Another successful season for Lindfield Juniors FC

By Helen Jones

On 1st July, close to 1,000 parents, players and coaches gathered together on Lindfield Common for the Lindfield Juniors end of season barbecue. The event has become a key date for many Lindfield families whose children pass through the club each year. It’s a celebration of all that the children have achieved: the friends they’ve made, the goals they’ve scored, and the losses they’ve endured.

Since it was formed over 40 years ago, Lindfield Juniors has played a pivotal role in village life - for many families, it forms the cornerstone of their weekends from September to August. We are all used to seeing the sea of green and black on Hickmans Lane fields, on the Common and down the High Street on Saturday mornings as the club’s players make their way to training - whatever the time, whatever the weather. The club is one we can be proud of for so many reasons - not least for its popularity among local boys and girls. The growth of the club has been staggering and it continues to go from strength to strength.

Next season, there will be a total of 38 teams playing at Lindfield Juniors making it the club’s biggest year by far. Of those, 29 teams are boys and nine are girls. To put this in context, in 2009 there were just eight teams in total - meaning they’ll have more girls’ teams next season than they did at the club as a whole 14 years ago. In practice, this means that over 600 children will be signing up from September. The players start at age four and go all the way through to playing at Under 17 level - a testament to their loyalty and enjoyment at the club that they’re still playing at that age.

Many of the players started as soon as they were old enough to kick a ball. Club secretary Tony Robinson told us: “When my son was four, I used to take him to Soccer Tots in the King Edward Hall and he’d see a field full of boys and always asked ‘when can I play like the big kids?’. He started as soon as he was old enough, is now 16 and has been playing with the club for over 12 years.” Darren Hughes, who coaches the U15 boys has been with the same group since they were in reception class: “Out of the team of 17 we have now, I’ve been coaching 13 of them since they were four. The club and the team are a huge part of their lives and they’ve developed some strong friendships through playing together. I’ve seen them develop into great players and lovely young adults, it’s a real privilege.”

Since the club launched its first girls’ team in 2018 the sport has seen a massive increase in popularity for local girls. From September, there will be over 120 girls playing for the club across nine different teams - with many year groups having multiple teams. U12 Girls coach Glenn Watts said: “Coaching the girls is the highlight of my week. I was so pleased that my daughter wanted to play football and I love being involved in her team. The girls have built up an amazing team spirit and have made friends who I hope they’ll play with until they’re much older. They have such a positive attitude to the game and really believe in themselves as a team. The success of girls’ football at Lindfield is something we can all be proud of.”

If you’d like to know more about joining the club or sponsoring of a team at Lindfield Juniors, get in touch with Tony on secretarylindfieldjnrs@hotmail.com.

To read the full article please pick up a copy of August’s Lindfield Life today.

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2022/23 Highlights
• Lindfield Girls U9 won the Crawley & Maidenbower Summer Tournament
• Lindfield Thunder U9 were runners up in the Russel Martin Summer Tournament
• William Hartley, Lindfield Sharks U16 won the Golden Boot for U16 Div 2
• Lindfield Girls U12 were runners up in the County Cup final narrowly losing 1-2. These were our first County Cup finalists for 10+ years
• Lindfield Girls U12s won the Red Division of the Sussex County Women & Girls
• Lindfield Sharks U11 were runners up in the MSYFL Plate final
• Lindfield Storm U9 won the MSYFL Futsal tournament.
• Lindfield Spartans U11 were runners up of MSYFL Futsal tournament

Lindfield Common's new touch rugby club

By Claire Cooper

For more than 100 years, Lindfield Common has been at the heart of sport in the village with football, cricket, tennis and bowls all regularly played throughout the year. But more recently, the Common has welcomed a new and exciting sport – touch rugby.

Since January this year, players of all ages have been meeting to enjoy the safe, but still challenging game, with numbers gradually growing. Organiser Rick Fieldwick is delighted at the warm welcome and enthusiasm shown in the village for touch rugby, which he has coached for around 20 years: “It all started when I began coaching my son’s year group at Haywards Heath Rugby Club,” said Rick. “I remember thinking that it was such a shame that kids only ever played rugby at school, or as a member of a club, and that you never saw a group of lads just spinning a rugby ball around for fun.”

Keen to change this, Rick gathered a group together and began running touch rugby sessions in Bolney, before moving to Whitemans Green in Cuckfield, following an invitation from Haywards Heath Rugby Club. However, after 15 years Rick’s relationship with the club changed and, keen to retain the group’s independence, he began to look for a new place to play. “I have always insisted that touch rugby should be fun, and players shouldn’t have to join a club or pay membership fees,” said Rick. “When we were told we could no longer use the rugby pitches, I knew it was time to move elsewhere.”

With support and encouragement from his players, Rick’s search brought him to Lindfield. “We started playing on Saturday mornings and were immediately made to feel really welcome,” said Rick. “People began to come over and ask how they could get involved. We now have around 30 people playing regularly, including several joining us from the village.

“We have players spanning seven decades – from under 10 to in their 60s. There’s a cross section of skills and abilities and several of the players, including myself, Steve Morgan and Simon Elmore both who help manage the group, are qualified coaches.”

Rick explained why touch rugby can be played by mixed age groups. “It’s a non-contact sport, so there is no tackling or scrummages,” he said. “It’s been with us for generations – ever since rugby has been around and is used to train players. Touch rugby gives players the chance to have a go at some of the things they see on TV and develop a real flair for the game. “But what I really love about it is that I can play on the same team as my sons!”

Rick added that the sessions are already attracting families, including mothers and daughters. “It’s a fantastic way to introduce girls to the game and encourage them to go on to play full rugby,” Rick added. “It’s a very safe environment and we follow all the Rugby Football Union’s covid guidance and procedures.”

Rick is also delighted to have gained support from the Lindfield Parish and Mid Sussex District Councils. “I got a call from a Mid Sussex District Council officer, saying they had heard great things about us from the community and offering support,” said Rick. They have now marked out a touch rugby pitch for us on the northeast part of the common and will be working to improve the playing surface – I call it ‘The Exhibition Ground!’. It’s wonderful that we have found a home and I am both proud and touched that the Lindfield community has made us feel so welcome. Its’ so lovely to be here.”

To find out more about touch rugby on the Common, and how you can get involved, just turn up at the sessions on Saturday mornings from 9.30am to 11.30am.

“We always encourage people to come along and have a go – its free, great fun, keeps you fit and is a great was to meet new people,” said Rick.