The Realities of Sussex Management
Rees
From Jarvis Brook to AFC Uckfield Town to Pagham — and what really keeps the heart of the Sussex pyramid beating.
My journey through Jarvis Brook, AFC Uckfield Town and Pagham — and what really keeps the heart of the Sussex football pyramid beating
How This Column Came About
When Mike contacted me to ask if I’d write a column for his new venture, I knew straight away what I wanted to talk about.
I wanted to tell a story about what Sussex football has taught me — and share a bit about my journey through the county’s football pyramid.
I’m still a relative newcomer to Sussex football management compared to some of the longer-serving custodians who’ve been shaping the game here for years. But that’s exactly why I wanted to write this piece — to show what it’s like stepping into this world, learning from it, and becoming part of it.
Why I Wanted to Tell This Story
Sussex football has shaped me — not just as a coach, but as a person. It’s a world built on graft, community, and people who care far more than outsiders ever realise. I’ve been lucky enough to work at clubs with real identity, real history, and real heart. And through every chapter — Jarvis Brook, AFC Uckfield Town, and now Pagham — I’ve learned something new about what it truly means to manage in this county.
This article isn’t about glorifying my journey. It’s about showing the reality of Sussex football through the experiences I’ve lived, the people I’ve worked with, and the communities that keep the game alive.
Takeaway
Managing in Sussex football isn’t glamorous. It’s graft, loyalty, late nights, long drives, rebuilding squads, losing sleep, celebrating small wins, and fighting for every point. My journey — from assistant at Jarvis Brook → assistant at AFC Uckfield Town → first-team manager → being part of the management team at Pagham FC in the SCFL Premier — is just one example of what Sussex football really demands.
Jarvis Brook — Learning the Craft Under Jacob Baldwin
I started my coaching journey at Jarvis Brook, stepping in as assistant manager to Jacob, a man who had already built something special.
Before I arrived, the club had just completed one of the most successful periods in its history — winning the league, winning the county cup, and establishing a culture that every village club dreams of.
During my time there, we added to that success with two league cups and, most importantly, a historic promotion to Step 6 — the first in the club’s history.
But the trophies weren’t the biggest thing I took from Jarvis Brook. Jacob taught me how to build a squad that fits the club, how to manage personalities, how to create standards in a grassroots environment, how to win without resources, and how to keep a club grounded even when it’s flying.
Jarvis Brook wasn’t where I proved myself. It was where I learned what “good” looks like.
AFC Uckfield Town — The Fight Against the Inevitable
My next chapter was AFC Uckfield Town, and it began under Alex Harris, who brought me in as his assistant. I had a handful of games under him — enough to see the scale of the challenge.
The club was already in trouble. Confidence gone. Squad fractured. Relegation almost certain.
When Alex stepped down, Ryan Huckle took over, and I stayed on as his assistant. Again, only a handful of games — but enough to understand the club’s reality.
Together, Ryan and I rebuilt the squad from scratch. New players.
New standards. New identity.
When Ryan left for an EFL opportunity, I was promoted to first-team manager. I carried the rebuild forward, but the early-season damage was too deep. The points lost before we arrived were too heavy to recover.
At first, however, it felt like we were experiencing somewhat of an instant turnaround.
We scored 12 goals in my first two games — almost matching the same number the club had scored in the previous 20 matches.
The football changed overnight. The mentality changed overnight.
The performances changed overnight.
But the league table didn’t.
AFC Uckfield Town taught me that I can fix performances faster than I can fix league tables, that relegation battles are emotional, that players need belief before shape, and that Sussex football can be brutal.
This was the chapter that hardened me — the one that proved I could manage under pressure, not just in success.
Pagham FC — A New Chapter in the SCFL Premier
Now comes the chapter that defines my future: Pagham FC, one of the SCFL Premier Division’s most iconic clubs.
Joining Lemmy, Arn, and Jamie isn’t just a move — it’s a statement, showcasing my own personal ambition. It’s stepping into a club with identity, ambition, and expectation.
Pagham aren’t a rebuild or a rescue job. Pagham are a project. And a really exciting one at that!
A coastal identity, a ground where atmosphere matters, a fanbase that expects competitiveness, and a league where every game is a battle.
Lemmy has put together a very exciting squad but it wasn’t that which drew me in following him reaching out to me in the summer.
It is the standards he sets. The environment he’s created. That’s what excited me! Add to that the fantastic people in the background making sure everything runs smooth and making sure that all he has to worry about, is winning football matches!
This is where my Jarvis Brook grounding and Uckfield resilience combine. This is where I apply everything I’ve learned. This is where I step into the SCFL Premier not as a newcomer — but as a manager/assistant/coach shaped by the people, places, and experiences that define Sussex football.
The People Who Keep Sussex Football Alive
All of this learning culminates here. My biggest learning out of all my experiences is that Sussex football isn’t built on individual stories — it’s built on the people who give the game its heartbeat.
It’s built on:
the managers who stay late after training
the coaches who turn up early to set cones out
the committees who run clubs like they’re protecting a legacy
the volunteers who mark pitches in the rain
the groundsmen who keep surfaces playable against all odds
the secretaries who deal with endless admin nobody ever sees
the supporters who stand behind the rail week after week
the players who graft after long shifts and still give everything
the communities who keep clubs rooted in their towns and villages
These people are the reason Sussex football works. They’re the reason clubs survive tough seasons. They’re the reason promotions feel historic. They’re the reason relegations hurt. They’re the reason managers/assistants/coaches like me even have a platform to grow. Without them, there is no Jarvis Brook story. No AFC Uckfield Town fight. No Pagham project. No SCFL Premier Division.
Sussex football is built on ordinary people doing extraordinary things — quietly, consistently, and with pride. My journey is just one thread in a much bigger tapestry.
First published in Dugout News, Issue 002, Sunday 16 August 2026. Republished here in full.
