Whitstable Town F.C.

Football club infobox |clubname = Whitstable Town|

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Whitstable Town F.C. is a football club based in Whitstable, Kent, England. The club was established in 1885 and joined the Kent League in 1950. In the 1996-97 season, the team reached the 5th round of the FA Vase. They were champions of the Kent League Premier Division in the 2006-07 season and were promoted to the Isthmian League.

History

Although the first recorded football match in Whitstable was in 1885, the first record of Whitstable Town's existence was the following year. After a couple of years playing in a field behind the railway station, the club relocated to The Belmont Ground in 1888, where they play to this day.

In 1909 the Oystermen joined the original Kent League, where they played until it folded in 1959, winning the Division Two title three times. They also lifted the Kent Amateur Cup (now Kent Senior Trophy) in 1929. After the collapse of the Kent League, the club played for a while in the Aetolian League, but this meant long trips to play London teams as opposed to the earlier money-spinning East Kent derbies, and this was a period of financial struggle for the club, which dropped into the amateur leagues for a number of years.

In the late 1960s the Kent League reformed, with the Oystermen among the founder members. They have remained members ever since, although they have generally been a mid-table side, although they did claim the League Cup in 1979/80. They also attracted national publicity in 1989 when striker Gerry Allen scored a goal after just 4 seconds of a match.

Ground

The Belmont Ground boasts a seated stand along one side as well as covered terracing behind one goal. Within the last ten years the dressing rooms and clubhouse have been completely refurbished, a new snack bar built and floodlights erected. Whitstable are among the better-supported teams in the Kent League, with derby matches against Herne Bay regularly attracting 400 or more fans.

Honours

*Kent League
**Champions 2006-07
**League Cup Winners 1980
*Kent Amateur Cup
**Winners 1929

Club records

* Best league position: 1st in Kent League Premier Division 2006/07
* Best FA Cup performance: 3rd qualifying round, 1957/58, 1988/89, 1989/90
* Best FA Trophy performance: 2nd qualifying round, 1970/71
* Best FA Vase performance: 5th round, 1996/97

ources

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External links

* [http://www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk Whitstable Town FC Official web site]