Ashford Town FC

...side and the other is Ashford Town FC my home town team,and the subject of this review.

Ashford Town FC was founded in 1930 and there have been semi-professional teams in the town since the 19 th century under various names including Ashford United and Ashford Railway Works.Pre World War II Ashford Town played in the Kent League and enjoyed a modicum of success including a FA Cup tie against Clapton Orient,now known as Leyton Orient. ...
...players who turned out for Ashford were Peter Sillett,the former England,Southampton and Chelsea player,Bobby Laverick ex Chelsea and Everton,Alan Sealey who won a European Cup Winners medal with West Ham. Joe Crozier of Scotland and Brentford, David Cliss ex Chelsea, and Tony Godden who chalked up a lot of
appearances with West Bromwich Albion,Chelsea, Ipswich Town and other football league sides. Ex Manchester United star, Paul Parker, ... more

There are two soccer clubs that mean a lot to me: one is Liverpool my favourite Premier League side and the other is Ashford Town FC my home town team,and the subject of this review.

Ashford Town FC was founded in 1930 and there have been semi-professional teams in the town since the 19 th century under various names including Ashford United and Ashford Railway Works.Pre World War II Ashford Town played in the Kent League and enjoyed a modicum of success including a FA Cup tie against Clapton Orient,now known as Leyton Orient. In the post war period they were in the Kent League until 1969 and won several trophies including the Kent League championship in 1949-49.

They joined the Southern League in 1959 and won promotion several times to the Premier League where they played teams such as Cheltenham, Wimbledon,Barnet and Kidderminster Harriers,now all members of the Football League.

There greatest successes have,however,come in cup competitions including winning the Kent Senior Cup four times and a great run to the Semi Final of the FA Trophy where they lost to the eventual winners Scarborough 1-0 on a hotly disputed penalty.Town have also a proud record in the FA cup having reached the Ist or 2nd round Proper a number of times.Back in 1959 they narrowly lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace, then in the 1960's they lost 3-1 to Gillingham, and 3-0 to Queens Park Rangers in the Second Round Proper,.They also had FA cup ties at Brentford and Swindon Town.

In the 1970s they played Walsall but were defeated 3-1 and in the 1990's they had an epic 2-2 draw with Fulham before going down bravely in the replay at Craven Cottage 5-3 after extra time.Later they defeated Dagenham and Redbridge to set up an encounter with Watford and most neutrals thought the 5-0 scorline rather flattered Watford.
Among teams defeated in their FA Cup exploits have been Aldershot, Cambridge City, Dagenham & Redbridge and Wycombe Wanderers.

The club play at a purpose built stadium called the Homelands,in the village of Kingsnorth,four miles from the town centre of Ashford.There is an impressive stand with executive boxes, a large function room,executive bar, and seating for about 600. Their are small stands behind both goals,an excellent club shop, a tea bar and two function rooms.The club also has an excellent web site run by a dedicated supporter. It is ashfordtown.fc.co.uk.

Among famous players who turned out for Ashford were Peter Sillett,the former England,Southampton and Chelsea player,Bobby Laverick ex Chelsea and Everton,Alan Sealey who won a European Cup Winners medal with West Ham. Joe Crozier of Scotland and Brentford, David Cliss ex Chelsea, and Tony Godden who chalked up a lot of
appearances with West Bromwich Albion,Chelsea, Ipswich Town and other football league sides. Ex Manchester United star, Paul Parker, was for a period Director of Football at Ashford,whilst ex England,QPR and Manchester City star Rodney Marsh was for a time, Managing Director, and the ex Spurs and West Ham player,Paul Allen,also turned out for Ashford. Other ex Football league players with Ashford included Bill Dodge ex Spurs and Crystal Palace, ex Spurs player Ron Clayton, and John Shepherd who previously played for Millwall and Gillingham.Roy Hodgson who achieved fame as a coach internationally also played for Ashford and probably the team's most famous supporter was the author HE Bates,who lived locally and will always be remembered for The Darling Buds of May.

Ashford players who were signed by Football League clubs include Ollie Norris who joined Rochdale, Howard Moore who signed for Coventry,Lee MacRobert who went on to play for Millwall and,as previously mentioned, Tony Godden who was bought from Ashford by West Bromwich Albion.

Sadly financial and other problems have hit the Kent side and at present this friendly,little,non league club is going through a rather rough patch.True supporters,however,are fervently hoping that they will turn the corner and get back into the Doc Martens Premier Division and on to the Conference.

 

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