Chichester City Football Club was a football club based in Chichester, England. Established in 1873, they merged with Portfield in 2000 to form Chichester City United, later renamed Chichester City.
The club was established in 1873 as Chichester Football Club. They were founder members of the Sussex County Football Association in 1882, and later became founder members of the West Sussex League in 1896. In 1920 the club were founder members of another new league, the Sussex County League.
In 1925âÂÂ26 Chichester won the Sussex Senior Challenge Cup, beating Eastbourne 5âÂÂ1 in the final. After World War II the club spent one season in the West Sussex League, winning the Division One title and Malcolm Simmonds Memorial Cup, before returning the Sussex County League when it resumed in 1946. In 1948 the club was renamed Chichester City. They won the Sussex County League in 1959âÂÂ60, retaining their title the following season. In 1960âÂÂ61 the club reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first and only time in their history, losing 11âÂÂ0 at Bristol City. They also reached the Sussex RUR Cup final, and after drawing 2âÂÂ2 with Brighton & Hove Albion, were jointly awarded the cup; they went on to win the RUR Cup outright in 1963âÂÂ64. After finishing as league runners-up in 1965âÂÂ66 and 1966âÂÂ67, they were champions again in 1967âÂÂ68. The club were runners-up in 1969âÂÂ70 and champions for a fourth time in 1972âÂÂ73.
After several seasons of lower-mid table finishes in the mid-1970s, Chichester were champions again in 1979âÂÂ80. However, the next few years saw them become a yo-yo club; they were relegated to Division Two at the end of the 1982âÂÂ83 season, having finished bottom of Division One. Although they returned to Division One in 1985 after finishing as Division Two runners-up, they were relegated again at the end of the 1986âÂÂ87 season. The club were promoted back to Division One as Division Two runners-up in 1990âÂÂ91, but were relegated for a third time in 1993âÂÂ94 after finishing bottom of Division One. In 1995âÂÂ96 the club finished in the promotion positions, but were denied promotion as Oakland Park did not have floodlights. In 1996âÂÂ97 they were Division Two runners-up again, earning promotion back to Division One after floodlights had been installed.
In 2000 Chichester merged with Portfield to form Chichester City United, playing at Portfield's Church Road ground whilst Oaklands Park was redeveloped.
The club wore white shirts and socks, originally with blue shorts and later with black.
The club originally played at Priory Park, before moving to Oaklands Park in the early 1950s.