John Shepherd took over as player manager in 1964–65 and the club were promoted to Division One after finishing as runners-up (on goal average) to Sidley United.

[5] In 1968, Shepherd led the club to victory in the Sussex Senior Cup, beating Athenian League Horsham 5–3 in front of a crowd of 4,261 at the Goldstone Ground, and the following season they finished as Division One Champions.

He installed Barry Noonan as his right-hand man, but a succession of managers came and went including Russell Bromage and Paul Hubbard.

With the recent success the club entered the FA Cup for the first time in some years in the 2016–17 season however fell at the first hurdle against Cray Valley PM.

Silverware was nearly gained as the team made it through to the Southern Combination Division One Cup Final however Langney Wanderers came out 3–0 winners.

In September 2017 the club appointed former Brighton & Hove Albion Ladies coach Curtis Foster as manager of the first team.

Foster left the club in December 2017, the position of manager was taken up by experienced player Justin Gregory on a temporary basis which was made permanent in January 2018.

After a difficult start to the season, Ben Shoulders left the managerial position in December 2018 and the very experienced Sammy Donnelly was appointed in his place on New Year's Eve to try and stabilise the club.

In March 2020 it was announced that the club's owner had handed possession of the ground back to the local council after it had terminated his lease of Old Barn Way due to “significant mismanagement issues and safety concerns"; he had breached legal repair obligations with regard to water damage, broken roofs and unsafe block walls left untreated, whilst standard electrical checks had not been completed and no fire safety measures were in place.

The council also reported a number of serious licensing breaches of the lease, when the site had been illegally sublet to a range of organisations by the tenant for personal profit.

The new building also incorporated a directors' and officials' lounge, with windows fronting on to the pitch, and also a small brick-built press box which has since been demolished.

's owner due to numerous significant mismanagement issues and public safety concerns, primarily the club's neglect of carrying out necessary structural maintenance work over a long period and various serious legal breaches of the terms of the lease, including the lack of any fire provision.

The charity stated that they intended to work with the local authority to refurbish the entire site, transforming it into a community football hub to promote health, wellbeing and education in the area.They also agreed to offer Southwick 1882 FC the use of the ground for their home fixtures.

Additionally, it was found that the clubhouse construction consists of large quantities of asbestos, and long-term water damage had become so bad that the new leaseholders were advised that Legionnaires Disease could be a hazard.

There is also a considerable amount of rubble to be removed and derelict fencing that needs to be replaced, as well as part of the enclosing perimeter stone wall that is falling down.