By 1973/74, the club had scaled the Eastbourne & Hastings League and was beginning to look for a future beyond parks football. “They’ll never be more than a parks team!” was the infamous comment of one very senior official in Sussex football – but they proved him wrong!

In 1983, now named Langney Sports, the club was elected as a founder member of Division 3 of the Sussex County League, and swiftly moved up through the divisions, rarely finishing outside the top four in Division One. They became a respected force across Sussex. Finally, after some close-run campaigns, the 1999/00 season under the management duo Garry Wilson and Nick Greenwood saw the Sports take the Sussex County League title, gaining promotion to the Dr. Martens League (Eastern Division). After a season of consolidation at the higher level, the club finished a creditable ninth in the table.

Meanwhile, off the field, the Sports were laying sound physical foundations. From those itinerant early years on local parks pitches, the club had always envisioned a more permanent home. Audaciously, they approached the local council with the improbable project of turning Priory Lane – then a mere expanse of empty marshland – into a proper stadium. The County League years saw those plans beginning to be realized. During the 2000/01 season, the club received a £117,000 grant from the Football Foundation to further develop Priory Lane.

At the end of the season, the Football Committee made one of the most crucial decisions in the club’s history: the change of name to Eastbourne Borough FC. While stalwarts had their reservations, the new name reflected the club’s status as ambassadors for the whole town, not just the original Langney. But to loyal supporters, the club is and always will be “The Sports!”

In 2002, the club won the Sussex Senior Cup for the first time, beating the holders Lewes 2-1. Within two seasons, there was further promotion to the Dr. Martens Premier Division. A year later, Borough was elevated to the newly inaugurated Conference South after a mid-table finish.

The 2004/05 season proved to be a successful one as Eastbourne Borough reached the North v South Play-Off Final. Over 1,000 Borough supporters made the 500-mile round trip to Stoke City for the final against Altrincham, but it wasn’t to be, with the club losing 2-1 in an exciting encounter.

The following campaign was disappointing, but the club achieved another milestone by reaching the 1st Round proper of the FA Cup for the first time, with the reward of a home tie against League Two club Oxford United. Cheered on by a record crowd of 3,770 and in front of the Match of the Day cameras, Borough dramatically forced a 1-1 draw with a twice-taken last-minute penalty. Story-book stuff! However, the replay was lost 3-0 at the Kassam Stadium.

The 2006/07 season saw the squad adopt a change in direction with Garry Wilson emphasizing “quality” over “quantity,” finishing in 7th place, 4 points off a play-off berth. Buoyed by the previous league season, the club started the 2007/08 season in high spirits, leading to a successful campaign with Eastbourne Borough beating Hampton & Richmond Borough 2-0 in the Play-Off Final at Stevenage. This triumph completed a remarkable rise from recreation ground football to the pinnacle of Non-League, the Conference Premier.

The 2008/09 season was another step into the unknown for the club, with the opening Premier fixture a home game with Rushden & Diamonds. Any doubts regarding the squad’s competitiveness, the club’s infrastructure, or the support of the Eastbourne public were dispelled by the end of the day – a 1-1 draw.

Notable results during the season included a double over Forest Green Rovers, a home win over ex-league club York City, success over Wrexham, and an incredible 4-0 win at Woking. The season proved rewarding with an impressive mid-table finish, amongst the ‘giants’ of the non-league game.

The 2009/10 season started brightly but proved tough after a long winless streak left the Sports needing a win over champions Oxford United in the final game to avoid relegation. With 6 minutes to go and the scores level at 0-0, and results going against them elsewhere, Borough appeared to be heading for the drop. Then a final-minute penalty, coolly converted by Simon Weatherstone, sparked wild scenes, securing another season in the Premier.

The Sports’ third season at National Conference level finally proved too much for the side, and the club suffered its first-ever relegation. Back in Conference South, the Sports had the honor of kicking off the first-ever match at the Amex Stadium against Brighton and Hove Albion in a held-over Sussex Senior Cup Final. The 9,500 attendance remains the biggest crowd that the club has played in front of, but the hosts won the trophy 1-0.

There was much optimism for the 2011/12 season, but after a bright start, the season became a struggle. After only one league win in 12 outings, the club parted company with Garry Wilson and Nick Greenwood. The decision was difficult and painful, as their decade-long tenure had seen unprecedented success. Tommy Widdrington took the reins, overseeing a new phase.

Tommy Widdrington remained at the club for five seasons until April 2017, overseeing a phase of mid-table stability in the National South. Equally important, the club’s infrastructure strengthened with the conversion to a Community Interest Club, the opening of an Academy, and a splendid new 3G pitch installed at Priory Lane. Langney Sports/Eastbourne Borough spent half a century building – teams, facilities, and friendships. A proud achievement of 2017/18 was the National League award as Community Club of the Year. On the pitch, Tommy moved on after winning the club its second Sussex Senior Cup, and Jamie Howell was appointed manager ahead of the 2017/18 season.

After some notable and exciting wins, but little progress toward the top end of the table, Jamie left the club in February 2019 following a poor run of form after a good start to the 2018/19 season. Ex-Brighton Manager Mark McGhee was appointed interim manager, under whom the Sports secured their National League South status.

The Sports entered 2019/20 with a new figure at the helm, former Havant & Waterlooville boss Lee Bradbury. However, he departed the Lane in November and was replaced by former assistant manager Danny Bloor, who alongside Sergio Torres looked to make his mark at the Sports.

After the 2019/20 season was curtailed, the Sports had a great 2020/21 campaign, although it was in front of empty stadiums, and the National League South was eventually declared null and void with the Sports sitting third in the table. On top of that, the club reached the First Round of the FA Cup, entertaining League One side Blackpool in front of the BT Sport cameras. Although losing 3-0, the Sports could hold their heads high on a memorable day for the club.

The Sports reached the play-offs in 2021/22, but fell to defeat to Oxford City in the semi-finals before the side fell just three points short of another play-off campaign in 2022/23.

The club’s history has been one of challenging expectations, firsts, and progress. The close season ahead of the 2023/24 season saw a seismic change in the club’s structure. Entrepreneur Simon Leslie, a Sussex resident, took over the club with the intention of driving it further forward both on and off the field. The club structure and badge were changed, but the charitable trust that has long been the custodian of the Priory Lane site remained the club’s landlord. Having recently succeeded in purchasing the land from the council, the protections for the club’s status at the site were strengthened and embraced by the new ownership.

Another significant change was the departure of Danny Bloor and his management team. Mark Beard was brought in to replace Bloor, and was also charged with converting the club to a full-time model. Ultimately the season that followed was one of transition, with challenges adapting to the full-time model. Former AFC Fylde boss Adam Murray took over midway through the season, and under his leadership to Sports embarked on an impressive 14-game unbeaten run during the latter part of the 2023/2024 season. The culmination of this effort was often referred to as the “great escape,” as Eastbourne Borough successfully avoided relegation by the end of the 2023/2024 season.

As the club enters the 2024/25 season, excitement is building once again. With plans for further development on and off the pitch, Eastbourne Borough continues its remarkable journey from the parks of Eastbourne, with ambitions to reach new heights.