Newhaven Football Club is a football club based in Newhaven, East Sussex, England. They are currently members of the and play at Fort Road.
The club was established at a meeting at the Bridge Hotel in December 1889. They joined the Senior Division of the East Sussex League in 1899 under the name "Newhaven & Cement Works". The club were runners-up in 1900âÂÂ01 and again in 1903âÂÂ04, before winning the Senior Division title and the Sussex RUR Cup in 1904âÂÂ05. They then adopted their current name and went on to retain the league title in 1905âÂÂ06.
The 1908âÂÂ09 season saw Newhaven win the title for a third time, but the league was then disbanded. The club joined the Mid-Sussex League and were champions in 1909âÂÂ10 and 1911âÂÂ12, by which time they had also rejoined the East Sussex League when it reformed in 1911. Following World War I, the club became members of Division One of the Brighton, Hove & District League in 1919âÂÂ20, before becoming founder members of the Sussex County League in 1920. They won the Invitation Cup in 1948âÂÂ49, and were Sussex County League champions in 1953âÂÂ54. After finishing bottom of Division One in 1964âÂÂ65, the club were relegated to Division Two. Although they were promoted back to Division One the following season, having finished as runners-up, the club were relegated back to Division Two again after finishing bottom of Division One in 1967âÂÂ68.
Newhaven were Division Two champions in 1971âÂÂ72, earning promotion to Division One. Although they were Division One champions in 1973âÂÂ74, just two seasons later they finished bottom of the division and were relegated back to Division Two. They went on to finish bottom of Division Two in 1977âÂÂ78. After winning the Division Two title in 1990âÂÂ91 the club were promoted to Division One. In 1993âÂÂ94 they won the Sussex RUR Cup for a second time, beating Pagham 4âÂÂ0 in the final. However, the club were relegated back to Division Two at the end of the 1994âÂÂ95 season, and then relegated to Division Three after finishing bottom of Division Two in 1998âÂÂ99.
After thirteen seasons in Division Three, Newhaven won the division in 2011âÂÂ12 and were promoted to Division Two; they also won the Sussex Intermediate Cup, beating Saltdean United in the final. The following season saw them finish as runners-up in Division Two, earning promotion to Division One. In 2014âÂÂ15 they won the League Cup with a 3âÂÂ1 win over Arundel in the final. In 2015 the league was renamed the Southern Combination, with Division One becoming the Premier Division. The club won the Sussex RUR Cup again in 2015âÂÂ16, beating Chichester City 4âÂÂ2 in the final, going on to retain the trophy the following season with a 5âÂÂ0 win over Crawley Down Gatwick. They won the League Cup in 2022âÂÂ23 season, defeating Crowborough Athletic 2âÂÂ1 in the final.
In 2023âÂÂ24 Newhaven finished fourth in the Premier Division, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. After beating Crowborough Athletic on penalties in the semi-finals, they lost the final 2âÂÂ0 to Eastbourne Town.
The club play at Fort Road. Redevelopment in the 1990s led to construction starting on a new stand. However, it was never finished due to the club's financial problems.