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Ashford United F.C.
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Ashford United F.C.
Ashford United F.C. are an English football club based in Ashford, Kent. The 'new' United was formed in 2011, resurrecting the name used by the town's football club between 1891 and 1907. Following the demise of the original Ashford United club in 1907 and through to 1928 Ashford was represented by Ashford Railway Works FC and after that between 1930 and 2010 by Ashford Town F.C. The current club is effectively a 'phoenix club' having risen from the ashes of the financial ruin of its predecessor. Although not a supporter owned club, like most non-league clubs, it relies on contributions of volunteers and supporters.
Ashford United are currently members of the Isthmian League South East Division following their record-breaking promotion from the Southern Counties East Football League in the 2016–17 season. They are one of very few semi-professional teams in England to have a synthetic 3G pitch, which is located at their home stadium 'The Green Box Stadium' formerly known as Homelands.
For each season's League and Cup records of the Ashford clubs see: List of Ashford United F.C. seasons.
The roots of senior football in Ashford originate in 1881 with the South Eastern Rangers who played at Newtown Green (with dressing rooms in the adjacent Alfred Arms). Over a six-year period between 1886 and 1891 the club on four occasions reached the final of the Kent county knock-out competition (the fore-runner of the Kent Senior Cup): in 1886 and 1888 playing for the Kent Badge they lost on both occasions to Chatham, (the second loss being a 6–1 defeat in a replay at the Victoria Ground in Ashford following a goalless first match); and in 1889 and 1891 lost in the final of the Kent Cup to Chatham and the Lincoln Regiment respectively (in the intervening season of 1890 the Rangers were Kent Cup semi-finalists).
In May 1889 to commemorate the club being runners-up in three Kent Badge/Cup finals in four seasons the Kent FA presented the club with a small shield. However the loss in the 1891 Kent Cup final sparked bad feeling between the club and the Kent FA – the club felt insulted by the ‘quality and character’ of the losers medals and returned them and subsequently resigned from the Kent FA. Against this backdrop was news of formation of a new club.
In July 1891 the first Ashford United F.C. was formed by the amalgamation of the South Eastern Rangers and Kentish Express FC – albeit a hold-out faction of the former club continued to exist. The new club's home ground was behind the Victoria Hotel and the team played in a white shirt (with blue Maltese Cross) and blue shorts. About 700 people yielding gate receipts of £5 were present for 'United's' first match at the Victoria Ground on 19 September 1891, a defeat by the Highland Light Infantry 1–5. Two weeks later the club played their first FA Cup match, an away first round qualifying tie in which they were defeated 6–2 at Crouch End. Later, on 24 October 1891 Ashford played host to a touring Canadian team; the result was a 1–3 loss (Ashford's scorer J Hamblin) in a match notable for the sending-off (for verbally abusing the referee) of one of the Dominion's players. In their first tilt at the Kent Cup ‘United’ reached the semi-final in February 1892 before losing out to Gravesend.
In April 1893 the team exceeded the exploits of their forerunners and defeated Chatham 2–0 to win the Kent Cup (United scorers: Archie Munro and Frank Young). Despite Ashford's protestations that the match should have been played at a neutral venue, it was played at Chatham. Ashford had been the beneficiaries of a bye prior to the final – in the semi-final they were due to meet the West Kent Regiment but they were posted to Ireland before the match took place.
The following season, in October 1893, in an 1893–94 FA Cup first round qualifying match Ashford United suffered their – and for every Ashford club thereafter – worst defeat: a 12–0 loss to Woolwich Arsenal (for whom it was an all-time biggest goal difference equalling win). The tie was not without controversy as before the match it was reported in the Kentish Independent Newspaper that Arsenal, a team playing at a higher level (they had that season joined the Football League Second Division), expected a one-sided victory and had openly offered Ashford £20 and the promise of a friendly match against their second team in Ashford if they would scratch from the tie: the offer was not accepted.
