Hastings United

Founded under the quirky name Rock-a-Nore in 1894, Hastings United Football Club has only gone by its current name since 2002, having previously also gone by Hastings Town.

In 1997, a lottery winner Mark Gardiner became involved with the club, though his riches didn’t see things improve on the pitch. At the end of the 1998/99 season the club fell into administration, and weren’t sure which division they would be viable to play in the following season.

After Gardiner stepped down from his role at the club, Hastings were saved from ceasing to exist by yet another local lottery winner, Mick Maplesden.

The 2012/13 season was one of two different Hastings United teams. One that enjoyed a magical FA Cup run, where they were knocked out in the biggest game in the club’s history in the third round away to Middlesborough. And the other was the side that turned up in the league and went three-and-a-half months without a win, seeing the club relegated.