, adjacent to the entrance to the school. If entering Steyning from the east, turn right into Church Street, then left by the church into Shooting Field Estate.

Nearest railway station: Shoreham (5 miles).

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