Selsey - The High Street Ground

Selsey FC

The High Street Ground

High Street

Selsey

Chichester 

PO20 0QG

01243 603420

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Ground Number: 1175

Thursday 20th April 2023

Selsey - Arundel

Southern Combination D1

SELSEY FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

The club was formed in 1903 playing in various local grounds, before settling at their current home of the High Street ground in the late 1940s. The club played in the West Sussex Football League, winning its first league title in 1939 and going on to win it a further five times. In 1961, the club joined the Sussex County League. Starting in Division 2, they finished as runners-up in their first season before winning the title, and promotion in 1964. Their first spell in Division 1 lasted for five seasons and included a credible 7th-place finish in 1967. After being relegated in 1969, they would win their second title in 1976 and spend a further two disappointing seasons in Division 1. Selsey would have to wait until 1996 when they finished as runners-up behind Saltdean United for another promotion. This time, they would spend eight seasons in Division, which included two record finishes of 4th in 2001 & 2002. They were relegated in 2004, winning promotion back in 2006 after another runners-up spot to Oakwood. Their latest spell in Division 1 lasted until 2015 when they were relegated to the newly renamed Southern Combination D1. They have been there ever since - their best recent finish being 5th in 2019.

 Selsey made their FA Cup debut in 1967, reaching the 2nd Qualifying Round. That's as good as it has got for them, with that stage reached four more times. The FA Vase 3rd Round has been reached five times. In terms of local cups, Selsey won the Sussex Royal Ulster Rifles Charity Cup in 2002, the John O'Hara Cup in 2003, the Sussex Division 2 Cup on three occasions, the Sussex County Intermediate Cup in 1959 and the West Sussex Football League Malcolm Simmonds Memorial four times. Current Sutton United striker Omar Bugiel started his senior career at Selsey, as have a few other players who have gone on to bigger things.

Selsey is a seaside town and civil parish, about eight miles south of Chichester in West Sussex. It has a population of around 10,700. Selsey lies at the southernmost point of the Manhood Peninsula, almost cut off from mainland Sussex by the sea. It is bounded to the west by Bracklesham Bay, to the north by Broad Rife (rife being the local word for stream or creek), to the east by Pagham Harbour and terminates in the south at Selsey Bill. There are significant rock formations beneath the sea off both of its coasts, named the Owers rocks and Mixon rocks. Coastal erosion has been an ever-present problem for Selsey. Famous residents have included Sir Patrick Moore, the astronomer, writer, researcher, radio commentator and television presenter, who lived in Selsey from 1968 until his death in 2012. Selsey is referenced in the Madness song "Driving in My Car": "I drive up to Muswell Hill, I've even been to Selsey Bill"

MY VISIT

A visit to Selsey had been long overdue for me. It was the one remaining ground that I needed to complete the Southern Combination Division 1. Also, it looked like a nice day out on the train, albeit with the faff of having to get a bus from Chichester. There was a nice Micropub near the ground and it looked like a pleasant little town to visit in itself. I was all set to visit a fortnight ago until I checked the fares. At around £43, even with a railcard discount and cheap bus fares, it worked out at around 21p a mile. Utterly ludicrous when public transport should be cheaper than driving but it just meant that I shifted my visit a few days later to midweek when I would drive and hopefully get a passenger.

It was a busy week for me, but not one that had really gone to plan. I'd put out my intended fixtures on Sunday night, but each of these had changed due to various circumstances - everything from a sliced power cable to hopper availability. This Thursday was a case in point, originally it had been intended that I'd just have a stroll up my local club at Holmer Green for a nice local revisit. Then, the game that had been cancelled last Tuesday due to rain - Selsey v Arundel - was arranged for tonight. Fellow hopper Colin was keen and it seemed a waste not to do it. The waters were further muddied when the game that we were due to go to on Monday - Hartpury Uni v Milton United - was also rearranged for tonight. They'd originally rescheduled for Saturday, but the original game was postponed due to someone cutting through an underground electrical cable. It appeared that Milton United were less than happy about being mucked around, but either way, it left us with a dilemma.

I would be happy with either - both completed a league for me - either the Southern Combination D1 in Selsey's case or the Hellenic D1 in Hartpury's case. Hartpury was logistically more sensible going from work, but there was a potential future playoff game in their case. Wednesday was a much-needed night off for me, but football was never far from my mind. I went through a mammoth list of fixtures in the Football Traveller, trying to narrow down some options for the next fortnight. It was during work on the day of the game when I got a lot of time to think. I plumped for Selsey as Hartpury were the most likely to have games in the playoffs next week. It was also one with a wider range of food options and better roads on the way home. It was not a bad day at work and I finished at 4. I met Colin at work and we were on our way. Google Maps took us a bizarre route to the M4 and down through Hampshire on country roads. Not that Colin knew much as he slept the whole way. We were in Selsey at 6.20 and had two options, an Indian and a Thai. Colin opted for Chicken Korma and rice, a rather pricey £15 takeaway. I went for a Chicken Gang Panang from the Thai, which was just over £12.50. It was great, we eat back in the car as it had started to rain. Compared to the warm weather we had left in Wycombe, it was chilling off by now. Entry was a bargain £5 and I also got some great chips for £1.50.

In terms of league placings, Selsey were 6th, whilst visitors Arundel were 7th. The hosts had lost 3-2 at Epsom & Ewell on Saturday and had drawn 1-1 against Shoreham the previous Saturday and before that had won their previous four games. Arundel had won a 4-3 thriller against Worthing United in a recent game, one of three successive league wins. They'd certainly been amongst the goals, beating Epsom & Ewell 5-1 and Forest Row 5-0. They'd got their fourth successive win by beating Forest Row 7-4 but had lost 1-0 to Seaford Town on Tuesday. It was a scrappy first half, but the hosts were edging it. Following an attack down the left, Shane Brazil bundled the ball home just before half-time to make it 1-0. It was not the liveliest of games, but on 70 minutes, Arundel were awarded a free kick. The Selsey man got a yellow for the foul but Arundel's Tom Jefkins got a second yellow for arguing it should have been harsher. From the resulting free-kick, the ball was blasted through the ball and Harry Russell bundled home. That was it for goals, despite a late rally by Selsey.

There had been an enthusiastic group you youngsters giving Selsey some decent support behind the goal, overall, there was an impressive 201 there on an unseasonably chilly and drizzly night. It was 9.50 by the time we left. We had a decent journey home, though there were a lot of country roads at the start. I dropped Colin off at 11.40, getting in myself 15 minutes later. I was asleep within the hour but still felt tired the next morning. It was a reasonable day at work again and I got my blog done in the evening whilst looking forward to the Wycombe Wanderers v Lincoln City game the following day.

THE GROUND 

THE HIGH STREET GROUND is a decent venue for the level. A fairly long stand offers a couple of rows of seating in front and standing behind. There's also some covered standing behind the goal, all in all, a few hundred can be kept dry. The rest is open hard standing, with most of the ground accessible. The tea bar and clubhouse are decent, overall, a great value day out. There's a decent amount of parking, the nearest train station is Chichester with regular buses for Saturday games.