Portfield’s Church Road ground is set to stage its last-ever Sussex County League senior game on Saturday when Chichester City United play their final home fixture of the season against Three Bridges.
 
City are planning a return to Oaklands Park when the 2008/09 campaign kicks off in August, but even if further obstacles prevent the club from moving back to their old home this year, any future football at Church Road seems unlikely.

The ground has been hit by vandals and thieves in recent times, and an FA directive concerning the tightening-up of ground requirements means the facilities at Church Road would no longer be acceptable for senior soccer.

Football has been played at the site for the last fifty years.  It was in 1958 that Portfield FC moved from the recreation ground in Florence Road to what was then their new home. 
 
Located next to the cemetery, the pitch at that time was leased by D Rowe and Co from the City Council, being used as a works sports club.  The field was predominantly used for cricket, and the football pitch – located down the far end – was positioned at right angles to the current lay-out.

By the mid-1960’s the cricket pitch had gone and construction of the first clubhouse was finished in 1968.  Portfield had gained promotion out of the West Sussex League and were now competing at County League level alongside the much more established Chichester City FC.

Further improvements were made at Church Road in the 1980’s, with the completion of a separate building for dressing-rooms and the installation of floodlights.

Sparse attendances have often been the order of the day since August 2000 when the merged ‘Chichester City United’ was formed and took residence on what was meant to be a short-term basis, but anyone wishing to watch a County League game at Church Road therefore needs to note that Saturday is likely to be their last opportunity.

Report written by Chester Browton