HastingsUnitedFootballClub&Academy
Live Data Integration + Dual-Site Platform
Overview
Hastings United required two connected but distinct websites:
- A public-facing club site featuring live match data
- An academy site focused on team structure and internal organisation
Both needed to share a consistent design system while serving very different functional purposes.
TheBrief
- Build two bespoke WordPress sites
- Integrate live fixtures, results, and league tables
- Provide admin-level control over league configuration
- Enable structured academy team management
- Maintain consistent branding and editing experience
The solution needed to combine real-time sports data with flexible editorial control.
TheApproach
I developed two custom WordPress builds using structured ACF block systems to allow branded, modular content editing.
The architecture balanced:
- Live external data feeds
- Manual overrides where required
- Structured team content
- Ease of maintenance for non-technical users
LiveFootballDataIntegration
The main club site integrates with the Football API via RapidAPI to fetch:
-
Fixtures
-
Results
-
League tables
Custom backend settings allow administrators to:
-
Select which leagues and teams to track
-
Adjust display preferences
-
Manage fallback assets (such as team logos)
Data is processed and stored locally for structured display and performance stability.
HandlingAPILimitations
Not all leagues were supported equally by the API provider.
To ensure full coverage, the system was designed with manual override capabilities for competitions not available via the feed, allowing content continuity without relying entirely on third-party completeness.
This hybrid approach ensured reliability even where external data services were inconsistent.
AcademyPlatform
The academy site operates independently, with:
- Custom post types for teams
- Structured team pages
- Coach assignments
- Internal content management tools
This allows the academy to manage its structure and updates without affecting the main club site.
SharedSystemDesign
Both platforms share:
- A consistent ACF-based editing system
- Unified design components
- Similar backend workflows
This reduces training overhead and ensures a cohesive digital presence across both organisations.
Results
- Automated live match data integration
- Reduced manual updates for fixtures and results
- Structured academy content management
- Consistent multi-site brand presence
- Long-term maintainability
The project demonstrates third-party API integration within WordPress, pragmatic handling of incomplete data feeds, and scalable multi-site structure.
Role&Credits
Built while working as Lead Developer at Gold Pebble.
Design direction provided by the Gold Pebble team.
Architecture and API integration by Taran Stafford.
