Built 1884 Phone +44 1323 724328 | Opened 1884 | |
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Full name The Saffrons Sports Ground Location Compton Place Road,
Eastbourne,
East Sussex,
BN21 1EA Capacity 3,000 (200 seated) for Football Address South Downs National Park, Compton Pl Rd, Eastbourne BN21 1EA, UK Similar College Ground - Cheltenham, Nevill Ground, St George's Road Cricket Gr, County Cricket Ground, County Cricket Ground | ||
The saffrons the good ship
The Saffrons is a multi-purpose sports ground in Eastbourne, East Sussex. The ground is home to Eastbourne Cricket Club, Eastbourne Hockey Club and Eastbourne Town Football Club. There is also an astroturf pitch. The sports ground is located on the edge of Eastbourne town centre, next to the town hall and is in easy reach of local transport links. The ground was first used in 1884. Sussex County Cricket Club played some of their matches there between 1896 and 2000.
Contents
Cindy and the saffrons past present and future
Football
The Saffrons is home to Eastbourne Town F.C., who play in the Isthmian League Division One South who have played football here since 1886, when the then Devonshire Park Football Club moved grounds from their former namesake (now the venue for the Eastbourne International tennis tournament). Devonshire Park Football Club changed their name to Eastbourne in 1889 and the 'Town' suffix was added in 1971.
The ground has seen many improvements over the years with the stand behind the far goal being rebuilt in 1994, now known as the Taffy Jones/Sid Myall stand. The original was a wooden structure and was destroyed by a fire in 1969. The stand was rebuilt but lost its roof in the 1987 hurricane.
Also since the late 1990s, floodlights have been installed at the ground along with a clubhouse, new dressing rooms and a tea bar have been built behind the stand. At the near end of the ground is a small terrace area for spectators with a movable fence to enclose the cricket ground opposite.
There is another covered area next to the main turnsite which currently has wooden benches. The main turnsite was originally built in 1914 and was destroyed by a fire in February 2004 but restored before the new season started.
The ground plays host to many county cup finals at youth and intermediate level. The capacity of the football ground is 3,000, with seating for 200 spectators.
Cricket
The cricket ground is home to Eastbourne Cricket Club, who play in the Sussex Cricket League. The venue saw its first game of cricket played in 1884 and has a capacity of 4,500.
The Saffrons hosted 226 first-class matches between 1896 and 2000. Most of these involved Sussex County Cricket Club, but (especially in earlier years) a number of tour and invitational sides played here too. The inaugural first-class match at the Saffrons was played in May 1896, when South of England drew with the touring Australians. The ground hosted 32 List A matches between 1970 and 2000, and one match each of Youth and Women's One-Day Internationals, as well as Sussex Second XI games.
In June 2016, it was announced that Sussex County Cricket Club would return to play at the Saffrons in 2017.