Information

Ground:             Haven Sportsfield, Haven Centre, Crawley Down, West Sussex, RH10 4LJ

Facilities:           Include: Social Club, Hall, Meeting Rooms, Snooker etc.

Web site:            www.crawleydownfc.com

Crawley Down FC is heavily involved in promoting football from the young age of 5 years (U6) through to adult.  There are four adult teams including a Ladies Team, Youth Under 18 Teams and a full range of Junior youth sides starting at 5 years and ranging up to 16 years.

Adult

          1st X1        - Senior level football in the RYMAN ISTHMIAN Football League.

          2nd X1       - Intermediate football in the Suburban Premier League.

          3rd X1        - Intermediate football in the Mid Sussex Premier Football League.

          Ladies X1  - Junior football in the Sussex County Women & Girls Football League.

The 1st Team’s Senior status is the highest among the local Senior sides, such as Three Bridges, Oakwood and East Grinstead Town all of whom play in the Sussex County Football League.  Crawley Town FC being the most Senior team in the area.

Crawley Down have strength in depth with complete integration of all the youth teams and we actively encourage our Youth Team players into Senior Football through the Youth U18 team if they have the skill and commitment to play at that level.   Many former youth team players have made that step up and others play in 3rd team adult football, which is at Intermediate level.  CDFC through a lot of hard work now has facilities and the status to play in the FA Cup, FA Trophy and the FA Youth Cup. Covered Seating accommodation of 188 seats inc disabled areas and a further covered standing area for 125 persons.

Youth

Youth Level is in football terms is Under 18 and the Crawley Down Youth Team currently play in the Southern Youth League and FA Youth Cup Competitions as well as the Sussex County FA Youth Cup. All matches are played midweek under floodlights. Further advancement depending upon ability is to play in the Ryman Isthmian Youth League.

Ladies

Our ladies team play Sunday afternoons and are well supported. They play in Div One of the Sussex County Women & Girls Football League.

Junior

The Junior Youth or Minor section of the Club at present run teams from 5 years of age where the emphasis is mainly on having fun and training.  At Under 8 & 9 years the emphasis is on training but they also play 7-a-side friendly games each week either in the Crawley or Mid Sussex Youth leagues.  At U10 years the first real competitive football starts, playing 7-a-side football.  U11 is the first age group that teams play competitive 11-a-side football and this carries through the various age groups up to U16.  From U11 to U16 the teams generally play in the stronger Mid Sussex Youth & Minor League where they will be coached to a standard to progress eventually into the Youth U18 Side and then into adult football.

Support

The Ist team matches are very well supported with average gates of 85 last season and expected to increase to over 100 with the promotion to Ryman League Football. The Anvils play all over Sussex, Surrey, Kent, & South London on top County Grounds and so sponsorship attracts a good deal of exposure.  Local Derby’s can attract as many as 400 people.

Moving forward

At the end of February 2003 Crawley Down’s Committee decided with the new floodlights and hard standing soon to be installed, that the time had come to establish a Football Management and Coaching team to push the Club forward into County Division one.  With that aim in mind several appointments were made to secure probably the most sought after Manager/s and Coaches in the area.  These appointments attracted both players and further support to the Club, the end result being to provide a much more successful first team squad and generating success all the way down through the organisation of Youth, Ladies and Junior teams.  By 2009/10 Season we progressed to Div 1 of the Sussex County League and after finishing 8th in that first season we hit the height of Sussex County League Champions the following year winning the competition with a margin of 15 clear points and also winning the SCFA RUR Cup. With further extra seating and turnstiles the Club won promotion to the Ryman Isthmian Football League for the 2011/12 Season. It is certain that the Teams success will generate more use of the Haven Centre and the Social Club and also bring in much needed business for those organisations and the Community of Crawley Down and surrounding villages.

Sponsorship

We are obviously looking for Major Sponsorship from local and National organisations to help us fulfil these aims.  We have the necessary infrastructure but funds are desperately needed to help us succeed.   The further we progress; the need for more or updated equipment and extra facilities rises exponentially, Ground maintenance equipment, Physiotherapy, Kit washing & training equipment are all areas that tend to be easily forgotten.  We would also like to be able to build new changing rooms a storage area, and a fitness centre in the future and also we have designs on the possibility of a 3G training pitch which will benefit the local community. Major Sponsorship will also gain from coverage in local papers either from Football Club press releases, Match reports or Sponsors own advertisements. 

What can we do for Sponsors?

Networking opportunities for businesses are huge, there’s the infrastructure within the Club as well as the large catchment area.  Local businesses will benefit from contacts and recommendations from within.  Plummer’s, Carpenters, Builders etc. literally hundreds of small businesses are either Players, Supporters or Parents.  There is always somebody who knows how or where to get that job done no matter how small or large it may be.

The Catchment area covers the majority of Sussex, Surrey, South London and Kent, opportunities arise for Companies to advertise at home games and this can be extended to away matches if kit sponsorship is part of a deal.  Companies advertising special deals for Crawley Down supporters ‘who produce a current programme’ will further increase their chances of attracting the local community to their business.  Restaurants, Pubs, Car purchase/servicing, Sports & Fitness Clubs, Hotels, Retailing, UPVC products, Discount buying etc. etc. All these and many other businesses could benefit.

Although its attractive to offer Sponsorship to develop ones own trade, Sponsorship is also very attractive in being seen to be helping to support facilities amongst the local Community and many indirect opportunities and recognition can come from that.   

We can offer

Sponsorship:  In the form of Club or Team sponsorship. One or more Teams, Senior/Youth/Ladies or Junior.  Sponsors names printed on team strip, Home/Away or both.  Match Ball Sponsorship, Player sponsorship, MOM, Pitch side & Ground Equipment, Training bibs, Presentation Evenings & Medals etc.

Advertising:   Kit Bags, Tracksuits, T Shirts, Caps, Programme (Full, Half, & Quarter page), Newsletter, Pitch side boards, Etc.

Internet:  We have our own well-used and interactive Web site, various advertisements and links to your own business web sites can be created.  This has UK & World wide advertising advantages; we regularly get contacted from outside the UK.

All these or other possible opportunities will be negotiable as many variations could be applied depending upon the needs of the Sponsor, Advertiser and Crawley Down Football Club.