Welcome to The Dripping Pan for this afternoon’s Isthmian Premier League fixture versus Maldon & Tiptree. Here is your complimentary e-programme.

A warm welcome to everyone at this afternoons game especially our visitors from Maldon & Tiptree who to the best of my knowledge are making their first appearance at the Dripping Pan.

It is said that bad news comes in threes and this week has certainly bought with it the sad news of the passing of former player Colin Woffinden, former director Kevin Fingermeissi and Lewes FC Life Member David Arnold. We will be paying tribute to all three before kick off.

Colin joined the Rooks from Eastbourne United and was the mainstay of the Lewes team that won Division One of the Anthenian League in the 1969/70 season, from there he went on to a professional career at Brighton and Hove Albion. Thereafter he played for Sutton United, Waltham and Hersham, Leatherhead and Tooting and Mitcham before returning to his Sussex roots where he managed Burgess Hill and saw out his playing days at Saltdean United. After hanging up his boots he became instrumental in setting up Brighton’s Youth Development Scheme.

Kevin was a director of Lewes FC prior to it being a community club and also ran his family business Milhams Eastbourne Ltd. Kevin and his sons put their professional skills to use in providing grounds support to the club. Kevin was an ardent supporter of grass roots sport and provided sponsorship and support to Hailsham United Junior Football Club as well as his Isfield Cricket Club, Glynde and Beddingham Cricket Club and Hailsham Cricket Club.

David had a long association with Lewes FC, he was a Life Member, former Chair of the Supporters Club, former licensee of the Rook Inn and a fantastic supporter and generous benefactor to the club. He was a great Lewesian who after moving to the town at a very young age studied at Pells Primary School and Mountfield Road Secondary School (now Priory School). He was a trustee of the Priory School Memorial Chapel and a local history writer for the Sussex Express and worked closely with Lewes historical societies often speaking at their events. Most importantly David was one of the nicest people you would ever wish to meet. Please join me in sending our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of Colin, Kevin and David.

I don’t really hold with the Bill Shankley quote that football is more important than life or death, but we do have a match to play, Lewes will be looking for their fifth straight win and lets hope a return to the Pan after 3 games on the road will inspire the team to gather all three points.

Come on you Rooks! –Trevor

Good afternoon and welcome back to The Dripping Pan for today’s fixture against Maldon & Tiptree. A warm welcome to their players, management team, officials and supporters.

We return home in good spirits following back-to-back 2–1 victories on the road against Cray Wanderers and Three Bridges. Two difficult away fixtures, two important results and, most importantly, two performances that demonstrated the character, togetherness and resilience developing within this group.

The victory against Cray was particularly satisfying given our previous encounters, while the local derby against Three Bridges presented another challenge that the players rose to. Winning games away from home is never straightforward, and the determination shown by the squad deserves recognition.

On a personal note, celebrating my 40th birthday with three points at Three Bridges made the occasion even more special. There’s no better present as a manager than seeing your team win, and I couldn’t have asked for much more from the players!

Squad Updates

Firstly, congratulations to Tyrese Owen and his family on the arrival of their new baby. Everyone at the club wishes them happiness and good health during this special time.

It’s also fantastic to welcome Danny Bassett back from injury. Danny brings quality, energy and another attacking option to the group, and having him available again is a real positive.

Elsewhere, Omar Abdsami and Ed Cooper continue to thrive during their loan spells at Hassocks. Both are gaining valuable senior football experience, performing well and progressing in their development. It’s important that our younger players have opportunities to play regularly, and we’re delighted with their progress.

Black History Month

October marks Black History Month, an important opportunity to recognise, celebrate and reflect on the contributions and achievements of Black people throughout our communities and across football.

As a Black manager, this month holds personal significance for me. Football has the power to bring people together, break down barriers and create opportunities regardless of background. Representation matters, both on the pitch and in positions of leadership.

I’m proud to be part of a football club that values equality, diversity and inclusion, and it’s important that we continue to inspire the next generation while recognising those who helped pave the way.

Today’s Challenge

Our recent results have given us momentum, but momentum only means something if we continue to build on it.

Maldon & Tiptree will arrive with their own ambitions, and we know we’ll need to be at our best. Playing at The Dripping Pan gives us an opportunity to impose ourselves, play with confidence and demonstrate the standards we’ve been working towards.

We’re building something here, brick by brick. Consistency remains the key, and our challenge is to turn positive performances into sustained results.

Finally, thank you for your continued support. Your backing, both home and away, makes a genuine difference to this group.

