Hastings Supporters Forum - 100% Unofficial!

Like many, will be desperately sad to see the end of the Pilot Field, one of the best non league grounds around, but this has to be the way forward for both the club and town. My youth team played at Eastbourne Borough stadium on Tuesday night and when we arrived at 5.15 the car park was full, the impressive club house was full, there was loads of kids coaching going on and there were at least 3 or 4 youth teams of different ages training on the main pitch. It was really impressive to see and you can see how it pulls communities together as well as improving the quality of local sports. Of course, there is a long road ahead still and I am sure the club and council will come up against fierce opposition from local residents at the Pilot Field, Horntye and Bulverhythe and there are many battles ahead but to be honest, Bulverhythe has just become a waste land, not looked after by the council particularly well, and an area for some local residents to walk their dogs and foul the pitches. I know because I am there most Saturday's clearing up the mess some leave behind. It was always the obvious choice once Queensway was deemed unviable and the plans look really exciting. The only concerns I would have and this is from experience of using Bulverhythe, is drainage and parking. Year after year, the rains start and Bulverhythe becomes a no go zone for 3 months of the year. Just 2 years ago 3 ft of water covered the lower pitches but I am sure all are aware of this issue. Parking will also be a problem and parking for 200 cars does not seem anywhere near enough. Been involved with football tournaments at Bulverhythe and it is complete mayhem down there if you get more than a few hundred people. What happens if we get another Harrogate Fa Cup type gate? There really is no where else to park although the railway station is conveniently very close.

So its now out in the open and I am sure there will be plenty of chat on here over the next year or so. The firs has gone, Pilot Field going, Bulverhythe going, Horntye going, Harrow Lane gone and Sandhurst used by Hastings youth and unavailable for most teams.  Leaves very little green fields in Hastings now for children to go train, play and learn the game. I do hope when this does happen it will be open for all, free of charge and thought has been given to all those teams that will be losing their pitches throughout the town. Will certainly be an interesting meeting next Thursday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

-- Edited by johnw on Friday 4th of November 2016 12:08:36 PM

 I haven't really got my thoughts together on this yet, but here goes. I haven't really been around The Pilot Field long enough, you'd think, to get all misty-eyed about it, but I know I will. It has unique character and is one of the best grounds at this level. (Even some Aylesbury supporters I spoke to last week, who were pretty jaundiced about most things by the time they'd let in the 4th goal, agreed about that). Because of its layout and history it is almost accidentally one of the most accessible grounds around for those with poor mobility. However everyone know that the main stand can't be maintained for many more years without huge expense. If ambition is to be realised and we go up a league or two and find that this structure has to be closed on safety grounds, well...
 

Any increased crowds will lead to more stress with the neighbours as parking becomes (even) more of an issue than it is now. (The neighbours might not like the dozens of new houses being built on the site, but that's their fight)!
It'll be a shame about Horntye too: I've spent a few lazy summer afternoons up there and it's great but I'm not suprised to hear it's a money-sink.  As johnw says though, it'll be another green space for sports gone for good, and anyone who knows Hastings at all knows that level green space here is as rare as an intelligent conversation in the John Logie Baird.
 

Now, Bulverhythe. The reason it doesn't have any development, as we all know, is that it is a marsh. It's worse nearest Bexhill Road and by the river but, as stated above, a lot of games on the existing pitches are lost due to waterlogging. That issue would need to be addressed seriously. (incidentally I used to walk my dog there but we never left anything behind, honest)! Selfishly I'm for Bulverhythe because it makes games easier for me to get to - that Twitter handle didn't generate itself.

I'd be concerned about the construction of the ground: too many new grounds are basically soulless tin sheds & I include Eastbourne Borough in that category, and taking note of my comment about the Pilot Field above, accessibility would need to be addressed from the first planning meeting onwards and not be an add-on. ANYWAY, I'm jumping the gun here as the idea is some way from even being signed-off yet.

I'll stop now. that's enough wall-of-text from me. COYUs, wherever.

I dont think there is a single fan who doesn't like being at the Pilot Field and it will of course be a great wrench to leave it, it will always have incredible memories ( my earliest prob being the Forest friendly back in 96 so much more recent than some to be fair! )

But.. The increasing issues regarding the maintenance costs, Health & Safety certificates, Insurance, Pest Control issues in the stands, general structural condition that i hear about etc make staying there almost inevitably unviable in the mid to long term. In the best case scenario it would greatly affect our playing budget but in the worst it could be critical for the club. The cost to knock down and remove the main stand would be incredible and thats before you even replace it.

There is nothing that i can see that can be achieved at the Pilot Field that would be tempting enough to attract the required investment required to develop or even maintain that site sufficiently.

I am much more optimistic in terms of stadium design etc than the examples mentioned above, there is clear ambition to be a Conference South side at least and the stadium i expect will be future proofed to that extent along the lines of the more modern and fan friendly non-league stadiums such as FC United or Dartford

Re the flooding the article mentions flood defense so presume that has been taken into account.

