page_title: Hastings United F.C.
section_title: Hastings United and the Isthmian League
hierarchical_section_title: Hastings United F.C. / History / Hastings United and the Isthmian League
caption_attribution_description: Eastbourne United v Hastings United
context_page_description: Hastings United Football Club, previously known as Hastings Town, is a semi-professional football club based in Hastings, East Sussex. They currently play in the Isthmian League South East Division and have played their home games at The Pilot Field since 1985, after the demise of the previous Hastings United, whose identity they took on following a name change in 2002.
  The club was founded in 1893 as Rock-a-Nore and joined the East Sussex Football League in 1904. They went on to become founder members of the Sussex County Football League in 1920, changing their name to Hastings & St Leonards in 1921, before leaving to join the Southern Amateur Football League in 1927. They had a brief stay in the Corinthian League before becoming founder members of Division Two of the Sussex County League in 1952. They changed their name to Hastings Town in 1976 and took Hastings United's place in the Southern Football League in 1985. They became Hastings United in 2002 and would go on to join the Isthmian League in 2004, where they have remained since.
  The club's traditional colours are claret and blue, though for the 2017-18 season their home kit is white with claret and blue trim.
context_section_description: Hastings Town changed name to Hastings United ahead of the 2002-03 season, taking on the identity of the club formed in 1948. The club enjoyed a decent start to the season and reached the first round of the 2002–03 FA Cup; however the club saw a dip in form and were relegated back to the Eastern Division. The summer ahead of the 2003-04 season saw many changes at the club, with most of the squad leaving, losing many players to Eastbourne Borough and Folkestone Invicta; Dave Walters taking over as chairman and new manager Steve Lovell, having to build a squad that eventually escaped relegation to the county league.
  Following the FA's restructure of the football league, the club joined Division One of the Isthmian League for the 2004-05 season. Neville Southall took over as manager in November 2004 following Lovell's resignation and consolidated their place in the league. However Southall's stay was short as he resigned during the 2005-06 season following disagreements with the Chairman, seemingly starting the trend of short lived managerial stays for the following seasons.
  Nigel Kane and Pat Brown took over from Southall, with the latter stepping down but later returning as goalkeeping coach. For the 2006-07 season, Kane's brother Norman was introduced as assistant manager, but the club seemed destined for another relegation battle, however a turn in form saw the club go on a remarkable run from November, finishing in the play-off places at fifth place. The side went onto beat Dover Athletic in the semi-finals and Tooting and Mitcham United in the final to win promotion to the Isthmian League Premier Division.
  The club started off the 2007-08 season well; however a loss in form saw the side fall into the relegation places and the departure of Nigel Kane. His successor, Tony Dolby and assistant Mike Rutherford, were able to steer the club out of the relegation places, finishing in fourteenth place. However, shortly after the end of the season Dolby and Rutherford announced their departures from the club, with several key players also leaving. Former player and current reserve team manager John Lambert was promoted to first team manager, with Wayne Farrier as his assistant. Lambert only lasted until February 2009, when he was suddenly sacked and Tony Dolby returned as manager. Dolby built a strong side for the 2009-10 season and led the club to a seventh-place finish, just outside the play-off places, but after a disappointing run in the 2010-11 season, Dolby departed once more and Jason Hopkinson was brought in as his replacement. Hopkinson's stay at the club was disappointing and short-lived after he departed in November 2011 and replaced by Sean Ray.
caption: Hastings players celebrate scoring a goal
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