Let’s make The Dripping Pan a difficult place for any opposition to visit.

As One. We Are Stronger Together.

🔴⚫️#UTR🔴⚫️ –Craig Nelson

Goalkeepers

Louis Rogers (Sponsored by Brian Ashdown) – A familiar face to the Sussex non-league scene, Louis returns to the Pan from last season. An agile keeper with excellent reactions, Louis is a very credible shotstopper as well as being able to play out from the back. Rogers featured in every league game last season for the Rooks, keeping 8 clean sheets.
Ed Cooper – Ed is a young goalkeeper rising through the Sussex football pyramid, and joins as an understudy to Rogers. A tall figure with good ball-playing ability, Cooper is an exciting young goalkeeping prospect.
Gio Clarke (Sponsored by Jack Levy) – Joining the Rooks from Scottish outfit Annan Athletic, Gio links up with Lewes to gain more senior experience in the Men’s game. Gio’s fast reflexes and excellent on-the-ball play and distribution make him a useful goalkeeping asset.

Defenders

Tom Bender (Sponsored by Trevor Norwood) – A vastly experienced centre-half, Tom joins the Rooks to add strength and aerial ability, as well as a great deal of leadership to the back line. After gaining EFL experience with Colchester United and Millwall, Tom spent seven years with St. Albans City, making over 250 appearances.
Tyler Cox – Tyler joins the Rooks as a versatile utility man capable of playing on either side in a full-back or wing-back position, as well as being more than capable as an out-and-out winger. Fast, direct, and with a solid cross, Cox can help bring the exciting ball-playing style to the Pan.
Jack Enkh – Jack returns to the Pan for a third season after recovering from a long-term injury at the back end of the last campaign. Enkh is a very solid defensive left-back, being very strong in the tackle and great in the air, as well as being more than capable of leading an attack from the left-hand side.
Olly Hamstead – Returning for his second season with the Rooks, Olly brings a great deal of physicality and ball-playing ability to the heart of the defence. Joining from Carshalton midway through the last campaign, Olly has shown why he fits in perfectly with Craig Nelson’s possession-based style with plenty of line-breaking passes, aerial challenges, and threat from attacking set pieces.
Ben Mundele – A face who has been around Lewes for a while now, Ben rejoins for his third spell with the club after time at Tonbridge Angels and Ramsgate. Ben joined the club initially in 2021, but a long-term injury halted his time in the squad. A former England C international, Ben brings solid defensive structure to the right-back position
Josh Spinks (Sponsored by Thomas & Richard Scrivener) – Another local face to the Sussex scene, Josh rejoins the Rooks for his second spell after previously returning to Burgess Hill Town. An incredibly composed and intelligent centre-half, Spinks previously captained the Rooks in his first spell with the club, and it’s easy to see why.
Harry Mills – Harry joins us from National League South outfit Walton & Hersham, where he previously helped the side in their quick rise up the leagues. Mills is a well-built strong centre-half also capable of playing off the right, and will provide plenty of competition in the back line.
Jonathon Haftom – Jonathon joins the Rooks on loan from the Bromley youth setup, where he has featured a few times this season for the first time in the EFL Trophy. standing at 6’4 at just 17, Jonathon is brought in to solidify the defensive options

Midfielders

Alfie Allen (Sponsored by Underdog Podcasts) – A stalwart in the Rooks side for the last two years, Alfie returns for his third season at the Pan, continuing to be an important part of Craig Nelson’s midfield setup. A hardworking box-to-box centre-mid who is also comfortable in a more creative role, Allen provided 7 assists last campaign.
Andrew Briggs (Sponsored by Trevor Wells) – Briggs joins the Rooks from neighbouring Whitehawk after a successful 25/26 season with the Hawks. Andrew is a creative midfielder with an especially good dead-ball delivery, which he used to great effect last season, racking up 9 assists for the Sussex outfit, and brings that attacking threat with him to the Pan.
Tyler Christian-Law – Christian-Law returns to the Pan for his second season as a leader in the midfield. An industrious defensive and central midfielder, Tyler was club captain last campaign and led the team from the middle, and hopes to continue to be a leader as an experienced figurehead in Nelson’s squad.
Brian Garzon – Brian links up with the Rooks after a very successful 25/26 season at Step 4 with Walthamstow, scoring 18 goals from midfield. A product of the Southend United youth system, Brian is a very attacking-minded midfielder with a keen eye for goal and is also an adept penalty taker.
Tyrese Owen – An incredible physical presence, Tyrese joins the Rooks from last season’s promotion-winning side Billericay Town, where he was arguably their player of the season from midfield. Standing at 6’6, Tyrese brings fantastic strength, aerial domination, and overall physicality to the midfield, while still retaining a lot of ball-playing ability.
Mackenzie Richardson – A product of the Lewes youth system, Mackenzie began making first-team appearances at the back-end of the 25/26 campaign, where he slotted right in in a creative role. A versatile young player, Richardson is capable in an attacking role, on the flanks, or as a more central presence.

