Published 06 July 2026 5 min read
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Origins: Jesse Lambert-Harden and the heart of Hangleton Rangers FC
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Our Origins series with Goal Click continues with a visit to Hangleton Rangers FC...
01 Jan 2026
1:59
Origins: Jesse Lambert Harden
Jesse Lambert-Harden is the Chair of Hangleton Rangers FC, dedicated to growing opportunities for every child to play the game.
England Football and Goal Click are teaming up to tell the stories of grassroots football communities across England. Through the eyes of individuals within these communities, we will share stories that reveal how the game is lived, felt, and passed on to future generations. Their stories are shaped by the places they grew up, the pitches they played on, and the communities that raised them.
Jesse Lambert-Harden is the Chair of Hangleton Rangers FC, dedicated to growing opportunities for every child to play the game.
One Football Family
My name is Jesse Lambert-Harden. I am 47 years old, born in London, raised in Essex, and moved back to London for university before settling in Brighton & Hove 13 years ago.
I was inspired to start playing football myself at 44 after coaching my son's team. One of the school mums finally convinced me to give it a go, and I have never looked back.
My son has been kicking a ball since he could walk. He started at Fishersgate Flyers Youth before joining Hangleton Rangers FC in 2022. I became a coach for his team and have not looked back since. I am now the first female Chair of Hangleton Rangers, and next season we will have more than 20 teams, with the club continuing to grow each year.
As a coach, watching my son’s team celebrate their successes, listening to their silly jokes, or hearing them call me "Bro" because they know it will wind me up are all moments I treasure. Being part of a football club is a rollercoaster of emotions, but we experience every high and low together as one football family.
Jesse Lambert-Harden is the Chair of Hangleton Rangers FC, dedicated to growing opportunities for every child to play the game.
One Football Family
My name is Jesse Lambert-Harden. I am 47 years old, born in London, raised in Essex, and moved back to London for university before settling in Brighton & Hove 13 years ago.
I was inspired to start playing football myself at 44 after coaching my son's team. One of the school mums finally convinced me to give it a go, and I have never looked back.
My son has been kicking a ball since he could walk. He started at Fishersgate Flyers Youth before joining Hangleton Rangers FC in 2022. I became a coach for his team and have not looked back since. I am now the first female Chair of Hangleton Rangers, and next season we will have more than 20 teams, with the club continuing to grow each year.
As a coach, watching my son’s team celebrate their successes, listening to their silly jokes, or hearing them call me "Bro" because they know it will wind me up are all moments I treasure. Being part of a football club is a rollercoaster of emotions, but we experience every high and low together as one football family.
Hangleton Rangers FC
Unlike many clubs, Hangleton Rangers do not have a clubhouse or a single home ground, so coordinating pitches and fixtures across multiple sites is a huge task. Our Pitch and Fixtures Manager, Dom, works tirelessly behind the scenes to make it all happen.
We work closely with local primary and secondary schools, providing football opportunities while using their pitches and facilities, alongside local parks, for training and matches. These partnerships help keep community facilities maintained and ensure they benefit everyone who uses them.
Many of our players come from low-income families, so we subsidise fees wherever possible to make sure children can stay active, build friendships, and have somewhere they belong outside of school. Some of our younger teams are made up of classmates, while others bring together children from different schools who otherwise would never have met.
We also do not have an adult men's team to help fund our youth section, as many clubs do. Instead, we work hard to keep our subscriptions among the lowest in the area so as many children as possible can play. That means fundraising is a vital part of the club and requires a huge effort from volunteers throughout the season.
To us, community means collaboration, respect, friendship, and a shared commitment to keeping children in the game. The club runs entirely because of dedicated volunteers, from coaches who brave the cold and rain while planning sessions and supporting both players and parents, to the committee members working behind the scenes - everyone plays their part.
Unlike many clubs, Hangleton Rangers do not have a clubhouse or a single home ground, so coordinating pitches and fixtures across multiple sites is a huge task. Our Pitch and Fixtures Manager, Dom, works tirelessly behind the scenes to make it all happen.
We work closely with local primary and secondary schools, providing football opportunities while using their pitches and facilities, alongside local parks, for training and matches. These partnerships help keep community facilities maintained and ensure they benefit everyone who uses them.
Many of our players come from low-income families, so we subsidise fees wherever possible to make sure children can stay active, build friendships, and have somewhere they belong outside of school. Some of our younger teams are made up of classmates, while others bring together children from different schools who otherwise would never have met.
We also do not have an adult men's team to help fund our youth section, as many clubs do. Instead, we work hard to keep our subscriptions among the lowest in the area so as many children as possible can play. That means fundraising is a vital part of the club and requires a huge effort from volunteers throughout the season.
To us, community means collaboration, respect, friendship, and a shared commitment to keeping children in the game. The club runs entirely because of dedicated volunteers, from coaches who brave the cold and rain while planning sessions and supporting both players and parents, to the committee members working behind the scenes - everyone plays their part.
Community Spirit
The moments that capture the spirit of football in our community are the ones where everyone comes together to make matchdays happen for the children. Behind every game is an incredible amount of work.
An unsung hero at our club is Andy, the groundsman at Brighton & Hove Cricket Club. We play many of our matches there, and without him and his team maintaining and marking the pitches, those games simply would not happen.
Anyone involved in grassroots football knows how unpredictable pitches can be, especially during the winter months. More often than not, we are all waiting by the phone for Andy's verdict and hoping for the thumbs up that the pitches are playable. It is one of those behind-the-scenes jobs that often goes unnoticed, but without people like Andy, there would be no football for so many of our children.
What I love most is knowing that every child, regardless of their ability, is welcome at our club. Results have never been the priority. Our managers genuinely care about the children's wellbeing, confidence, and enjoyment.
