Originally known as Eastbourne Town Ladies, they were formed on 6 May 2002, being transferred from Polegate Grasshoppers Under 15’s to make the jump into senior football.[2] The team entered Division Three of the South East Counties Women's League for the 2002–03 season, finishing third place below Woking Reserves and Lindfield and were promoted to Division Two along with Crawley Wasps. The following season wasn’t successful, with players leaving for education reasons they finished 8th in the table, but with the creation of the Sussex County Women and Girls Football League in 2004, the team took the drop.
The ladies spent one season in the league, came runners up and won their first piece of silverware, the Sussex County Women’s Challenge Trophy against Burgess Hill Town. They then transferred back to the South East Counties League Division 1. Barely being able to stay in the division for the first two seasons, the 2007-08 season proved to be the start of success. Although losing the first game of the season to Meadow Sports they completed the rest of the season unbeaten and finishing the season as runners up. The Ladies won a double in 2008-09 season, winning the South East Counties Chairman's Cup and the Division 1 title and earning promotion to the Premier Division. They were crowned league champions in the 2010-11 season and were runners up in the S.E.C. League Cup, but they earnt promotion into the London and South East Women's Regional Football League Premier Division for the first time, at the time there was only one division.
The first season in the London and South East League was most successful at the time, they reached 2nd place in the table,[3] losing out on promotion into the FA Women's National League by 4 points. After then form slipped over the next few seasons, hovering just outside the relegation zone.
In 2014,Gary Pearce, the manager had stepped down after 12 seasons in charge, and the 2014–15 season saw player Emma Parslow becoming player-manager with Theo Parfitt as joint manager. Although finishing 11th the league, the women made their record Women's FA Cup run during the 2014–15 season by reaching the Third round, starting their run winning 7–0 to Burgess Hill Town Women, 3–1 to Parkwood Rangers and 5–0 to Gosport Borough Ladies in the first, second and third qualifying rounds, the First round proper saw a 1–1 draw after extra time with Chichester City Ladies but winning the penalty shootout 5–4 taking them to the Second round with Queens Park Rangers Girls winning 1–0 before losing in the Third round to Derby County Women 2–4 after extra time.[4] All of Eastbourne Town's games were played at home.
In 2016 both Emma and Theo both stepped down from their joint role and was taken over by Stuart Tibble for just one season, Theo Parfitt took over again with the team goalkeeper, Sarah Walshaw for the 2017–18 season before university graduate Charlie Woodham taking the reins for the 2018–19 season. For nine seasons since finishing runners up, the Ladies continued to hover around the relegation zone, several management changes and a poor form of results saw no improvement. On 10 June 2019 the team renamed themselves to Eastbourne Town Women[5] and were joined by Zak Dove, replacing Charlie Woodham as manager but after a few months came the COVID-19 pandemic which halted the 2019–20 season along with the following season. In June 2021 Zak Dove stepped down from his role as manager.[6]
2021–present: Sussex county league
Eastbourne Town Women players in yellow in a local derby match with Eastbourne Borough women in February 2023
In July 2021, the club released a statement announcing that the club was withdrawing from the London and South East regional football league and taking voluntary relegation in to the Sussex County Women and Girls Football League[7] After 16 years since leaving, the Women re-joined the league's Premier Division with a new manager, Martin Keightley, and a new team. With some women staying from the previous season and some who were in the early ladies team re-joining. Martin Keightley resigned after a few months and Theo Parfitt took over as caretaker manager until Rick Tate took over the role permanently in February 2022. The Women were relegated into Division One for the 2022–23 season. After a successful start to the season, the team were sitting at the top of the table. With two games left to play in the season, Denne Park, forfeited their game giving Eastbourne Town an automatic three points which made them Division One champions and earning an automatic promotion back into the Premier Division.[8]
In June 2023, it was announced by the club that a Development team would be created, led by former player Stef Shambrook taking on the manager role assisted by Tasha Pearson, also a former player. The team entered Division One of the Sussex County Women's league.[9] The first team reached the final of the 2023–24 Sussex Women's Challenge Trophy, and the first final of any competition since 2012. Losing to Saltdean's development squad 9-2.[10] In February 2024, it was announced that Rick Tate would step down as Women's team manager. Long term players Sarah Da Silva and Dani Parfitt were announced at joint player-managers until the end of the season.[11] The season ended with Town finishing 6th place. For the 2024–25 season, former player Sarah Walshaw took over the reins for a season, Town finishing just second from bottom, she stepped down at the end of the season with Steve Hadfield taking over. [12]
Kits
Football kits
The club colours are yellow and blue, colours that represent the county of Sussex.[13] Away kits have changed over the seasons from white and blue, pink and light blue.
Eastbourne Town Women currently play their home games at The Saffrons, Compton Place Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 1EA. Located in Eastbourne town centre, a 5-minute walk from Eastbourne Railway Station.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
League matches only. M = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; Win% = percentage of total matches won
† Managers with this background and symbol in the "Name" column are italicised to denote caretaker appointments.
‡ Managers with this background and symbol in the "Name" column are italicised to denote caretaker appointments promoted to full-time manager.
Stats as of 8 September 2024.
Dates
Name
M
W
D
L
Win%
Honors
Notes
2002–2014
Gary Pearce
South East Counties Women's League Premier Division Champions: 2010–11 South East Counties Women's League Division One West Champions: 2008–09 South East Counties Women's Chairman's Cup Winners: 2008–09 Sussex County Challenge Trophy Winners: 2004–05
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