Forwards

Danny Bassett – A fan-favourite at the Pan over the last couple of years, Danny returns for his third season with the Rooks in hope of rekindling his form from his debut year, where he notched a fantastic 24 goals in all competitions, including 20 in the league. Capable as an out-and-out striker or down the left wing, Danny brings considerable attacking threat to the front line.
Noel Fisher – Noel joins the Rooks as an incredibly exciting young talent, having a standout season with Horsham YM, scoring 18 goals and notching 7 assists in 28 games from the right wing. Noel was a wanted man by a lot of clubs over the summer, but chose to link up with Craig Nelson to bring technical excellence and fearless attacking play to his side.
Calum Newson (Sponsored by Nicole Roaf) – Joining from Essex outfit Canvey Island, Calum is a direct and physical number 9 who performed well in a below-par Canvey side, which led to his move to the Pan. Calum previously played in the USA for Kentucky Wesleyan College, racking up 35 goals in two seasons over in the states.
Bobby Unwin – A familiar face in the Rooks squad, Bobby returns for his third season with the club after rejoining last season following a spell at Tonbridge Angels. A direct, pacy winger capable of playing on either side, Bobby has notched 6 goals and 8 assists in his Lewes career so far, and hopes to expand on that this campaign.
Charlie Walker – A vastly experienced head in the dressing room, and a familiar face across the Sussex scene, Charlie returns to the Pan after joining last season from Whitehawk. A former EFL professional with bags of experience in the National League including Aldershot Town and Boreham Wood, Charlie is a player who knows where the goal is, bringing an instinctual fox-in-the-box style of play to the front line.
Ryan Gondoh (Sponsored by Susie Artlett) – A man who Lewes fans will be very familiar with, Gondoh rejoins the Rooks for his second spell with the club after a memorable first stint from 2022-24, where he notched up 14 goals and 13 assists from 49 appearances. A winger who is very capable on either side, Gondoh brings flair, pace, finishing ability to the wide areas of attack, and quickly became a fan favourite in his previous stint in East Sussex.
Omar Al-Saedi – Omar joins us after a successful spell at Hilltop FC in the Combined Counties League, following trials at Wolves in his youth. An exciting young prospect who is quick and direct, Omar brings ball-carrying and attacking threat to the front line.

2026/27 Player Stats (All Competitions)

Goals:
5 – Walker
4 – Fisher
3 – Gondoh
2 – Bassett, Spinks, Richardson, Garzon
1 – Newson, Mills, Christian-Law, Cox

Assists:
3 – Unwin, Gondoh
2 – Briggs, Allen, Garzon
1 – Bender, Owen, Mundele

Clean Sheets (Started and/or played majority of match in defence):
7 – Rogers, Enkh
6 – Spinks
4 – Mundele, Bender
2 – Hamstead, Cox, Owen
1 – Allen

RIP David Arnold

Lewes FC are devastated to hear of the passing of David Arnold, a long-time supporter and volunteer.

Alongside his wife Barbara, David began volunteering at the club in 1998 and from that point, the two of them became the very heart of the club and its community. Warm, knowledgable, and immensely funny, David was a key part of keeping the club afloat during its transition to community ownership in the late 2000’s.

David was Chair of our Supporters Club for many years, and in that time not only helped raise many tens of thousands of pounds for the club, but also gave thousands of hours of his time and generosity. We will miss him deeply and hope you can join us in celebrating his life and memory this afternoon.

Sussex Senior Cup draw

The Rooks have been drawn away to Isthmian South East side Eastbourne Town in Round 3 of the Sussex Senior Cup. This fixture is to be played at The Saffrons ground on or before Wednesday November 18. Keep an eye out for exact dates on our social media and website.

