This year has again been a busy one in parks football. Here we look back at the top stories in Sussex during 2000.

JANUARY: We called for hotheads to be kicked out of the game after two referees in the same week in January had to abandon matches because of fighting on the pitch.

Mulberry and Flappers had their Worthing and Horsham League match abandoned by referee Matt Haslett and Michael Cottingham had to blow time early as Sporting Lindfield's Mid Sussex League match got out of hand.

We demanded that footballers should be booted out sine die if they are found guilty of fighting. Why should a minority of morons ruin the fun?

It was proving a controversial opening month. The following week council bosses came under fire after two teams and a ref had to share a changing room at Bennetts Field in Horsham.

AFC Norfolk Arms, who played host at the ground to visiting Worthing and Horsham League clubs, only had keys which fitted one of the four changing rooms at the ground.

The hosts and visiting side Lancing had to share one small room, shower and toilet between them. The grass was said to be too long and Horsham Council had constantly been reminded about the problem.

Thanks to our article, the council acted and it was sorted!

Lionhearts had a little and large combo in their camp. Goalkeeper Nathan Taylor stood at a huge 6ft 10ins, while striker Matt Batchelor was a titch at 5ft 3ins.

FEBRUARY: Loyal Mid Sussex League secretary Peter Strange announced he was retiring at the end of the season in February. The 73-year-old had threatened to retire before, but was persuaded not to. This time he carried out his threat and said: "It really is time to call it a day."

Another well-known figure on the Park circuit Ron Bentham quit a week later as referees secretary of the East Grinstead and Crawley Sunday League.

The 65-year-old, who had served for 25 years in the position, said: "I'm fed up with not being listened to. My job has become impossible recently, because of the lack of support I'm getting from the committee."

He was annoyed clubs were failing to comply with a league rule which states that each must nominate a matchday official because of a shortage of referees.

A Worthing League footballer was suspended by his club after being caught with cannabis at the gates of Ford Open Prison. AMC Athletic Reserves left-back Kevin Burdfield was searched prior to a game with the prison team.

He was arrested at the scene and the game was cancelled. Burdfield, 21, appeared before Arundel magistrates and was fined £150 with £70 costs for possessing a Class B drug.

Lee Strange flew in from New Zealand and within hours of landing scored Upper Beeding's winner in their 2-1 win against Rustington. The 30-year-old Navy PT instructor needed every drop of his fitness to overcome the strain of travelling for 34 hours and having no sleep for three nights.

MARCH: Ref Terry Cramford admitted he was wrong to send off Worthing AFC player Andrew Day during their Worthing and Horsham League match with Sompting in March.

Terry produced the red card midway through the second half for dissent after he mistakenly thought he had warned him for an earlier offence. In fact, Cramford had warned Andrew's brother, Adam, in the first half and admitted afterwards it was a case of mistaken identity.

Everything went goal crazy midway through March. Nick Bartholomew hit 12 goals for BHA United against Hobgoblins in Sussex Sunday League Division Seven, while The Crown thrashed East Grinstead and Crawley League Premier Division whipping boys Edwards Sports 30-1.

EHVI must have thought Christmas had come early when Kingfisher Tavern scored four own goals during their Lewes and District League fixture. Liam Smart put through his own net twice, while Ben Cousins and Steve Johnson were also guilty of blundering.

Beehive defender Allan Bull was so fed up with his keeper's boasting that he decided to score an own goal. The bizarre oggie was netted in the last second by the veteran to completely ruin striker-cum-keeper Nathan Pullen's clean sheet. He went in goal with 20 minutes left against Phoneix and the team were tired of Nathan's boasting as they were winning 5-0.

SEPTEMBER: Refuse collectors Onyx, who really are a load of rubbish, won their first match for three seasons by defeating Bo-Peep 4-3 in the Hastings and District League Division Four in September.

OCTOBER: The month opened with angry parents demanding football boot manufacturers investigate more thoroughly the safety of studs. Two Sussex youngsters had been taken to hospital in separate incidents after being severely cut around the knee.

Lower Bevendean under-13s player Ben Raynsford was taken to Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton after receiving a wound four inches wide across the top of his left knee. The cut was so severe a surgeon thought Ben had been cut by a knife. In fact, the studs of a Rottingdean opponent's Adidas Predator boot studs did the damage.

Alan Knight launched a scathing attack on Brighton Council in November and then announced he was quitting as Brighton League fixtures secretary.

Alan was fed up with what he called an 'inefficient' council and said they were "impossible to work with".

DECEMBER: This month Denton Phoenix found themselves banned from playing because one of their players had not paid an outstanding Sussex FA fine and St Mary's won their first Worthing League match for 20 months.