Following England’s World Cup success in 1966, women’s football found momentum in Brighton, with the suggestion for a women’s team put to the social club at the Brighton General Post Office (GPO). It soon came to fruition and was originally made up of telephonists, who would play in various charity matches.

Teams began to form within various companies and although women’s football was banned by The FA at the time, by 1969, there were enough teams and players to form the Sussex Martlet League.

Separately, The Albion Supporters' Club also formed a women's team, Albion Ladies, which entered the league in 1971, winning it several times. In 1976 they even reached the semi-final of the national Women's FA Cup but then disbanded.

Such were the rules, women’s football teams couldn’t play on FA pitches or use FA referees and were only allowed to use a size four ball, while halves were typically 35 minutes long.

The official Albion teams had to play home games on public parks and recreation grounds such as Buckingham Park and Waterhall at least until the FA withdrew its ban in 1972.

No changing rooms tended to be available and if there were, the women’s team weren’t allowed to use them.

Once the league was up and running, it went from strength to strength and later expanded to two divisions.

In 1979, Brighton GPO were sponsored by sports shop Clapshaw & Cleave, where their player Julie Hemsley worked, as C&C Sports.

In 1979/80, the now named C&C Sports, who were the kit sponsors – had won the Sussex Martlet League title, the League Cup and the Division One Cup, before joining the Home Counties League, which was thought of as a stronger division.

Home games were played at Southwick FC and while it involved more travelling and more commitment, the women’s team won promotion from Division Two after a couple of seasons.

East Preston was also used as a base, with the ground receiving a grant to help develop the facilities.

The bigger the club got, the bigger the hunt was for facilities to host the growing interest in women’s football.