Opposition Overview: Worthing FC
Chris Millington’s Solihull Moors will return to National League action when they take on a Worthing side led by current boss Adam Hinshelwood at Woodside Road on Saturday afternoon. Victory for the Moors would be significant for their campaign, as they look to climb up the table this term.
The newly promoted Rebels currently occupy a spot in the upper reaches of the league table, as they target a spot in the playoffs come the end of the 2026/27 season. It would be a statement victory for Millington’s men, with their opponents also looking to emerge with all three points.
Worthing Association Football Club were founded all the way back in February 1886, beginning life with People’s Park (now Homefield Park), before then moving to Beach House Park a few years later in 1889.
They began by playing some friendlies whilst also competing in the local Sussex Senior Cup, beating their first tie in the competition, doing so up against Brighton Hornets back on 27th November 1886.
It was in the 1891/92 season that Worthing were able to reach their first-ever Sussex Senior Cup, losing to the aforementioned Brighton Hornets, before then going on to finally win the competition a season later after being able to beat Eastbourne 2 – 1 at the County Ground in Hove, and they have since gone on to win it 21 times, most recently in 1999.
In 1896, Worthing were founder members of the West Sussex Senior League alongside local rivals Worthing Athletic, founded in 1891.
In 1903/04, three Worthing players were called up for senior international football. S.S. Harris and E.G.D. Wright were called up by England, whilst Charlie Webb was called up by Ireland. Harris was playing for the Three Lions whilst still being a Worthing player.
In the 1936/37 season, Worthing managed to reach the First Round Proper of the English FA Cup, where they succumbed to a defeat at the hands of Yeovil & Petters United (now known as Yeovil Town FC), losing 4 – 3. They had beaten Wimbledon in the fourth qualifying round.
Worthing joined the Corinthian League in the 1948/49 season, though they had little joy in the competition, finishing bottom on four occasions.
By the early 1960s, Worthing AFC found themselves in the Athenian League Premier Division, where they would spend three seasons before suffering two relegations in as many seasons, which saw them drop down to Division Two of the Athenian League system.
Worthing recovered, and by the 1971/72 season, they were able to return to Division One as runners-up to Staines Town before then reaching the final of the Athenian League Cup the following season, where they would lose 2 – 0 to Amateur Cup Finalists Slough Town in extra time.
In 1977, Worthing decided to leave the Athenian League, joining the Isthmian League Division Two.
Former manager Barry Lloyd was appointed by the club back in 1981, and won the Division Two title in the 1981/82 season, with the prolific goal scorer Micky Edmonds leading their scoring charts with an astonishing 53 goals in all competitions. They were also able to reach the Second Round Proper of the FA Cup, losing 4 – 0 in the end to Oxford United.
In the 1985/86 season, manager Lloyd left for Brighton & Hove Albion, and in the following season, 1986/87, Worthing were relegated down to Division One from the Premier Division.
Then, four years later, they were to only finish bottom of Division One with just 10 points whilst also conceding as many as 157 goals overall. Gerry Armstrong, a former Northern Ireland international, was then appointed manager in the 1991/92 season.
The following season, the 1992/93 campaign, they were able to win Division Two for a second time and were the first club to do so. Manager Armstrong decided to leave the club in the summer of 1994, with his successor, John Robson, then being appointed in his place.
They regained their status in the Premier Division under Robson’s stewardship after being runners-up to Boreham Wood whilst also reaching the First Round Proper of the English FA Cup, losing 3 – 1 to Bournemouth after having initially taken the lead.
Worthing finished bottom of the Premier Division the season after before Robson was then replaced by Brian Donnelly as manager at Christmas in 1996. After being in danger of relegation in 1996/97, they recovered to avoid relegation after winning all five of their remaining games.
Then in November 2001, former boss Barry Lloyd made his return as manager for what was a second spell in charge. 2003/04 saw Worthing regain their place in the Premier Division following a second place finish whilst also reaching the Senior Cup Final and the last 32 of the FA Trophy, losing the latter to the eventual winners Hednesford Town.
The 2009/10 campaign, the 125th of Worthing’s history, was the first season for then boss Chris White, and they did win some silverware after defeating Horsham in order to lift the Brighton Charity Cup in what was the last match of the season.