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Ashford United F.C.
Ashford United F.C. are an English football club based in Ashford, Kent. The 'new' United was formed in 2011, resurrecting the name used by the town's football club between 1891 and 1907. Following the demise of the original Ashford United club in 1907 and through to 1928 Ashford was represented by Ashford Railway Works FC and after that between 1930 and 2010 by Ashford Town F.C. The current club is effectively a 'phoenix club' having risen from the ashes of the financial ruin of its predecessor. Although not a supporter owned club, like most non-league clubs, it relies on contributions of volunteers and supporters.
Ashford United are currently members of the Isthmian League South East Division following their record-breaking promotion from the Southern Counties East Football League in the 2016–17 season. They are one of very few semi-professional teams in England to have a synthetic 3G pitch, which is located at their home stadium 'The Green Box Stadium' formerly known as Homelands.
For each season's League and Cup records of the Ashford clubs see: List of Ashford United F.C. seasons.
The roots of senior football in Ashford originate in 1881 with the South Eastern Rangers who played at Newtown Green (with dressing rooms in the adjacent Alfred Arms). Over a six-year period between 1886 and 1891 the club on four occasions reached the final of the Kent county knock-out competition (the fore-runner of the Kent Senior Cup): in 1886 and 1888 playing for the Kent Badge they lost on both occasions to Chatham, (the second loss being a 6–1 defeat in a replay at the Victoria Ground in Ashford following a goalless first match); and in 1889 and 1891 lost in the final of the Kent Cup to Chatham and the Lincoln Regiment respectively (in the intervening season of 1890 the Rangers were Kent Cup semi-finalists).
In May 1889 to commemorate the club being runners-up in three Kent Badge/Cup finals in four seasons the Kent FA presented the club with a small shield. However the loss in the 1891 Kent Cup final sparked bad feeling between the club and the Kent FA – the club felt insulted by the ‘quality and character’ of the losers medals and returned them and subsequently resigned from the Kent FA. Against this backdrop was news of formation of a new club.
In July 1891 the first Ashford United F.C. was formed by the amalgamation of the South Eastern Rangers and Kentish Express FC – albeit a hold-out faction of the former club continued to exist. The new club's home ground was behind the Victoria Hotel and the team played in a white shirt (with blue Maltese Cross) and blue shorts. About 700 people yielding gate receipts of £5 were present for 'United's' first match at the Victoria Ground on 19 September 1891, a defeat by the Highland Light Infantry 1–5. Two weeks later the club played their first FA Cup match, an away first round qualifying tie in which they were defeated 6–2 at Crouch End. Later, on 24 October 1891 Ashford played host to a touring Canadian team; the result was a 1–3 loss (Ashford's scorer J Hamblin) in a match notable for the sending-off (for verbally abusing the referee) of one of the Dominion's players. In their first tilt at the Kent Cup ‘United’ reached the semi-final in February 1892 before losing out to Gravesend.
In April 1893 the team exceeded the exploits of their forerunners and defeated Chatham 2–0 to win the Kent Cup (United scorers: Archie Munro and Frank Young). Despite Ashford's protestations that the match should have been played at a neutral venue, it was played at Chatham. Ashford had been the beneficiaries of a bye prior to the final – in the semi-final they were due to meet the West Kent Regiment but they were posted to Ireland before the match took place.
The following season, in October 1893, in an 1893–94 FA Cup first round qualifying match Ashford United suffered their – and for every Ashford club thereafter – worst defeat: a 12–0 loss to Woolwich Arsenal (for whom it was an all-time biggest goal difference equalling win). The tie was not without controversy as before the match it was reported in the Kentish Independent Newspaper that Arsenal, a team playing at a higher level (they had that season joined the Football League Second Division), expected a one-sided victory and had openly offered Ashford £20 and the promise of a friendly match against their second team in Ashford if they would scratch from the tie: the offer was not accepted.