A Sunday visit to the land of Butlins, Bognor Regis, as Herne Bay play Chichester City at their temporary home, Bognor Regis Town, whilst Chi’s new 3G pitch is being installed. This will come as a relief to Herne Bay as three times in Chichester City’s first three years in the Isthmian League trips to the West Sussex Cathedral City were postponed because of a waterlogged pitch, 14/01/2020, 25/02/2020 and 08/01/2022. Another positive, not much of one, is that Bognor Regis is seven miles nearer than Chichester at a mere 113 miles away from Herne Bay, although this depends on the route taken.

The address for the ground is MKM Arena, Nyewood Lane, Bognor Regis, West Sussex. PO21 2TY and the match kicks off at 3.00pm.

At the start of the season Chichester came out of starting blocks like lightning scoring 13 times and conceding none from their first five games (four wins and one draw). They suffered their first defeat, and let in their first goal, in a 0-1 defeat to the only side above them at the time, Three Bridges. Since then they have picked up just five points from a possible 18 conceding a further ten times and after 12 matches have slipped out of contention for the play-offs, their last being a 1-2 home defeat to Ashford United. Chichester have not played a league game for 15 days, although they were knocked out of the Velocity Trophy by Hastings United a week ago on Wednesday. They have two games in hand on Herne Bay and are three points behind.

Neither the Bognor Regis Town nor the Chichester City websites give any indication of what the facilities are like for spectators at the MKM Arena but Wikipedia for Bognor Regis Town FC does say that the ground has a capacity of 4,500, most of which has covered accommodation. As Chichester City have an average home attendance of 159 there will be plenty of room for visiting fans.

The club was established in 2000 as a merger of Chichester City and Portfield and was originally named Chichester City United. Both clubs were in Division One of the Sussex County League, with the new club taking their place in the division. They were Division One champions in 2003/04. In 2009 the club was renamed Chichester City. The league was renamed the Southern Combination in 2015, with Division One becoming the Premier Division. In 2018/19 Chichester were Premier Division champions, earning promotion to the Isthmian League. The first two seasons were terminated by Covid and since then Chi have finished 11th and 10th.

The two sides have had four encounters in the Isthmian League with Bay winning three, Chi one and two were lost to Covid. Bay lead on goals 5-2. The last meeting was on 09/04/2022, at Winch’s Field, a 1-0 win thanks to a 93rd minute Aaron Millbank strike which was described on the Club’s website as an ‘empathic victory’. Fortunately, the club have moved forward from such extravagant reporting.

Last Saturday Herne Bay came close to wrestling away Cray Valley PM’s unbeaten start to the season but fell just short with a 0-1 defeat.

Admission. Adults – £10, Concessions – £6, Students/16-18s – £3, Under-16s – £1

Looking ahead.
Away. Wednesday 13/12/2023. Hythe Town. 7.45pm kick-off.
HOME. Saturday 16/12/2023. Horndean. 3.00pm kick-off.
Away. Tuesday 26/12/2023. Ramsgate. 3.00pm kick-off. PLEASE NOTE: Ramsgate are advertising this game as all-ticket, and we are trying to find out the details.