Fast forward to Christmas Day of 2013, which was when the current boss, Adam Hinshelwood, took charge of Worthing Association Football Club for the very first time following the departures of caretaker managers Mick Fogden and Jon Meeney. Fogden and Meeney took charge after the departure of joint-managers Lee Brace and Kieran Collins.
A sixth place finish was achieved in the league in the 2014/15 season after the ups and downs of the season, as well as doubts over the club’s future. They were also one of only two teams to have beaten the runaway league champions that year, Burgess Hill Town.
George Dowell, a former Worthing player, took over the club as owner at the end of the 2014/15 season. He immediately went about stabilising the club by wiping away the debts whilst also installing a new 3G pitch. The Rebel’s Tavern was also to go through a makeover as well, with it being converted into The 7HQ Sports Bar and Café whilst also continuing the improvements to Woodside Road.
Once the 2015/16 season had come to an end, Worthing AFC had gotten themselves promoted to the Isthmian League Premier Division season having won the playoffs. They were now about to embark on what was to be their first season in step three in eight years. Worthing finished 14th in that league in 2016/17.
In February 2017, star striker Omar Buigel decided to leave the club for Forest Green Rovers, who were on their way to the English Football League, and they would do so by beating Tranmere Rovers in the National League Promotion Final at Wembley.
It was on 9th September 2018 when Hinshelwood made his return as manager of the club for what was his second spell in charge following the resignation of former manager Gary Elphick.
2018/19 saw Worthing challenge for promotion, with them occupying the playoff spots, only for them to fall away in the end, ending up in 9th place by the end of April and having a poor run of form in their final five league games of the season.
The 2019/20 season was interrupted by the Coronavirus pandemic that emerged mid-March of 2020. Their campaign was declared null and void, with the final standings in the table being decided on a points-per-game basis.
They had been occupying a playoff spot, and they could have been champions, or at least compete for promotion via the playoffs. They were almost able to reach the Final of the Sussex Senior Cup, only being denied by a defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Not long after that, their academy player, Fin Stevens, moved on to Championship club Brentford in July 2020, with the Bees now, of course, a firmly established Premier League side.
In 2025/26, Worthing Association Football Club were able to secure themselves what was a historic promotion to the Enterprise National League after winning the National League South title after finishing with 84 points following 46 matches.
Worthing will be looking to remain in the fifth tier, the first step of non-league football, in 2026/27, with them now competing for the playoffs in these early stages of the season.
In the opposition dugout – Adam Hinshelwood
Current boss Adam Hinshelwood is enjoying his third stint in charge of Worthing AFC, having been in charge since his return was confirmed back on 9th October 2025. He had previously been in charge for two years between 2013 and 2015, and then for 7 years between 2017 and 2024. He helped guide them to their promotion to the National League from the National League South last term.
Hinshelwood has also had managerial spells in charge of the likes of Selsey (2011 - 2013), Hastings United (2017), and York City (2024 - 2025).
He has also had a playing career that spanned 8 years between 2002 and 2010, representing Brighton & Hove Albion (2002 - 2009), Lewes (Loan, 2008), Aldershot Town (2009 – 2010), and finally Wycombe Wanderers back in 2010.
Adam Hinshelwood’s son, Jack Hinshelwood, stars in the Premier League for the aforementioned Brighton & Hove Albion, joining the club in 2012 before being part of the first team for the first time back in 2023.
Key Player – Razzaq Coleman De Graft
Razzaq Coleman De Graft is arguably Worthing’s key player, and he is their leading goal scorer with 5 goals so far this term, as of the time of writing. He is a prolific forward, scoring 13 goals and getting 9 assists to boot in the 2025/26 season.
De Graft was previously in the academies of Crystal Palace, Fulham, and Charlton Athletic, as well as having a brief spell with Weymouth. He has also spent time with the likes of Tooting & Mitcham United, Hampton & Richmond Borough, and Lewes, with whom he had two spells.
He joined his current club, Worthing, as one of the first signings in the summer ahead of the 2024/25 season.
Opposition Overview written by Adam Holt
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