After amassing over 1,000 votes in favour, we are delighted to announce that the Elphinstone Road Stand will be renamed The Steve Smith Stand.
Smudger was a popular character across the footballing family on and off the pitch, also playing for St Leonards Stamco, Bexhill Town, Rye United, Folkestone Invicta, Margate, Lewes, Eastbourne Borough, Southwick and Hollington United.
Steve's life was tragically taken in 2007 at the age of 36.
In his memory in numbers you have voted to name the stand after Steve Smith and at our first league game of the 2020/21 season we will celebrate the naming of this stand.
Dont think you will get any dissent over this decision. I think it fair to say that Smudger was not the most skilful player United have had over the years , but for commitment, effort, guts, 100% player, not many could match him. Also very adaptable...remember when we had no forwards and Smudger and Simmo became our attacking force. However my outstanding memory was an away game up un East Anglia, it may have been Grantham or Stamford ,no doubt somebody will know. Smudger got injured and was carted off to Peterborough Hospital. On the way home the coach had to divert to pick him up , and the cheer he got as he boarded the coach could have been heard back in Hastings. Priceless.
Have been reliably informed that Smudgers injury was as Spalding,following a colision with Paul Hobbs,remember him. Incidentally I see he got 1000 votes, would be nice to see all of them turn up at the naming ceremony.
