The date that Hayling United came into existence can not be definitively established. However two fixtures were reported in 1884 in Hampshire football annals. The first match was played on 15th November 1884 by a Hayling Island team against a team which was to go on to become Portsmouth F.C.

Hayling ended up on the wrong side of a 5-1 scoreline but appearing for AFC Portsmouth on that day was a struggling Southsea doctor playing under the name Arthur Conan Smith who was to become better known as the creator of Sherlock Holmes.

The second game was reported in the Hampshire Independent newspaper on 28th November 1884. This refers to a match played under “Association Rules” at St Georges Recreation Ground, Portsmouth between Hayling Island and The North Lancashire Regiment. Again Hayling lost this game by a scoreline of 8-1.

Teams under the name Hayling Island played in the Waterlooville & District League until 1952 when they entered the stronger Portsmouth League. At the end of 1968 Hayling Island wrote themselves into the record book when two teams of club players played non-stop for 6 hours, taking the record away from two South American teams, Penarol & Santos. In the early 1970s the club changed its name to Hayling United.

Hayling United’s most famous “son” has to be Bobby Tambling who played youth football for the club in the 1950s but then came back to manage the club in the 1990s. In between he had a famous career for Chelsea and England.

They continued in the Portsmouth League until 1990/91 season when they entered the Hampshire League, the first fixture being at Echinswell, a team backed by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. Honours included winning Division 1 in season 2002/3 however the lack of floodlights precluded the club from being promoted to the Premier Division.

With the amalgamation of the Wessex & Hampshire Leagues in season 2004/5, Hayling United joined the Second Division of the Sydenhams Wessex League and began its campaign away at Ordnance Survey. Runners up position was secured and the move away from Mengham Park to Hayling College, with the promise of improved facilities, enabled the club to be promoted.

Season 2005/6 was another season of outstanding progress on the field when the 1st team finished runners up to Locks Heath in Division 1 and the 2nd team were 3rd in Combination 2. Off the field the club developed the ground at Hayling College with installation of floodlights and fixed barrier around the pitch.

Season 2006/7 has been another year of achievement with first team winning Division 1 and the 2nd team winning Combination 2. With further improvements planned to the ground it is hoped that both teams will be promoted.