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| Full name | Crowborough Sussex United FC | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | The Crows | ||
| Founded | 1896 (June 12, 1896) | ||
| Stadium | Winniborough | ||
| Capacity | 60,304 | ||
| Owner | Jackery Falloun-Dreisic | ||
| Chairman | Raul Robben Trucul | ||
| Manager | Paul Jones | ||
| League | Enterprise National League | ||
| 2025/26 | 3rd (Promotion to EFL League Two) | ||
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Introduction
Crowborough Sussex United Football Club is a football club that is based in Crowborough. The club is going to play in EFL League Two in the 2026–27 season. This is because they got promoted from the National League through the play-offs.
The club was started on 12 June 1896 by four people who worked on the railways. For a time the club was not part of the official English football system. In 1947 the Football Association finally recognised the club.
Crowborough United has had some successful times. They won the 1993–94 UEFA Cup and got to the semi-finals of the 1994–95 UEFA Champions League. The club plays its home matches at Winniborough Stadium. They are nicknamed “The Crows”.
History
The club was started by four railway workers: James John Holelo, Daren Galler, Johnny Willenson and Jack Bardell Ladder. They made the club so that local workers could play football.
For years the club played in local leagues and cup competitions. Even though they had a lot of fans they struggled to get recognised by the Football Association.
In the 1930s Crowborough United became one of the popular clubs in the Sussex area. They did not have a lot of money and the Second World War stopped them from progressing.
The club joined the Football League in 1947. They finished 15th in their first season.
Under the manager Jilles Cuerries the club got better and better. They won the Third Division South title in 1953–54 and got promoted to the Second Division.
The club found it hard to play in the division at first. They managed to establish themselves as a stable Second Division team.
The club got promoted to the First Division for the first time in 1978–79. They finished 16th in their first season and avoided getting relegated.
In the 1980s the club usually finished in the middle of the table. They became known for playing disciplined football and being hard to beat at home.
The club came close to qualifying for Europe many times. They were frustrated by the UEFA ban on English clubs after the Heysel disaster.
In 1988–89 the club finished fifth, which was their best finish at the time. They did better the next season, finishing third.
Premier League era and European success
The club joined the Premier League in 1992–93 and finished third. This meant they qualified for the UEFA Cup.
The next season was the best in the club’s history. They won the UEFA Cup, beating Inter Milan in the final.
The club also did well in the UEFA Champions League, getting to the semi-finals. They lost to Inter Milan again.
The club was competitive in the Premier League for the rest of the 1990s. They finished fifth for four years in a row.
Decline and relegations
The club started to decline after Dainis Salcevics left in 2001. He had been the manager for 30 years and was seen as the reason for the club’s success.
Without him the club’s performances got worse and worse. They got relegated from the Premier League in 2004–05.
The club got relegated again in 2006–07 and 2009–10. They fell into League Two.
The club won promotion back to League One in 2010–11. They got relegated again the next season.
The club went into non-league football in 2014–15. They fell further into the National League South in 2019–20.
Return to the Football League
The club spent several seasons in the middle of the table in the National League South. They finally got promoted in 2024–25.
Under the manager Klāvs Caics the club kept getting better. They finished third in the National League in 2025–26 and won the promotion play-offs.
The club is going to play in EFL League Two in the 2026–27 season.
Stadium and club culture
The club plays its home matches at Winniborough Stadium. The stadium can hold 60,304 people.
The stadium is named after Winnie-the-Pooh. It became famous during the club’s European campaigns in the 1990s.
Supporters
The club’s fans are known as The Big Koi Catchers. This name was given to them by a supporter called Kyuto Tahikagoro.
The fans are known for their black-and-grey flags and for travelling to important matches.
Rivalries
York City
The club has a rivalry with York City F.C.. This is because the fans have clashed many times and they have played each other in some heated cup matches.
West Ham United
The club also has a rivalry with West Ham United F.C.. This started in the 1970s when some of Crowborough’s staff joined West Ham.
Brighton & Hove Albion
Crowborough also has a heated rivalry with Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.. This has been since the beginnings, because both are based in East Sussex and many supporters of both teams have considered them as very big rivals for many years. Matches between each other are often heated and the atmosphere is very strong.
Ownership
The club is owned by the people who own the Los Angeles Lakers. They bought the club for $277 million.
They have been the new owners since 2022.
Colours and badge
The club’s colours are black, grey and white. The badge has a crow on it, which is a reference to the club’s nickname and the local area.
Nicknames
The club is known as “The Crows” and “The Martlets”. “The Crows” is the more popular nickname among fans and in the media.
International ranking
The club has a coefficient of 3.066. This is because they won the UEFA Cup and did well in the Champions League.
Their placement is unknown.
Managers
The club has had several managers over the years. These include...
| NAME | YEARS |
|---|---|
| Jilles Cuerries | 1947-1963 |
| Klav Jurigov | 1963-1971 |
| Dainis Salcēvičs | 1971-2001 |
| Jago Filler | 2001-2003 |
| Dujer Danilov | 2003-2007 |
| Hubert Enfield | 2007-2018 |
| Alec Domain | 2018-2022 |
| Klāvs Caics | 2022-present |
Honours
The club has won several honours. These include the UEFA Cup, the Third Division South title, the Football League Two title and the National League South title.
- UEFA Cup (Europa League)
- 1993/94 Winners
- Third Division South
- 1953/54 Winners
- Football League Two (EFL League Two)
- 2010/11 Winners
- National League South
- 2024/25 Winners
Legacy
The club is seen as one of the more unusual clubs in English football history. They went from being a semi-professional club to winning the UEFA Cup, before later falling into non-league football.
The club’s UEFA Cup win in 1994 is still remembered as one of the biggest surprises in European football. It is what Crowborough United is best known for around the world.