Popular defender helped Hassocks to victory in his final game before moving abroad
Alex Bygraves bowed out from the Hassocks Hotel Beacon Ground in style. His final appearance in a Robins shirt saw him named Starman, helping Hassocks to a clean sheet and a 1-0 win over Saltdean United.
Bygraves and his young family are moving imminently to Dubai. As a result, he had not been due to play this season.
But with the Robins’ two new centre back signings in Liam Hendy and Will Berry both unavailable and Dan Turner suspended for the campaign opener against the Tigers, Bygraves answered James Westlake’s call to help out.
What made the popular defender’s performance even more impressive was that it came having barely kicked a ball for six months.
Bygraves had little involvement in pre-season training, believing his Hassocks career over. He last turned out for the Robins back in February away against former club Peacehaven & Telscombe, where a knee injury brought his 2023-24 campaign to an early end.
It was the fourth serious injury of his career. Bygraves had already shown remarkable resolve to come back from a fractured foot, an MCL and a horror leg break during his time at Lancing.
To return once again and only for a one-off appearance to help out Hassocks speaks volumes about Bygraves.
The defender was one of Westlake’s chief transfer targets when he took over as Robins head coach in the summer of 2022.
Hassocks fought off a host of other clubs for Bygraves’ signature, convincing him to make the move from Peacehaven.
He soon became Robins club captain and one of the first names on the team sheet, making 76 appearances and scoring seven goals.
Bygraves initially came to prominence with Haywards Heath Town, captaining the Bluebells to promotion from Division Three, the Division Three Cup and the Sussex Intermediate Cup in the 2012-13 campaign.
Seven years at Lancing where he won a Peter Bentley League Cup were then followed by one-season with Peacehaven before joining Hassocks.
Westlake paid tribute to Bygraves following the victory against Satldean, saying: “Massive thank you to Alex for the last two seasons. A proper defender, such a competitor and incredibly loyal. We have been fortunate to have him.”
“It says so much that he threw himself into a competitive game after being out injured for the last ix months.”
“We also have to thank his family, wife Natalie and their two little champs for all their support. We wish them all the best in their new venture, They are Robins for life.”