One of the highlights of the year is our annual club quiz night, which has become our biggest fundraising event. Hosted by our in-house quizmaster, James, who also manages the Under-15s and looks after the club kit, it is always packed to capacity. The atmosphere is brilliant, and it is one of the few opportunities for the entire club to come together under one roof.
Our end-of-season Presentation and Fun Day captures everything the club is about. It is a chance to celebrate the children's achievements and thank the volunteers who make the season possible. The children collect their participation trophies, soak the coaches on the sponge throw, bounce around on the inflatables, join the tug of war, and, of course, spend the day playing football together.
The moments that capture the spirit of football in our community are the ones where everyone comes together to make matchdays happen for the children. Behind every game is an incredible amount of work.
An unsung hero at our club is Andy, the groundsman at Brighton & Hove Cricket Club. We play many of our matches there, and without him and his team maintaining and marking the pitches, those games simply would not happen.
Anyone involved in grassroots football knows how unpredictable pitches can be, especially during the winter months. More often than not, we are all waiting by the phone for Andy's verdict and hoping for the thumbs up that the pitches are playable. It is one of those behind-the-scenes jobs that often goes unnoticed, but without people like Andy, there would be no football for so many of our children.
What I love most is knowing that every child, regardless of their ability, is welcome at our club. Results have never been the priority. Our managers genuinely care about the children's wellbeing, confidence, and enjoyment.
One of the highlights of the year is our annual club quiz night, which has become our biggest fundraising event. Hosted by our in-house quizmaster, James, who also manages the Under-15s and looks after the club kit, it is always packed to capacity. The atmosphere is brilliant, and it is one of the few opportunities for the entire club to come together under one roof.
Our end-of-season Presentation and Fun Day captures everything the club is about. It is a chance to celebrate the children's achievements and thank the volunteers who make the season possible. The children collect their participation trophies, soak the coaches on the sponge throw, bounce around on the inflatables, join the tug of war, and, of course, spend the day playing football together.
South Downs And The Sea
When I think of Hangleton, I think of the contrast between the South Downs and the sea. It is a residential community on the edge of Brighton & Hove, tucked between the rolling hills and the famous seafront. Surprisingly, many people who live in Brighton have never even visited Hangleton, but it is one of the things that makes it feel like such a hidden gem.
From the highest points in Hangleton, you can look one way across the South Downs and the other towards the sea. It is a spectacular view. Hidden paths weave through the area, including the Old Dyke Railway Trail, which leads up onto the Downs and out to Devil's Dyke. Or you can head downhill to Hove Beach, where there is always something happening. Our local resident, Fatboy Slim, is often found DJing on the beach, and his Big Beach Café even sponsors one of our girls' teams.
When I think of Hangleton, I think of Blatchington Windmill standing proudly above our football pitches, watching over matchdays. The pitches are so open that the sound of seagulls is never far away, almost as if they are there to watch the football too.
When I think of Hangleton, I think of the contrast between the South Downs and the sea. It is a residential community on the edge of Brighton & Hove, tucked between the rolling hills and the famous seafront. Surprisingly, many people who live in Brighton have never even visited Hangleton, but it is one of the things that makes it feel like such a hidden gem.
From the highest points in Hangleton, you can look one way across the South Downs and the other towards the sea. It is a spectacular view. Hidden paths weave through the area, including the Old Dyke Railway Trail, which leads up onto the Downs and out to Devil's Dyke. Or you can head downhill to Hove Beach, where there is always something happening. Our local resident, Fatboy Slim, is often found DJing on the beach, and his Big Beach Café even sponsors one of our girls' teams.
When I think of Hangleton, I think of Blatchington Windmill standing proudly above our football pitches, watching over matchdays. The pitches are so open that the sound of seagulls is never far away, almost as if they are there to watch the football too.
I hope we never lose the community spirit that makes the club so special. I want to see even more girls' teams, more female coaches, and more women stepping into leadership roles to inspire both girls and boys.
When I took over as Club Chair from Geoff Hunt, I honestly did not know what to expect or whether I was capable of doing the job. The committee members who work tirelessly behind the scenes have supported me every step of the way, patiently showing me the ropes and making me feel welcome. Their encouragement is a big part of why I want other women to feel that there is a place for them in grassroots football too.
In the coming weeks, I am hosting a Stepping Over the Sidelines workshop with Sussex FA to encourage more local women to get involved in coaching and volunteering, both at Hangleton Rangers and across the wider community.
We are looking forward to another year of growth, launching our player pathway with Haywards Heath Town, and strengthening our partnership with Brighton Galaxy to create even more opportunities for girls to play.
This year, we were proud to achieve our first two-star accreditation in recognition of our commitment to inclusivity. As we celebrate our 30th year, our goal is to reach three-star accreditation and welcome even more local children into a fun, safe, and supportive football environment.
When I took over as Club Chair from Geoff Hunt, I honestly did not know what to expect or whether I was capable of doing the job. The committee members who work tirelessly behind the scenes have supported me every step of the way, patiently showing me the ropes and making me feel welcome. Their encouragement is a big part of why I want other women to feel that there is a place for them in grassroots football too.
In the coming weeks, I am hosting a Stepping Over the Sidelines workshop with Sussex FA to encourage more local women to get involved in coaching and volunteering, both at Hangleton Rangers and across the wider community.
We are looking forward to another year of growth, launching our player pathway with Haywards Heath Town, and strengthening our partnership with Brighton Galaxy to create even more opportunities for girls to play.
This year, we were proud to achieve our first two-star accreditation in recognition of our commitment to inclusivity. As we celebrate our 30th year, our goal is to reach three-star accreditation and welcome even more local children into a fun, safe, and supportive football environment.
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