AFC VARNDEANIANS PROVIDING FOOTBALL TO THE BRIGHTON COMMUNITY SINCE 1929
News…
Bradley Bant takes over as the new V’s manager for 2025/26
After interviewing several candidates for the job we are pleased to announce Bradley Bant as manager and Jack Pettett as his assistant.
Brad has a wealth of playing experience and over the past three seasons has been coaching and managing at youth and senior level clubs.
We have already started pre season and although a few players have moved on we are delighted with the nucleus of players that have stayed loyal to the V’s and the new players that Brad and jack have attracted to the club.
The quality of the sessions has been high standard with great intensity and we look forward to our pre-season friendlies shortly to be announced.
3rd team seal promotion with an away win at Barcombe FC
Barcombe 1-2 AFC Varndeanians III
12th April 2025
After an impressive 4-1 demolition midweek of 2nd place Welcroft Park Rangers II mid-week the V’s III’s could seal promotion if they won away at Barcombe which they duly achieved with goals from top scorer Lewis Bennet and Naadir Khan. It’s been a solid season for the third’s managed by Si nat who has played alot of the youth players mixed with some experienced players which is a formula that has worked while playing really attractive attacking football.
Old stalwarts Steve Low, Ant Faulkner and captain Richard Lenton have provided a solid core to let the youngsters shine, none more so than lewis bennet who has scored 14 goals this season.
Over 45’s vets win title against closest rivals TD Shipley FC
TD Shipley 0-2 AFC Varndeanians Over 45’s
4th April 2025
In a winner takes all match the V’s produced the goods to beat TD Shipley
2-0 become champions of the SSFL Sussex Sunday Intermediate division. Goals from Marco Pucci and Mike (mind your hamstring) Setters were enough to secure the win.
Manager Chris Fouleton was delighte, ‘After losing the Cup final to Valley Rovers 4-2, I was determined to lift some silverware that the squad deserved and no matter what age or level of football you play it’s always satisying to win the league.”
The vet’s squad has got stronger and stronger throughout the season and will nest season have the challenge of playing in the premier.
V’s Over 60’s walking football team win SCFL league west
The V’s over 60’s have remained unbeaten in the league winning 9 and drawing one game with a goal difference of 47 so all in all an impressive season. The last game of the season saw us draw 1-1 with Worthing Black who are a quality team and our equaliser didn’t come until the last minute when Colin Addison-Milne finished off a delightful move.
There has been a reliable squad all season of Pete Passingham, Keith Chamberlain, Gareth Hall, Mark Neocleous, Jamie Hall, Gary Jakeman, Den O’Brien, Shaz, Dave Bridges and Norman Wright who at aged 74 still gets upset if he ever gives the ball away… which is a rare thing.
To view the league table click here
U16’s complete the season with a cup win
The V’s U16’s have had a solid season in the Mid Sussex Division One which is a tough league with some top sides like East Grinstead, Burgess Hill Bognor and Worthing. A notable win was a 4-3 victory over Worthing FC.
After a good cup run in the plate competition the V’s beat Seaford 2-1 after going one goal down but they held their nerve kept playing football on the deck and got their rewards with 2 well taken goals.
This team is a result of our link up with Seagulls Fc and has worked really well with many of the players stepping up the men’s football when they hit the age of 16. This relationship with the Seagulls in in it’s first season and has certainly been fruitful for the Vs’s and also provides a pathway for Seagulls players into mens football.
An amazing night at Withdean as we welcomed back the Seagulls
The crowd of 900 spectators enjoyed a trip down memory lane as Brighton and Hove Albion U21’s beat AFC Varndeanians 1-0. A resilient performance by the V’s was rewarded with a tight contest, despite the Albions dominance, and indeed we stayed in the game and had a chance at the end of the match. But the real winner tonight was football, as everyone involved enjoyed a close game and the atmosphere was quite special.
The Albion fanzine Dogma wrote a wonderful piece about the match which is worth a read. Read more
To watch match highlights click here
