Robins make talented defender their fourth signing of the summer
Hassocks have boosted their defensive options by completing the signing of centre back Liam Hendy from Haywards Heath Town.
Hendy played 27 times for the Bluebells last season after making the switch to the Home Smart Energy Stadium from Littlehampton Town in October.
He is best known in Southern Combination League circles for a long and successful 10-year spell with Lancing, coming through the youth system at Culver Road and making over 250 senior appearances.
Hendy was in the Lancers side who won the Peter Bentley League Cup against Newhaven in 2016 at the Beacon, ending the club’s 23-year wait for a senior trophy.
He opened the scoring in the final at the Beacon after only six minutes, heading home a Tom Caplin free kick.
The Lancers went onto run out 2-1 winners with future Robins Mike Williamson, Alex Bygraves and Alex Fair also part of the squad.
Williamson was named man-of-the-match whilst former Hassocks goalkeeper Josh Green kept out a penalty from Newhaven’s Lee Robinson.
Hendy captained Lancing in the 2019-20 campaign when they seemed certain to lift the Southern Combination title as the outstanding team in the Premier Division under Naim Rouane.
He made 35 appearances as a virtual ever-present until Covid-19 got in the way and the season was ruled null and void.
It was a similar story in 2020-21, although the Lancers did at least get their hands on some silverware by winning the Supplementary Shield introduced when lockdown restrictions began to be lifted in April.
Lancing saw off Loxwood in the final with Hendy lifting the trophy. Promotion was confirmed to the Isthmian League for 2021-22 based on results over the previous two curtailed campaigns with Hendy subsequently becoming the first man to lead out the Lancers at step four in their history.
His decade-long spell at Culver Road came to an end in the summer of 2022 when Hendy made the move to Littlehampton having played a defining role in helping Lancing maintain their Isthmian League place.
Hendy played 35 times for the Marigolds in 2022-23, following up with a further seven appearances last season before being reunited with Rouane at Haywards Heath.
He made his first appearance in a Hassocks shirt in the Robins’ opening pre-season friendly, a 2-1 defeat against Lancing on Tuesday night.
Hendy becomes James Westlake’s fourth signing of the summer after Darren Budd, Morgan Vale and another capture from Heath, Oscar Kemp.
Welcome to the Beacon, Liam.
