opposition history

East Grinstead Town Football Club was formed on May 8, 1890 although it was another ten years before they played their first competitive match as founder members of the Mid Sussex Football League. In those early days the club played in blue and white with the town’s coat of arms on the breast pocket. It was some years before they adopted their current colours of amber and black and were nicknamed ‘The Wasps,’ both of which survive to this day.

In 2014 with the GAC Stadium already meeting the requirements of the Isthmian Football League after installing additional seating, the club began work on a new dressing room and hospitality complex, a new turnstile block and entrance and a resurfaced car park. Part of the 2014 funding included a £50,000 grant from FA Cup sponsors Budweiser, £100,000 from the Football Stadia Improvement Fund, £40,000 from Mid Sussex District Council and £35,000 from SITA Trust.

Funnell’s side finished the season in second place, their highest ever County League position, and in May 2014, the club were accepted into the Isthmian League for the first time in our history. Funnell left the club during our first season at Step 4 and Tony Beckingham returned to East Court for a second spell. ‘Becks’ kept the club in the League but he resigned in October 2015 and Matt Longhurst took over. Matt made sure Wasps retained their Isthmian status in his first season and in his following seasons.

During 2018 the club commenced working in partnership with the local Jubilee Community Centre to develop disability football provision in the area.

2018 also saw the Football Association announcement of a revamping of the Non-League pyramid.  From 2018/19 the two division step 4 Isthmian League Division One North and One South (which the Wasps competed in) was replaced by 3 divisions (North, South-Central and South-East).

2019/20 saw the end of the Longhurst era after a poor start to the season.

Leigh Dynan took over for the remainder of the season and the next both of which were disrupted by the COVID lockdown, before he had to step down dur to work commitments. A brief period in charge for Tony Reid in 2021/22 didn’t work out at all and Wasps player Drew Cooney took charge initially alongside ex Manager Tony Beckingham saw out the season.

Drew Cooney having taken sole charge in early 2022 built on the foundations and has continued to keep a core of the squad together and develop the team which has continued to maintain its Isthmian League status.