Kent County Football Association

Kent County Football AssociationFormation| 1881

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Purpose| Football association
Headquarters| Invicta House
Cobdown Park
London Road
Ditton
Location|

* Aylesford
Kent ME20 6DQ

Chief executive

| Darryl Haden
Website| www.kentfa.com

The Kent County Football Association, known as Kent FA, is the governing body of football in the county of Kent, England, and was formed in 1881. The Kent FA run over 20 County Cups at different levels of football for affiliated teams across Kent.

## History

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The Kent County FA was formed in October 1881 by two friends – M.P, Betts (Secretary) and G.W. Prall (Treasurer).

Over the next few years, matters became more formalised. Mr A.G.O Kennedy was appointed secretary in 1888, and he made a great difference in creating a proper structure for football. He was taken ill in 1892 and died in December of that year.

From Mr. Kennedy's base P.J. Leckie became secretary and served until 1986 and was succeeded by J Albert, who served until 1905. During that time the association made great strides forward, reaching a total of 297 clubs and 41 leagues. In 1905 the gate receipts from the Kent Senior Cup Final amounted to £233.

In 1905 J. Albert relinquished his position as secretary through pressure of outside commitments. The council later that year resolved that position of secretary become a full-time post at maximum salary of £80 per annum for 3 years. It was also resolved that the secretary must reside in Chatham. Frank Lockwood was appointed as the first full-time secretary and served until his death in 1914. By that time the number of affiliated clubs had risen to 600.

After the First World War had ended, Captain J. Rigden assumed the role of secretary and served until 1926, when he was replaced by much revered Stanley Brown.

Stanley became the longest-serving secretary occupying the position until 1964. It was Stanley's foresight which enabled the association to acquire 69 Maidstone Road, Chatham, which remained the headquarters for 62 years until 2009, when the association relocated to Cobdown, Ditton.

Brown retired in 1964 and was replaced by Dick Speake. He in turn reached retirement age in 1978, when Keith Masters had the "honour and privilege" of taking over the role of secretary, which became Chief Executive on incorporation in November 2000. Keith Masters retired in 2010 and was succeeded as chief executive officer by Paul Dolan in January 2011.

The Association has grown into a moderate business employing almost 20 members of staff providing football for leagues, clubs, players, referees and anyone that wants to be involved or just loves the game.[1]

## Organisation

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Kent FA aims to establish safe and structured football opportunities for the benefit of all concerned irrespective of age, colour, gender and disability. They aim to provide the appropriate structures and systems to enable the association to control, manage, regulate and promote the game within the county.

Kent FA was formed in 1881 and has governed the game of football, under the aegis of The Football Association since that date. Kent FA became a Company Limited by Guarantee on November 1, 2000. Kent is the fifth largest county affiliated to The Football Association and is divided into four geographical divisions for administration purposes.

There are 66 council members, and 48 of these are elected to serve within the area that they live.[2]

## Affiliated leagues

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### Men's Saturday leagues

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OPEN AGE LEAGUES

* Kent County Football League**
* Ashford and District League
* Bromley and South London Football League
* Canterbury and District League
* Rochester and District League
* Sevenoaks and District League

Footnote: ** Regional NLS Feeder League.

VETERANS LEAGUES

* Thanet and District League
* Kent County Football League

### Men's Sunday leagues

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* Ashford and District Sunday League
* Dover Sunday League
* Herne Bay and Whitstable Sunday League
* Maidstone and Mid Kent Sunday League
* Medway Messenger Sunday League
* North Kent Sunday League
* Orpington and Bromley District Sunday League
* Sheppey Sunday League
* Thanet Sunday League
* West Kent Sunday League

### Other leagues

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* Kent Disability League

### Youth leagues

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* Ashford and District Youth League
* East Kent Youth League
* Faversham and District youth League
* Kent Youth League
* Maidstone Boys Primary League
* Maidstone Invicta Primary League
* Maidstone Minor League
* Medway Youth League
* North Kent Youth League

### Ladies and girls leagues

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* Kent Girls/Ladies League[2][3]
* South East Counties Women's League

### Small sided leagues

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* Ashford 5-A-Side Super League (1983)
* Ashford Supersixes
* Faversham and District Indoor 5-a-Side League
* Kent Cricket Academy 5-a-Side League (2004)
* Kicks Soccer Centre
* Medway Park 5-a-Side League
* Medway Towns Red Triangle 5-a-Side League
* Pitch Invasion
* Sittingbourne Indoors 5-a-Side League[2][3]

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## Disbanded or amalgamated leagues

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Leagues that were affiliated to the Kent County FA but have disbanded or amalgamated with other leagues include:

* Beckenham League
* Bromley and District Football League
* Dartford and District League
* Deal and District Sunday League
* Dover League
* East Kent League
* Folkestone Junior League
* Gravesend League
* Hythe, Folkestone and District Sunday League
* Maidstone and District League
* New Brompton League
* North East Kent League
* South London Football Alliance
* Southern Suburban League
* Thames and Medway Combination
* Thanet Works League
* Tonbridge and District League
* Tunbridge Wells League
* Weald of Kent League
* West Kent League

## Affiliated member clubs

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Among the notable clubs that are (or at one time were) affiliated to the Kent County FA are:

* Alma Swanley (now defunct)
* Ashford United (1880) (now defunct)
* Ashford United
* Beckenham Town
* Brett Sports (now defunct)
* Canterbury City
* Charlton Athletic
* Chatham Town
* Cray Valley Paper Mills
* Cray Wanderers
* Crockenhill
* Corinthian

