Club
Arundel FC were established in 1889 and joined the Sussex County Football League in 1949. The club has won the County League title 3 times in their history.
Founded in 1889 and known as ‘The Mullets’ (Arundel being renowned for its mullet fishing), Arundel FC played in the West Sussex League for some 50 years, until becoming a Sussex County League side immediately after the Second World War.
County League champions two years running in 1957-58 and 1958-59, and again in 1986-87, when they also won the League Challenge Cup.
The Club has yet to repeat that level of success and were relegated in 1997-98 after finishing bottom of Division One. Up until that point, Arundel had spent 46 seasons out of 49 in the top flight of the County League.
After just two seasons in Division Two, the Mullets gained promotion back to Division One, after finishing as runners-up to Sidlesham in 99/2000.
In the 2002/03 season, the club had their best performance in the FA Vase reaching the national stages of the competition eventually going out in the 4th round to Bridlington Town AFC, 3-0 away from home.
In 2003-04 the Mullets enjoyed their best season since returning to the top flight under Steve Johnson, finishing sixth in Division One (their highest position since winning the title in 1987); as well as lifting the John O’Hara League Cup by beating Rye & Iden United 2-1.
2004/05 saw Arundel finish in a respectable 9th place with some of the seasons highlights including a 7-1 win over Southwick, a 5-1 victory against Hailsham Town and a 6-1 thrashing of Sidlesham.
For the start of the new 2005/06 season a new management team has been brought into the club with new 1st team manager Vic Short and assistant managers Kevin Valentine and Simon Butler. The Arundel Reserve side also has new management for the new season with Kevin Short and assistant managers Jamie Searle and Robbie Declaire.
Short left the club before the start of the 2007-08 season to be replaced by Richard Towers, with Simon Butler staying on as his assistant with the addition of Jim Quigg to the management team. After a slow start in the league, the team’s form picked up and eventually finished 3rd for the second season running. The season’s highlights included a 5-0 win over Hythe in the FA Vase and an excellent 4-2 away win over champions Crowborough Athletic.
Towers second season in charge (2008/09) saw the club go one better by finishing as runners up, 2 points behind champions Eastbourne Utd, who the Mullets beat twice during the season.
They went into the final day of the season with a chance of claiming the title and after beating Ringmer 5-2 in an early kick off (2pm) they led the table with Eastbourne still playing at home to Redhill. 2 late goals for United though clinched a 2-0 win and saw them claim the championship.
Gary Norgate, who re-signed at the beginning of the season from Midhurst ended as the league’s top scorer with 26 goals, 39 in all competitions.
