Founded in 1945 as Whitehawk & Manor Farm Old Boys, the club joined the Sussex County League in 1952/53 and after finishing third in their inaugural season, were runners-up for three successive seasons from 1954/55, and never out of the top five before changing their name to Whitehawk FC in 1960.

In 1961/62 Whitehawk won the first of three Division One titles. The following season the competition was abandoned due to bad weather, but 1963/64 the Hawks retained the championship, finishing three points clear of second-placed Lewes. The next three seasons however, were nowhere near as successful, and the club found itself relegated at the end of the 1966/67 season, only to make an immediate return as Division Two champions in 1968.

The next nine years saw Whitehawk continue to compete in the top division, until they were relegated for a second time in 1976/77. This time they were to spend four seasons in Division Two, before winning promotion as champions in 1980/81.

In 1983/84 Whitehawk won Division One for the third time, and also enjoyed a good run in the FA Vase before losing at Corinthian Casuals in the 4th Round.

1986/87 saw the Hawks finish as runners-up to Arundel, whilst the club enjoyed by far its best run in the FA Cup in 1988/89, going out in the 4th Qualifying Round to Bognor Regis Town after a replay, having previously drawn at Nyewood Lane.

1993/94 was another good season for the club. Finishing the season once again as runners-up, this time to Wick; and also having their best ever run in the FA Vase: reaching the 5th Round before going out of the competition to Boston.

Having only finished outside the top three once in the past five seasons, the Hawks have now unfortunately established themselves as the 'nearly' club of the Sussex County League, a title that has also been extended to cup competitions. 2002/03 saw the club once again finish in second place, this time to runaway winners Burgess Hill Town. A comparatively modest 8th place followed the next season, but in 2004/05 the Hawks regained their position amongst the leading clubs in the League, finishing just a point behind runners-up Rye & Iden United.

The two sides also met in the Final of the John O’Hara League Cup and in a hugely entertaining game the Hawks emerged as 4-3 winners. Unfortunately, they were later found to have played an ineligible player in substitute Bertie Foster and therefore Rye (who ironically had themselves fielded an ineligible player the previous season) were awarded the trophy.

The Hawks were quietly fancied to do well again in 2005/06 but could only manage 3rd place again behind champions Horsham YMCA and Ringmer. Having been stripped of the League Cup the previous season, their misfortune in cup competitions continued as they reached the Final again, and also the RUR Charity Cup Final, but lost both, to Shoreham and Hailsham Town respectively.

Season 2006/07 began as a two horse race in the eyes of most pundits with Eastbourne Town likely to be the club most likely to deprive Whitehawk of the championship. Despite the Hawks taking four points from the two League encounters it was Town who prevailed by a single point  as both finished the season strongly, hoping for the other to slip up. That Whitehawk finished 11 points clear of 3rd placed Arundel will have been of little consolation. It was similar story in the domestic cup competitions as the Hawks were beaten once again in the Final of the RUR Cup, this time by Chichester City United.

It was another hard-luck story in the FA Vase as well after Whitehawk had fought their way to the Quarter Finals and found themselves at home to favourites Truro City. As 1,009 spectators filled the Enclosed Ground, Truro won through with a controversial winner late in the game that one of the Truro players subsequently admitted was handled into the net.

Description of ground
The rather unromantically named Enclosed Ground is in fact considerably better than it sounds and is one of the more attractive County League grounds to visit, particularly when the weather is good. The ground is tucked away at the end of a long lane in East Brighton Park on the outskirts of Brighton, not far from the Marina and roughly in between the exclusive Roedean Girls’ Public School to the East, and Brighton racecourse high on the downs to the North-West. There is car parking outside the ground and behind the near goal (when the club allows it), although visitors are strongly advised to arrive early if a big crowd is expected as they will have to park in the narrow approach road to the ground. Once inside the reason for the ground’s descriptive name becomes clear as the Sussex Downs rise upwards from beyond the far touchline.

East Brighton Park has been the club’s home since it’s inception immediately following WW2 in 1945, although Whitehawk only moved to the Enclosed Ground in the late 1950s. At that time there were in fact two pitches, which were converted into one and rotated ninety degrees.

In 1960, with the aid of a council grant of £300, the club planted trees and shrubs and created dressing rooms, along with the current stand, with terraced steps added to the latter at a later date. The present clubhouse dates from 1980 - converted and subsequently extended from a building that originally stood in a builders’ yard. A perimeter fence was erected in 1981.

It is only really from the stand, which is set some way back from the pitch, that one becomes fully aware of a pronounced slope which runs from one end to the other. Although a large bank runs along the far touchline, most spectators prefer the elevated view afforded from the stand. From here one can also see the large ‘Hawk’ carved into the chalk of the Downs opposite, although this has faded somewhat and is not as visible as it once was.

Directions
Traveling west along the A259 towards Brighton, turn right into Roedean Road and then right at the traffic lights into Wilson Avenue.  The entrance to East Brighton Park is on the right, with ground signposted down a long lane.

Nearest railway station: Brighton (3 miles).

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