* Deal Town
* Dover (now defunct)
* Dover Athletic
* Ebbsfleet United
* Erith & Belvedere
* Erith Town
* Faversham Town
* Fisher
* Folkestone Invicta
* Folkestone Town (now defunct)
* Gillingham
* Gravesend United
* Gravesend & Northfleet (now Ebbsfleet United)

* Greenwich Borough
* Herne Bay
* Holmesdale
* Hythe Town
* Lordswood
* Maidstone United
* Margate
* Millwall
* Northfleet United
* Norton Sports
* Orpington

* Ramsgate
* Sevenoaks Town
* Sheppey United
* Sittingbourne
* Slade Green
* Swanley Furness
* Sutton Athletic
* Thamesmead Town
* Tonbridge Angels
* Tunbridge Wells
* VCD Athletic
* Whitstable Town
* Woolwich Arsenal (Moved to Highbury, London in 1913)

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In 1946 Gravesend United merged with Northfleet United to form Gravesend & Northfleet who are now known as Ebbsfleet United.

## County Cup competitions

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The Kent County FA run 20 County Cup competitions:

* Kent Senior Cup
* Kent Senior Trophy
* Kent Intermediate Cup
* Kent Intermediate Challenge Shield
* Kent Junior Cups – Junior Cup A, Junior Cup B & Junior Cup C
* Kent Sunday Cups – Sunday Premier Cup, Sunday Junior Cup, Sunday Junior Trophy
* Kent Veteran's Cup

* Youth Cup Under 18 – Boys
* Youth Cup Under 16 – Boys
* Youth Cup Under 15 – Boys
* Youth Cup Under 14 – Boys
* Youth Cup Under 13 – Boys

* Women's Cup
* Women's Plate
* Girls Cup Under 16
* Girls Cup Under 14

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Source[4]

## Charity Cup Competitions

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* Ashford Charity Trophy
* Beckenham Hospital Invitation Charity Cup Comp.
* Gordon Charity Cup
* Gravesend Hospital Challenge Cup Competition

* Hawkhurst Charity Cup
* North Kent Sunday & KSFL Charity Shield (1962)
* Sittingbourne & Milton Charity Cup

* The Hospitals Charity Cup
* Tunbridge Wells & District Charity Cups Competition
* Weald Of Kent Charity Cup

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Source[5]

## Senior Cup

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Main article: Kent Senior Cup

The Kent Senior Cup is a county cup competition involving senior teams affiliated to the Kent County Football Association.

## List of recent Kent County Cup winners

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Season | Kent Senior Cup Winners | Kent Senior Trophy Winners | Kent Intermediate Cup | Kent Intermediate Challenge Shield

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2002–03 | Margate | Maidstone United | Deal Town Reserves | Sheerness East
2003–04 | Margate | Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers Reserves | Stansfeld (O & B) Club
2004–05 | Margate | Thamesmead Town | Dover Athletic Reserves | Cray Valley Paper Mills
2005–06 | Bromley | VCD Athletic | Tonbridge Angels Reserves | Hollands & Blair
2006–07 | Bromley | Whitstable Town | Deal Town Reserves | Stansfeld (O & B) Club
2007–08 | Ebbsfleet United | Thamesmead Town | Tonbridge Angels Reserves | Orpington
2008–09 | Welling United | VCD Athletic | Tonbridge Angels Reserves | Hollands & Blair
2009–10 | Sittingbourne | Faversham Town | Dartford Reserves | Phoenix Sports
2010–11 | Dartford | Erith Town | Deal Town Reserves | Hollands & Blair

Source[5]

## List of recent Kent County Junior Cup winners

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Season | Kent Junior Cup 'A' | Kent Junior Cup 'B' | Kent Junior Cup 'C'

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2002–03 | 180 | Newington | River Sports
2003–04 | Hollands & Blair | Emerald Star | Parkhurst Rangers
2004–05 | New Ash Green | Phoenix Sports | The George
2005–06 | The Rose | Beaverwood | Ravens
2006–07 | Tonbridge Invicta | Sutton Athletic | Yalding
2007–08 | Canterbury City | Cannon 24 | Charlton Community
2008–09 | Gillingham Green | Charlton Athletic Community | Folkestone Lantern
2009–10 | Swale United | Insulators | Ashford International S & S
2010–11 | Hollands & Blair Reserves | Stockbury Athletic | Woodnesborough

Source[5]

## Directors and officials

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### Directors

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* D. Richmond (chair)
* M. Tapp
* L. Dyson
* K. Discipline
* A. Van Orsouw
* B. Stoneham[6]

### Staff

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* Darryl Haden (Chief Executive)
* Richard Judd (Football Services Manager)
* Jeff Davis (Football Development Manager)[7]

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## References

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1. ^ "Kent County FA – About Us". Kent County FA. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
2. ^ a b c "Building a brighter future for football in Kent – Kent Football Strategy 2008–12" (PDF). Kent County FA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
3. ^ a b "Kent County FA – Governance – League Contacts". Kent County FA. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
4. ^ "Kent County FA – Fixtures & Results – County Cups". Kent County FA. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
5. ^ a b c "Kent County Football Association Ltd – Official Handbook 2010–11" (PDF). Kent County FA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
6. ^ "Kent County FA – About Us – Board of Directors". Kent County FA. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
7. ^ "Kent County FA – Meet The Team". Kent County FA. Retrieved 18 June 2011.

## External links

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* Official website

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