Arundel

Arundel FC is a non-league football club, formed in 1889, which represents the historic Sussex town of the same name. ‘The Mullets’ became a founder member of the West Sussex League in 1896, where they were placed in the Senior Division, remaining in the league until joining the Sussex County League in 1949.

The league title was won in 1957-58 and retained the following season before relegation to Division Two came in 1965-66. Promotion back to Division One was achieved twelve months later, before the side finished as runners-up in 1968-69. 

Another relegation came in 1975-76, but once again, the club’s top-tier status was regained after just one season, before dropping back down in 1982-83. Remarkably, one year later, Arundel was duly promoted, going on to become Sussex County League champions for a third time in 1986-87.

1997-98 saw the side drop down a level, before they recovered to win the Division Two title in 1999-00 to go back up. Vic Short was the team manager at Mill Road before he was replaced by Richard “Kilroy” Towers in 2007. His team ended up as league runners-up in 2008-09.

Gary Wheatcroft was appointed as manager in 2010-11 before being succeeded by his assistant, Simon Butler. The Sussex County League changed its name to Southern Combination, with Division One renamed Premier Division for the 2015-16 season, with Towers returning for a second spell twelve months later as team boss.

Arundel was relegated to the second tier of the competition in 2018-19 under Simon Hull. Jason Mines was appointed as manager in 2021, as his side finished consistently just outside the playoffs before reaching them in 2024-25, where they lost to Forest Row on penalties in the semi-final.

Mines departed to be replaced by Dickson Gill, who quickly departed.

My visit

Wednesday 5th March 2008

With a day off work and pleasant weather, I was ready to take full advantage of my pre-purchased Southern Rail Day Saver, which entitled me to unlimited travel for the day on their services for just a tenner. As ever, I had an itinerary in mind as I set off from Victoria Station.

First port of call was Arundel, which looked beautiful as I alighted and headed over the bridge over the River Arun, as I gave Leftfield’s Leftism a listen on my iPod. Life was good, looking up to the castle and wandering through the town towards the High Street and Mill Road.

The walk went past Arundel Museum and a bowling green, to the entrance to the pretty ground where the gates were open. A seated stand had a view of the castle behind it, up on the hill, while the opposite corner had a small cover for standing spectators, next to the clubhouse and changing rooms.

Once complete and having had a walk around, I headed back to the station and took the train to my next destination, the Nyewood Lane home of Bognor Regis Town.