Hastings United being presented with the Championship trophy (Isthmian League, South East Division), 15th April 2022.

Reasons to support your local team: Hastings United!

Out of curiosity, HOT’s Zelly Restorick asked local resident and recently converted Hastings United supporter, Steve Bennett, what it’s like to be a football supporter. Here’s Steve’s response – with all the reasons why it makes sense to him to support locally. All photos by Steve Bennett.

“I’ve been living in Hastings since 1978, and up until late 2020, I’d only been to watch Hastings United a small handful of times.

“I’m a Bournemouth fan, first and foremost, and it’s been exciting for me to see my team rise through the leagues to the Premier League and to see them play at stadiums like Old Trafford, Anfield and St. James’ Park.

“But Covid put a halt to football and when it restarted, there were specific rules about Premier League crowd size, and my wife and I were nervous about using public transport.

“‘If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with’ sang Crosby, Stills and Nash, so my wife and I have been season ticket holders at Hastings United since the 2020/21 season.

Teams warming up before a game, 20th July 2022.

“I must admit, I miss watching Bournemouth and the ‘big stadium’ atmosphere, but there’s a lot I don’t miss, and there’s a lot I much prefer about watching Hastings United.

“For example, in my experience:
• there is much more emphasis on attacking football
• referee decisions are over and done with, quickly. In the Premier League, their decisions often spill over to ‘Match of the Day’ and into the next day’s newspapers
• there is no VAR (Video Assistant Referee) to halt the flow of the game
• you have to pay attention during the game; you can’t catch TV replays of the game on TV later that night!
• games aren’t rescheduled on the say-so of TV companies
• you don’t get the unpleasantness and abuse that you sometimes see from fans in the top leagues. The Pilot Field has a family feel, where Home fans and Away fans happily co-exist
• at the end of a Home game, you will often see Hastings players come over to the touchline and chat to some of their friends & family. There’s a nice homely feel about the club
• cheesy chips!! They’re a wonderful ‘guilty pleasure’ 🙂

“So we’ve become ‘converts’ to ‘lower league’ football, plus of course, there’s the satisfaction of supporting your local team.

“As well as the mens’ first team, Hastings United have a womens’ team, an under-18 team, a development squad, several youth teams – and there’s a Sports & Social Club, too. If you think about everyone involved – all the players (from 7 years old upwards), their families, friends, supporters and the staff & volunteers that work on match days and behind the scenes – that’s quite a significant contribution to the local community, which I feel is hugely under-appreciated by our council.”

The Pilot Field, alternate angle, September 24th 2022.

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