I think for all of us it is a clear case of heart Vs head in this situation with all the emotional issues that comes with change. Also the town as a whole should benefit from the other elements such as construction jobs / boost to local companies etc) etc and maybe that should play a small part in our thinking as well

But as John says the meeting on Thursday will be very interesting and will no doubt reveal more details.

-- Edited by Dan on Friday 4th of November 2016 02:18:13 PM

It'll be sad to lose the Pilot Field, but a new modern ground is a no brainer if we want to see our club progress. I'm sure issues like drainage and and parking would have been addressed, I guess it'd be pretty important to for it to go through planning. I think the past few seasons, not that many games have been called off down their when compared to other pitches in the area.

What will happen to East Sussex League football down there? Will local teams be able to make use of adjacent pitches on Saturday afternoons?

I just hope some thought is given to the general appearance and we don't end up with a soulless lego brick style ground, which would be some shock after calling the PF home!

Agreed on that. We've been hampered by the lack of an alternative to the PF pitch which, for all Simon's great work can only take so much. It would be great to see more age-group teams and a women's team under the HUFC banner.

now its a long way off but know it sounds stupid but we don't agree to a move out date till new ground is completely ready,sorry if that sounds daft.

dave aa wrote:

---

now its a long way off but know it sounds stupid but we don't agree to a move out date till new ground is completely ready,sorry if that sounds daft.

---

 Totally agree with that .. it's only daft to have a temporary ground ... but what's  the betting it happens ? A question for Thursday night 

dave aa wrote:

---

now its a long way off but know it sounds stupid but we don't agree to a move out date till new ground is completely ready,sorry if that sounds daft.

---

 This was my initial thought as I didn't want us to do a Horsham or Brighton... But the Hastings Observer article covers this...

http://www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/sport/football/multi-million-pound-plans-unveiled-for-new-sports-village-in-st-leonards-1-7661956

Scroll down to the third last paragraph...

On another topic, would the return of county cricket be a possibility for cricket fans in the area? I'm not much of a fan myself but the idea of sitting in a deck chair with a few ciders watching a bit of cricket under the sun does sound decent...

Was merely a side thought and obviously not on the top of the list of priorities, but thanks for your helpful input as always Chris. 

To be honest I was waiting for this and yes change will happen .
But be careful what you wish for ... personally I don't want to leave the pilot field . Eastbourne Borough is a great example of sterile modern ground , no character and plastic fans
Already I am down hearted for what was the last of the beautiful game and grounds I supported in the 8O's
I will hate the new ground .... Shame but good luck

Leave the cricket side to Hastings Priory. They are skint sussex are skint. 'County cricket is a mess county league cricket is in a state of shambles. Lets forget cricket and just ensure HUFC get a modern ground. We can be as big as Crawley and should be as big as Eastbourne Boro.

i belive eastbourne b could not pay the 1st payment on thier pitch

Very thorough presentation yesterday by Dave Nessling at the meeting in the Pilot Field clubhouse, really went into a lot of detail about the plans for both the new site and stadium and also what will happen to the Pilot Field.

The development as a whole does seem to resolve a lot of major problems for many parties including us ( new stadium, top notch training and medical facilities, removal of unaffordable maintence costs which we currently incur ) Horntye ( a secure future for cricket and hockey in the town, although County Cricket returning was ruled out pretty emphatically as Sussex Cricket won't entertain the idea of playing in Hastings again apparently ) and Hastings Council who get to meet their targets of new housing and sports facilities ( under which they under a lot of pressure from government ) reduction of flooding issues along Bexhill road and an increased income from the new site at no cost to them at all, also Sussex Coast college will benefit greatly too.

Plans for the new stadium looked both sensible in terms of expansion and impressive at the same time with great facilities, also the fact it will be full covered on all four sides with no gaps and very close to the ( grass not 3G ) pitch looked decent.

Significantly the project has backers who are major players in their specialist fields with very deep pockets indeed.

Transport issues will be run through a traffic management plan on all sites and parking was confirmed as around 300 spaces not 200 as previously mentioned.

Everything appeared to have been done very thoroughly indeed. It's with the Hastings council cabinet now I think so will keep an eye on that now.

I went last night expecting a lot more negativity than was the case, Everyone seemed to be on board with the idea despite the obvious sadness that will come when we leave the Pilot Field. I was very impressed with the presentation: I'd come with a few questions but Dave Nessling answered them all. Let's hope it all comes off.

I'm really pleased that everyone seems so positive about this and I'm sorry I could not get to the meeting which I intended to do.
A couple of points which are probably a bit too early to ask:
1) Do we know what the seating capacity will be ?
2) Any idea when there will be some computer images available ?
Thanks.

Tbh Boggins when the cost of the impending maintenance bills for just the main stand was revealed as being in the region of 100k+ I think everyone realised that the option of staying at the Pilot Field long term was a non runner.

Except it would be covered on all four sides rather than the three sides Fylde have

Thanks for the information everyone.