Maldon & Tiptree FC

• Maldon & Tiptree Football Club was formed when the owner of Tiptree United, Ed Garty, took over ownership of Maldon Town and merged the sides in the summer of 2010. The season prior to this, both clubs were ground-sharing at Park Drive. Maldon & Tiptree took Maldon Town’s place in the Isthmian Division One North. The club finished its first season in 8th place, a massive improvement on Maldon Town’s 17th place finish the season prior.
• The 2012-13 season was one to be proud of for the new team. An unbeaten start saw them finish 2nd and earn a place in the play-offs. After defeating Aveley in the semi-final, Maldon & Tiptree eventually lost the final on penalties having been 2-0 up earlier in the match.
• During the 2013-14 season, there was a vote for a new club nickname. ‘The River Boys’, ‘The Marshmen’, ‘The Mudmen’, and ‘The Jammers’ all appeared on the ballot. The vote was featured on TalkSport, with ‘The Jammers’ coming out on top.
• Former Manchester City midfielder Kevin Horlock was appointed first team manager ahead of the 2016-17 season. The Jammers spent much of that season at the top of the table, however, they dropped to 2nd and lost in the play-off final once again, this time to Thurrock. Another play-off final defeat and 2nd place finish followed in 2017-18, this time with former Colchester United defender Wayne Brown at the helm.
• In 2019-20, the Jammers went on a generational FA Cup run, reaching the first round proper for the first time in the club’s history. It gets better, however, as the nine-year-old team was drawn away at League Two side Leyton Orient. The Jammers would go on to deliver a historic victory and book their place in the second round, eventually losing to Newport County in front of a record crowd of 1876.
• The Jammers were unfortunate enough to find themselves top of the Isthmian Division One North, 13 points clear with four games in hand when the 2019-20 season was abandoned in March. The following season was also curtailed, with Maldon reaching the 1st round of the FA Cup once again, losing 1-0 to Morecambe, and recording their longest FA Trophy run, losing to Gloucester City in the third round.
• The Jammers appointed new manager Adam Flint at the beginning of the 2022-23 season before former England manager Peter Taylor took over mid-season, guiding Maldon away from relegation.
• The managerial job at Maldon & Tiptree changed hands a lot in the next couple of years, before, in 2025, the club was sold. A rebrand and new badge followed as Kevin Horlock returned for a second spell as first team manager.
• Last season was a historic one for the Jammers. They reached the first round of the FA Cup again, this time losing to League One side Port Vale in a match shown on live tv. And after 15 years of knocking on the door, Maldon & Tiptree were finally promoted to the Isthmian Premier after winning Division One North on goal difference.
• Despite all this success, this summer was the toughest yet, with the club finding themselves on the verge of liquidation. The management changed hands, while the women’s team did not enter a league for the 2026-27 season, despite winning the league title just a few months earlier.
• Maldon & Tiptree avoided liquidation very recently, on 18 September, when the club was acquired by a new consortium led by Jamil Frofder and his business partners. This season has been a struggle on and off the pitch with the club currently down in 19th place after 12 games. After an average start to the season, they have lost all of their last eight matches. The Jammers will be hoping that with a bit more stability they can steady the ship and save their season.

Samuel Adeyeye

Samuel Adeyeye joined Maldon & Tiptree in 2024. The forward has shown himself to be the Jammers’ biggest attacking threat, with three league goals this season making him the club’s top scorer in 2026-27. Adeyeye is a product of West Ham United’s academy and even went on to sign a professional deal at West Bromwich Albion. Expect the 6’4″ forward to pose a threat in the box this afternoon.

There have been a couple of Ex-Rooks in the Maldon squad this season; the first is TQ Addy, who lined up for Lewes 14 times over two spells, initially joining in March 2022 on loan from Luton, before joining on a permanent basis in December 2022. The other former Lewes player is Iffy Allen, who was with the Rooks in 2021/22, and featured 26 times, scoring 3 goals.

Date	Competition	Home	Result	Away	Att.
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

We’ve never faced the Jammers before, so there is no head to head to speak of. I have no idea what to fill this section with in that case, so instead I am going to congratulate our u18 team for their emphatic win in the County Cup recently, beating local rivals Ringmer 9-1. Well done lads.

HOME

The Jammers got a bit of a rebrand in 2025/26, and will be using this kit again this season. The blue and white hoops are a bit too QPR for my liking, as is the new club crest; I am a much bigger fan of the old crest, the circular trend is a bit worn out for me. Still an alright strip either way. 5/10

AWAY

Well, well, well. What a lovely colour combo for the Jammers’s away strip. Shame it won’t be worn, but clearly there is some sense in the club if they’ve created a red and black kit for the travelling fans. I wonder if they made it red in reference to jam? This is also where the Jammers nickname comes from, the village of Tiptree apparently makes very good jam. The more you know. 7/10

17 October

17 October 2020 – Lewes draw 1-1 away to Potters Bar Town in the Isthmian Premier, in a game that turned on a red card. Home centre-back Callum Ellesley was sent off after just six minutes for a dangerous challenge on Jude Arthurs. From the resulting free-kick, Arthurs’s delivery was powerfully headed home by Bouwe Bosma. The Rooks couldn’t add to it despite a stream of chances, and Ken Charles levelled for the ten men with ten minutes left, leaving a draw in front of 213 at the Lantern Stadium.

