1968–69 Kent Football League

The 1968–69 Kent Football League season was the third in the history of the Kent Football League, a football competition based in and around the county of Kent in England.

From this season the league was renamed and known as the Kent Football League from its previous title the Kent Premier League.[1] Additionally it was agreed that all member clubs must have 'Senior Status' (relating to the footballing facilities of the club rather than age of players). Current club Orpington Athletic were permitted to retain membership whilst they applied for accreditation.[1]

The league comprised one division and there was also a league cup competition, the Challenge Cup.

Kent Football League

Kent Football League
Season1968–69
ChampionsBrett Sports
Matches played306
Goals scored1,186 (3.88 per match)

The league featured teams from 18 clubs including eight reserves teams. Fifteen of the clubs had competed in the league the previous season and they were joined by three additional clubs:

Also, Folkestone Town Reserves changed their name to Folkestone Reserves.[3]

The league was won by Brett Sports.

After the end of the season three clubs, Canterbury City Reserves, Gravesend & Northfleet Reserves and Tonbridge Reserves left the league; whilst Orpington Athletic were expelled as they had failed to obtain obtained Senior status, their ground facilities were not of the required standard.[4]

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Season End Notes
1 Brett Sports 34 23 5 6 98 27 3.630 51
2 Tunbridge Wells 34 21 8 5 92 41 2.244 50
3 Margate Reserves 34 20 8 6 89 43 2.070 48
4 Sittingbourne 34 21 6 7 77 40 1.925 48
5 Chatham Town 34 20 6 8 80 52 1.538 46
6 Ramsgate Athletic Reserves 34 18 6 10 90 59 1.525 42
7 Tunnel Sports 34 15 10 9 70 47 1.489 40
8 Sheppey United Reserves 34 17 6 11 75 52 1.442 40
9 Orpington Athletic 34 11 11 12 52 64 0.813 33 Expelled (after season)
10 Faversham Town 34 13 5 16 60 63 0.952 31
11 Whitstable Town 34 14 3 17 61 66 0.924 31
12 Deal Town Reserves 34 12 5 17 59 69 0.855 29
13 Canterbury City Reserves 34 11 6 17 51 79 0.646 28 Resigned from league
14 Crockenhill 34 11 5 18 57 82 0.695 27
15 Snowdown Colliery Welfare 34 9 8 17 54 60 0.900 26
16 Folkestone Reserves 34 10 4 20 50 88 0.568 24
17 Gravesend & Northfleet Reserves 34 5 3 26 36 125 0.288 13 Resigned from league
18 Tonbridge Reserves 34 1 3 30 35 129 0.271 5
Source: nonleaguematters, "Kent League". Faversham News. 27 June 1969. p. 8. Retrieved 25 March 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal average; 3) number of goals scored.

Challenge Cup

The 1968–69 Kent Football League Challenge Cup was won by Margate Reserves.

The competition was contested by the 18 teams from the league over four single match knock-out rounds followed by the final played on a neutral ground (at Sittingbourne F.C. this season).

Quarter-finals, Semi-finals and Final

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
         
Margate Reserves 3
Tunnel Sports 1
Margate Reserves 1 1[a]
Whitstable Town 1 0[a]
Whitstable Town 5
Folkestone Reserves 0
Margate Reserves 5[c]
Brett Sports 3[c]
Chatham Town 4
Orpington Athletic 0
Chatham Town 0 0[b]
Brett Sports 0 5[b]
Brett Sports 2
Crockenhill 0
  1. ^ a b Replay
  2. ^ a b Replay
  3. ^ a b After extra time; score at 90 minutes: 3–3

Second Round

First Round

Byes for the other 14 teams

Sources:

References

  1. ^ a b Carpenter, Gordon (5 July 1968). "Kent League: 'wonderful future'". Kent Messenger. Maidstone. p. 15.
  2. ^ a b c "Newcomers to Kent League". Kentish Express. Ashford, England. 5 July 1968. p. 22.
  3. ^ "Folkestone Reserves". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Kent League to consist of 15 clubs". East Kent Times. Ramsgate. 11 July 1969. p. 14.