Crowborough Athletic (H) Match Preview

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Punjab United vs Crowborough Athletic, Isthmian South East Division, The Steve Cook Stadium, Saturday 17th October 2026, 3:00pm Kick-Off

Punjab have come off two defeats on the road since their last home game. They suffered a 2-0 defeat to Cray Wanderers and last minute heartbreak in a 1-0 defeat away to Merstham. However, Punjab will be looking to make it three wins on the bounce at home as they take on 22nd place side Crowborough Athletic. A win could see Punjab jump to 12th in the table with a congested table towards the bottom with only five points seperating 12th to 22nd. A win for Crowborough would see them out of the relegation zone.

The programme for this afternoon's game can be seen below:

Our Opponents:

Crowborough Athletic currently sit 22nd in the Isthmian South East Division and play their games at Charles Century Community Stadium. In the 2025/26 season, Crowborough finished 14th in Step 4. They ended up on 55 points with 16 wins, 7 draws and 19 defeats. Crowborough will be looking to build on last season's position and climb up the table.

History:

Crowborough Athletic FC, established in 1894 as a sporting extension of the local athletics

club, has a fascinating history intertwined with the community. Initially sharing their name

with a cricketing section, the club soon found its footballing identity and joined the

Crowborough & District League (CDL) and the Sussex County FA in 1896.

Over the years, Crowborough Athletic FC showcased impressive performances in local

leagues and competitions like the Humble-Crofts Cup and the George Dodd Memorial

Trophy. They moved from various locations within the town before settling at the Alderbrook

Playing Fields in 1953, thanks to the generous land contribution of Mr. George Watson.

The 1970s brought the club to the prestigious Sussex County Football League (SCFL),

where they experienced ups and downs but consistently displayed determination. The

2003/04 season marked a turning point, with a promotion to Division 2 and a Division 3 Cup

victory. The subsequent years saw continuous growth, culminating in a historic promotion to

the Ryman Isthmian League, Division 1, in the 2007/08 season.

Despite challenges, Crowborough Athletic FC's resilience remained steadfast, but they

eventually returned to the SCFL Division 1 after one season in the Ryman Isthmian League.

Their transition to the Southern Counties East Football League (SCEFL) in 2014 introduced

new competition, where the club continued to progress.

The 2016/17 season saw an outstanding 32-game unbeaten run, nearly earning promotion

back to the Ryman Isthmian League. Though they missed out on promotion, the Crows

continued their upward trajectory, finishing third in the 2017/18 season.

Amidst challenges in subsequent seasons, including the impact of the global pandemic in

2019/20, the club remained proactive in ensuring the sustainability of football at the

Crowborough Community Stadium. Major groundworks and new LED floodlights were

installed through grants from the Football Foundation.

In the 2021/22 season, Crowborough Athletic FC focused on developing pathways from

youth to senior football, achieving a commendable 10th place finish in the league and

reaching the League Cup final. At the end of the season, they were moved back to the

Southern Combination Football League (SCFL) by the FA.

In the 2022/23 season, the club continued its progress, finishing 6th and reaching the Peter

Bentley Challenge Cup final, and in the 2023/24 season, further progress resulted in a play-

off place (finishing 3rd in league) and again reaching the Peter Bentley Challenge Cup final (losing to a 94th minute winner from the League Champions).

After a slow start to the 2024/25 season, The Crows improved on 23/24, winning the Peter

Bentley Challenge Cup, and finishing 2nd in the League, gaining promotion through the

Play-Offs this time to return to the Isthmian South East League at Step 4. The season ended

with an appearance in the League Cup Final for an unlikely “treble” but they were beaten by

the newly-crowned Champions.

2025/26 will see the First Team compete at Step 4 for only the second time in its history,

while the club as a whole continues to develop new initiatives in the community, ready to

face the new challenges ahead.

Getting There:

The nearest train station to Punjab United is Gravesend. You can then either get the bus which takes 30 minutes or get a taxi from the station which takes 11 minutes.

The Steve Cook Stadium

Dunkirk Close

Gravesend

Kent

DA12 5ND

Extra Information:

The Steve Cook Stadium will be opening at 1:30pm, with many products on offer from simple soft drinks to beers. The Punjab Cafe will also be open and offer food and drink.

In terms of disabled parking, it is crucial that anybody who requires it, contacts the Punjab team via email (punjabutdfc@gmail.com). Parking may be busy and can fill quickly, if you do decide to park around residential areas, please be mindful and respectful of residents.