Home of Hastings United FC
Opened 1922
Capacity 4,050
★★★★★
★★★★★
My first football match, ever! We lost, 2 - 4 to Pitsea Bowers but I'm sure we will beat them next time! Half time and after, hot food available, and the chips are wicked! I have a bony bottom so it's a good tip to bring a cushion. I sat on my hands and it was rather cold, but what would one expect! The people I asked were helpful, especially as I wasn't aware of the home team goalie. Had a lovely time and will go again on an occasion in future.
2 weeks ago
Fantastic day out at the pilot field yesterday for the home fixture against Southampton XI. A real old school football ground with some fantastic features. I heard murmurs in the crowd of the council toying with the idea of knocking down the main stand, may I say now that is a ridiculous idea! For goodness sake never ever do that. Please. I will be back at some point in the season and I am looking forward to getting another Hastings United plastic cup! Up the U’s!!!
5 months ago
History (from Wikipedia)
Stadium[edit]
Main article: The Pilot Field
Hastings United's home ground is the Pilot Field, where the club have been based since 1985 and was also their home between 1920, and 1948, with the original Hastings United using the ground between 1948 and 1985. Before the opening of the Pilot Field in 1920, the club had mostly used the East Hill as their home. The club had also spent a season playing at the "Sports Ground",[4] located on what is now White Rock Gardens and also played home fixtures on the Central Recreation Ground throughout the 1890s and 1900s.
After initially moving to the Pilot Field, facilities were very basic, until the construction of the main stand which was officially opened in 1926, alongside fencing, toilets and parking facilities.[34][35] The club were forced out in 1948 and after a short spell playing on basic public pitches, the club moved to the upper pitch of the Pilot Field, later known as "the Firs".[13] Facilities at the Firs were sufficient enough for the club to enter the Sussex County League in 1952 and in the late 1970s the club temporarily moved to Bulverhythe, Hastings Rangers home pitch, whilst the pitch and clubhouse were upgraded.
In 1985 the club moved back to the Pilot Field,[13] which since 1948 had seen the construction of two new stands behind one goal, floodlights and additional catering facilities. A new clubhouse was constructed near the main entrance in 1998 and further extended the following year, the "Cole Warren" stand was erected in 2005 at the far end of the ground and providing covered standing and seating on three sides of the ground.[35]
New stadium[edit]
There had been proposals previously to give the Pilot Field a major upgrade which never came to fruition; however in 2007 the idea of building a new stadium was first mentioned by chairman, Dave Walters. Due to the increasing cost of ground maintenance, particularly on the main stand, Walters expressed an interest in building a new stadium as part of a new sports complex, funded by the selling of the Pilot Field and the neighbouring Firs ground, most of which lay derelict.[36] However the plans never went any further than minimal contact between Hastings Borough Council and the football club.[37]
In November 2016, it was revealed that the directors of Hastings United had been working with the trustees of Horntye Park and Sport England for 18 months on plans to build a new multimillion-pound sports complex named Combe Valley Sports Village. Located in Bulverhythe, used by many amateur teams in Hastings and Bexhill and next to the pitch Hastings Town used for a spell in the late 1970s, the complex would have been home to Hastings United, Hastings Priory Cricket Club and South Saxons Hockey Club. Proposed facilities included a 3,000 capacity stadium for Hastings United, 4g and grass football pitches, cricket pitches, Astroturf pitch and indoor sports complex. The complex would also have contained educational facilities for Sussex Coast College. It was proposed that the development be funded by housing developments built on land next to the complex at Bulverhythe, the Pilot Field and Horntye Park.[38][39] However the scheme was dropped in 2018 after the housing developer backed out of the proposal.[40]
The club had plans to move to a new sports complex named the Tilekiln Football Park located in Hollington, which would have seen the main stadium, two 3g pitches and a multi-use games area being constructed in phase one. A sports hall, gymnasium and additional facilities were to be constructed in phase two.[41] In March 2022, Hastings Borough Council announced they would not proceed with the sale of the land to the football club and so the plan was terminated.[42]
Main article: The Pilot Field
Hastings United's home ground is the Pilot Field, where the club have been based since 1985 and was also their home between 1920, and 1948, with the original Hastings United using the ground between 1948 and 1985. Before the opening of the Pilot Field in 1920, the club had mostly used the East Hill as their home. The club had also spent a season playing at the "Sports Ground",[4] located on what is now White Rock Gardens and also played home fixtures on the Central Recreation Ground throughout the 1890s and 1900s.
After initially moving to the Pilot Field, facilities were very basic, until the construction of the main stand which was officially opened in 1926, alongside fencing, toilets and parking facilities.[34][35] The club were forced out in 1948 and after a short spell playing on basic public pitches, the club moved to the upper pitch of the Pilot Field, later known as "the Firs".[13] Facilities at the Firs were sufficient enough for the club to enter the Sussex County League in 1952 and in the late 1970s the club temporarily moved to Bulverhythe, Hastings Rangers home pitch, whilst the pitch and clubhouse were upgraded.
In 1985 the club moved back to the Pilot Field,[13] which since 1948 had seen the construction of two new stands behind one goal, floodlights and additional catering facilities. A new clubhouse was constructed near the main entrance in 1998 and further extended the following year, the "Cole Warren" stand was erected in 2005 at the far end of the ground and providing covered standing and seating on three sides of the ground.[35]
New stadium[edit]
There had been proposals previously to give the Pilot Field a major upgrade which never came to fruition; however in 2007 the idea of building a new stadium was first mentioned by chairman, Dave Walters. Due to the increasing cost of ground maintenance, particularly on the main stand, Walters expressed an interest in building a new stadium as part of a new sports complex, funded by the selling of the Pilot Field and the neighbouring Firs ground, most of which lay derelict.[36] However the plans never went any further than minimal contact between Hastings Borough Council and the football club.[37]
In November 2016, it was revealed that the directors of Hastings United had been working with the trustees of Horntye Park and Sport England for 18 months on plans to build a new multimillion-pound sports complex named Combe Valley Sports Village. Located in Bulverhythe, used by many amateur teams in Hastings and Bexhill and next to the pitch Hastings Town used for a spell in the late 1970s, the complex would have been home to Hastings United, Hastings Priory Cricket Club and South Saxons Hockey Club. Proposed facilities included a 3,000 capacity stadium for Hastings United, 4g and grass football pitches, cricket pitches, Astroturf pitch and indoor sports complex. The complex would also have contained educational facilities for Sussex Coast College. It was proposed that the development be funded by housing developments built on land next to the complex at Bulverhythe, the Pilot Field and Horntye Park.[38][39] However the scheme was dropped in 2018 after the housing developer backed out of the proposal.[40]
The club had plans to move to a new sports complex named the Tilekiln Football Park located in Hollington, which would have seen the main stadium, two 3g pitches and a multi-use games area being constructed in phase one. A sports hall, gymnasium and additional facilities were to be constructed in phase two.[41] In March 2022, Hastings Borough Council announced they would not proceed with the sale of the land to the football club and so the plan was terminated.[42]
Things to do nearby.