17 October 2023 – England book their place at Euro 2024 with a 3-1 win over Italy at Wembley. Gianluca Scamacca put the Azzurri ahead after 15 minutes, but Harry Kane levelled from the penalty spot and Marcus Rashford put England in front before Kane added a second. The two goals made Kane England’s all-time top scorer at Wembley, and it was England’s first back-to-back win over Italy since 1949.

17 October 2020 – A day of drama at the top end of the English game. Everton and Liverpool draw 2-2 at Goodison Park, with Sadio Mané scoring inside three minutes, Michael Keane equalising and Mo Salah and Dominic Calvert-Lewin trading goals late on. Chelsea and Southampton also share six goals in a 3-3 draw at Stamford Bridge, with Timo Werner scoring twice, and Manchester City edge Arsenal 1-0.

To Dulwich Hamlet

Who are they?: Dulwich Hamlet are a team based in the Dulwich part of Croydon in South London, and are one of the more establised teams in the division, having previously spent multiple years in the National League South. Formed in 1893, the Hamlet have become famous for their pink and blue club colours, large crowds, and their home ground of Champion Hill has become one of the more recognisable in non-league.

How do we get there?: The nearest two train stations to Champion Hill are East Dulwich and Denmark Hill; both are equally pretty close to the ground, and spit you out right in the Dulwich area, so it’s a pretty easy journey.

What’s around?: For a change, there’s quite a lot going on around Champion Hill. Dulwich is something of a hipster-y bit of South London, so there are dozens of pubs to choose from, as well as food options. Two that tend to be popular with Rooks fans are The East Dulwich Tavern and The Cherry Tree, but you could probably walk five minutes in any direction and find a decent pub, so take your pick.

Legals and Credits

“The Isthmian Football League strongly supports the FA statement that there should be a zero tolerance approach against racism and all forms of discrimination. Accordingly any form of discriminatory abuse whether it by reason of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion and belief, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, sex and sexual orientation or any other form of abuse will be reported to The Football Association for action by that Association.” (The FA 0800 085 0508 / Kick it Out 020 7253 0162).The Isthmian League and all Member Clubs in the League are committed to promoting equality by treating people fairly and with respect, by recognising that inequalities may exist, by taking steps to address them and providing access and opportunities for all members of the community.”

Lewes 2000 FC Limited. Registered in England and Wales with Company Registration Number 03790979. Lewes 2000 FC Limited is 100% owned by Lewes Community Football Club.
The Dripping Pan, Mountfield Road, Lewes, BN7 2XQ

Honorary President Terry Parris
Chair Trevor Wells
Directors Trevor Wells, John Peel, Stan Lahood, Jim Cheek, Ben Hall, Lisa Emery, Danny Maltby, Sinclair Spencer
Club Secretary John Peel

CFO Russell Davies
Social Media Team Stan Lahood, Daniel Lloyd, Joe Warsop-Davies, Luke Hawkins, Ethan Rawlings, Will Hugall, Sam Coldy

Life Members
Peter Brook, Dorothy Brook RIP, Vic Blunt, Pat Dartnell, Gary Elphick, Gordon Fowlie, Peter Hiscox RIP, Billy Nixon, Derrick Parris RIP, Terry Parris, Jimmy Quinn, P. Swaysland, Steve Ibbitson, Jason Hopkinson, Steve White, Martin Elliot, Kevin Fingerneissl, Kevin Powell, David and Barbara Arnold, Roger and Cathy Feltham, Ethel Treagus, Roy Dartnell RIP, Ron Moore, Derek Southouse, Ray Smith, Ken Carter RIP

Manager Craig Nelson
Assistant Manager Bryan Nzinga, David Altendorff
Goalkeeping Coach Sheikh Ceesay
Under-18s Manager Ryan Reid

Golden Rook Rob Read
Web Editor John Peel, Daniel Lloyd

Progcast Editors Stan Lahood, Harvey Lock, Charlie Sundaram

Club Photographer James Boyes