The National League concluded on Monday with most of the other leagues in the non league pyramid having already finished their regular season by the end of April. Playoffs have been in full swing and soon every team will know their fate.

Like at the very top of the game clubs now primarily measure their success by league position especially as the pyramid system now offers opportunity to climb the footballing ladder. The downside of this progress also mirrors the top of the game in the way it downgrades the importance of cup competitions.

The FA itself has taken much of the lustre off its jewel in the crown with the abolition of replays in the FA Cup the last straw for many traditionalists.

County Senior Cups used to be extremely important in the non league game but with teams now scrambling for a playoff spot or battling to avoid relegation a lot of County F.A.’s have struggled to keep their premier Cup competitions relevant. Gladly in Sussex they’ve managed to buck this trend. The attraction of having the final at the Amex Stadium, home of Premier League Brighton, has proved a huge incentive for clubs to take the competition seriously.

A look at recent winners of the competition is a cast list of the County’s biggest non league clubs with the outlier being Brighton themselves who field a strong academy-based line up in the Senior Cup.

This year’s final takes place on Thursday (8 May ko 7.30pm) and will feature holders and favourites Horsham against Littlehampton Town. The Hornets are fresh off the euphoric feeling of clinching the Isthmian Premier title in nerve shredding fashion by pipping Billericay Town on goal difference on the last day of the campaign.

In contrast Littlehampton have had a season of struggle in the Isthmian South East Division and only confirmed preservation of their Step 4 status with a couple of games to go.

The form guide may therefore suggest the outcome on Thursday will be a forgone conclusion. To underestimate Littlehampton’s chances might be a mistake though as they’ve made a habit of raising their game for the big occasion.

They knocked out both Worthing and Bognor last season and in this season’s semi final vanquished National League South Eastbourne Borough who were in contention for promotion to the National League itself until Maidstone ended their play off dreams on Sunday like they had done to Worthing a few days before.

It would still be a massive shock if Golds take the Cup home on Thursday. They last reached the final in 1991 and have only won the Senior Cup twice in their history. In actual fact their last triumph took place so long ago (in 1970) that England were still World Champions.

In contrast Hornets have won the trophy on eight occasions and will be looking for the crowning glory on their incredible season by retaining their trophy. It’s set fair for a grand occasion and is a great way for Sussex football to bring the curtain down on the 2024-25 campaign. If only the F.A. treated their premier Cup competition with the same respect.