Supporters’ Player of the Year remains a Robin for 2023-24
Alex Bygraves will remain at the Beacon for the 2023-24 season after signing for a second year with Hassocks.
The centre back made quite the impression following his arrival from Peacehaven & Telscombe last summer, instantly becoming one of the first names on James Westlake’s team sheet.
Bygraves missed just three matches, playing 44 times and scoring four goals through the aerial threat he poses from set pieces. He was a vital part of a Hassocks defence which set a new club record of five consecutive clean sheets during February and March.
A natural leader, Bygraves took over the armband in September when club captain Lewis Westlake was ruled out by long term injury. His form was enough to see him voted Supporters’ Player of the Season, a just reward for an excellent first season with the Robins.
Part of Bygraves’ popularity with the Beacon faithful stems from his first-class attitude and resilience. During his time at Lancing between 2014 and 2021, Bygraves suffered a fractured foot, a ruptured MCL and a horror leg break.
Not many players would have come back from all that. Bygraves did and then some, helping the Lancers win the Peter Bentley League Cup in 2016 before playing a huge role in setting the club up for promotion to the Isthmian League over the course of the two lockdown seasons.
Bygraves left Culver Road having made 184 appearances for Lancing. His one season with Peacehaven saw him made club captain at the Window Workshop Sports Park.
He played 34 times and contributed four goals as the Tye finished eighth in the Southern Combination League Premier Division.
Prior to joining Lancing in 2014, Bygraves captained Haywards Heath Town to promotion out of Division Two in the 2012-13 season and a trophy double of Division Two Cup and Sussex Intermediate Cup.
Heath beat Hurstpierpoint 3-0 in the final of the first of those competitions. The second saw a 2-1 extra time win over Hassocks Reserves, a result which denied Roy Staughton’s Robins a quadruple.
