Woodside Road: Worthing FC
From Worthing FC
If you want interesting stories about football grounds, the lower leagues are where you’ll find them. Woodside Road is no different, having been open since 1937. That only tells part of the story, however, with the ground originally opening in 1892 when it was known as the Pavilion Road Sports Ground. That was based over a site of around 13 acres, with the pavilion having been built in the Queen Anne style and lending the name to both the sports ground and the nearest road. It was mostly closed in 1937, which was when the existing stadium was developed on the northern portion of the land that was there.
In some ways, the teams that play in the lower leagues are just like the grounds un the sense of having a story to tell. Worthing Association Football Club was formed in 1886, initially playing friendlies before having a competitive match in the Sussex Senior Challenge Cup. That was n the 27th of November 1886, with the club winning the game against Brighton Hornets. The club has enjoyed some minor successes over the years, such as winning the Sussex Senior Challenge Cup itself in the 1892-1893 season, defeating Eastbourne 2-1 in the final. A life in the lower leagues isn’t as disappointing as some might imagine.
Stats
| Woodside Road Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Opened | 1892 |
| Capacity | 3250 |
| Average Attendance | 1324 |
| Record Attendance | 3600 (Worthing v Wimbledon (14/11/1936)) |
| Pitch Size | 100 x 64 (6400) |
| Sponsor | Sussex Transport |
| Clubs Hosted | Worthing, Horsham, Brighton & Hove Albion Reserves |
| Worthing FC Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1886 |
| Nickname | The Rebels, The Mackerel Men |
| Rivals | Bognor Regis Town, Eastbourne |
| Previous Stadiums | People's Party, Beach House Park |
| Kit | Red (Home) / Blue (Away) |
| Shirt Sponsor | Focus Group |
| Team Owner | George Dowell |
| Record Goalscorer | Mick Edmonds (276) |
| Record Appearances | Mark Knee (414) |
Woodside Road Photos
Woodside Road Seating Plan and Where to Sit
If you’re used to the likes of Premier League grounds, you’ll be in for something of a shock when you head to the home ground of Worthing Football Club. The facilities are much more basis, with only two real stands to speak of available here. The towering stands that you might have experienced at the likes of Old Trafford or Anfield are not what you’re going to find here. Most of the viewing areas are terraces, so comfort isn’t something that you should be holding much hope for.
Worthing FC Ticket Prices
Here is a look at the ticket prices for Worthing FC matches for the 2023-2024 campaign, which should offer a sense of what you’ll be expected to pay:
- Adult: £16
- Concession: £12
- Under 16s: £6
- Under 12s: £3
- Under-6s: Free
Anyone over the age of 65 as well as students with a valid ID and people with disabilities are counted as concessions.
How To Get Worthing FC Tickets
If you’re looking to get tickets for a Worthing match then the best place to start is with the club’s official website. It is well-run and easy to navigate, so you can look at exactly how much they’ll cost and where to get them, with buying on the turnstile also being an option.
Where to Buy
Getting To Woodside Road
Train – If you’re hoping to get the train in order to watch a Worthing match then you’ll want to be heading to either Worthing Railway Station or West Worthing Railway Station. They are both around ten minutes away on foot, so offer solid options to anyone hoping to travel there in the greenest way possible.
Bus – If you’re a bus taker then you’ll be pleased to know that the number 10 stops just a short distance away from the stadium.
Car – It isn’t unusual for people to want to drive to watch a football match. If this is the position that you find yourself in then you just need to bear in mind that you’ll have quite a long journey on your hands. Worthing’s home ground is on the South coast of the country, so there aren’t really any motorways to get you there. It is the A23 that will make up the bulk of your journey, with signposts helping you to zero in on your final destination as you draw closer.
By Air – The nearest airport to the Sussex Transport Community Stadium is Gatwick, but it would be untrue to suggest that any other London airport would be inconvenient. Get to whichever of them is the easiest one for you and then make your way to the stadium from there.
Taxi – Given the short distance between the railway stations and the football ground, the likelihood is that you’ll walk. If you don’t want to or that isn’t possible, you’ll be looking at between £5 and £10 for a taxi to the stadium.
Parking Near Woodside Road
There isn’t a wealth of public parking at the stadium itself, which the spaces that are there tending to be reserved for club officials as well as disabled supporters. If you want to park somewhere safe then there are about 80 or so spaces at the Queen Street Car Park, which is located behind the church. You can also park on the surrounding roads, but obviously be respectful of residents and look out for parking charges and so on.
Useful Resources
- Parking - Just Park
Pubs and Bars Near Woodside Road
The Valley Bar
The Thieves' Kitchen
Slicks Sports Bar
About Worthing FC
Known as the Rebels, which dates back to when the club decided to resign from the West Sussex League on a point of principle, some also call Worthing the Mackerel Men, which is a reference to the three fish on the club crest. Formed in 1886 as Worthing Association Football Club, the ‘association’ part of the title was dropped in the 1899-1900 season a few months before Worthing Athletic was absorbed into the team. Founding members of the West Sussex League, Worthing won numerous lower level trophies during the early part of the 1900s. Worthing Rovers were also absorbed into the club at around 1905.
The majority of the club’s existence has been spent in the lower leagues, being founding members of a couple of them. They helped to found the Sussex County League, for example, and won the first two seasons in the competition. Their first foray into the FA Cup proper came in the 1936-1937 season, losing 4-3 to Yeovil & Petters United in the first round. Another first round proper tie saw them face AFC Bournemouth in 1994-1995, only for the Cherries to win 3-1. The club’s slow and steady creep through the lower leagues of English football saw them make it to the National League South at the end of the. 2021-2022 campaign.
Woodside Road History
In some ways, Worthing’s stadium is full of history. The club originally played at People’s Party, which became Homefield Park, but moved to Beach House in 1889. They related to the Sports Ground two years later, which changed its name to Woodside Road. A sports ground had existed on the site since 1892, being part of West Tarring and not yet included in the borough of Worthing. It was known as the Pavilion Road Sports Ground because of the fact that there was a sports pavilion on it that had given its name to the nearby Pavilion Road, with the land having been donated by a local benefactor called Mr. Brazier.
The majority of the Pavilion Road Sports Ground was closed in 1937, with the northern portion being given over to the development of a football ground for Worthing. That kept the name of Woodside Road, although it is known as the Sussex Transport Community Stadium at the time of writing because of sponsorship. The southern area of the ground was turned into tennis courts and then a few years later was turned into Worthing Pavilion Bowls Club. In 1977, floodlights were installed at the ground for the first time, then in 1985 the Main Stand burnt down, with a replacement being built a year later. An artificial pitch was installed in 2015.