'The Wickers'

Wick

Football Club

A Brief History

Wick joined Division Two of the Sussex County League in 1964/65 and won their first 11 matches. After spending eighteen seasons in Division Two, they eventually won promotion in 1983 after finishing as champions, but spent only three seasons in Division One before being relegated. However, they bounced back the following season (1985/86) after winning Division Two for a second time.

From then until their relegation at the end of the 2002/03 season, Wick were ever-present in Division One of the County League, winning the League Challenge Cup in 1987/88; and during the 1990s were one of the top sides in the county.

In 1989/90 Wick lifted the Division One title, as well as the RUR Charity Cup. In 1992/93 the club won the Sussex Senior Cup for the only time, beating Oakwood at the Goldstone Ground, and in 1993/94 won the championship for the second time, finishing 14 points clear of runners-up Whitehawk, who defeated them in the League Cup final.

Wick finished runners-up to Burgess Hill Town in 1996/97, but the League Cup proved a welcome consolation. The following season under manager Jimmy Quinn, Wick finished 3rd in the League, but reached the semi-finals of the Senior Cup, and won the RUR Cup, which they retained the following season.

A final placing of 4th in Division Two in 2003/04 however, proved to be the springboard to recovery for this once dominant club, as with Andy Gander + Dean Bradford in charge they finished as runners-up to Crowborough Athletic in 2004/05 to take what many considered to be their rightful place in the top division.

Understandably, 2005/06 was a season of consolidation with brought a respectable mid-table finish. Andy Gander and Dean Bradford were sacked (subsequently joining Wealden + East Preston respectively), and the experienced Carl Stabler lured from Littlehampton Town in an attempt to lead Wick out of the County League in 2006/07.

2006/07 saw another season of relative consolidation with the main aim to keep the Division One status for the club and this was achieved. 2007/08 has seen a complete restructure of the management team with Mick Catlin, Ian Saunders and Steve May all joining Carl Stabler, Brett Torode and Mat Beard with the ambition to compete at the right end of the table as the club looks to take the next step on the football pyramid.

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