# 1996–97 Kent Football League

The 1996–97 Kent Football League season (known as the Winstonlead Kent League for sponsorship reasons) was the 31st in the history of the Kent Football League, a football competition in England.
The League structure comprised two divisions: Division One and Division Two with the latter known as the Reserves Section (reserves teams were not permitted in Division One). Additionally there were two league cup competitions: the Challenge Cup for the Division One clubs and another for the teams in Division Two.

## Division One

The league featured 21 clubs, 19 of which competed in the previous season together with two additional clubs:
* Lordswood, joined from the Kent County League
* Woolwich Town, transferred from the Spartan League
The league was won for the third time during the 1990s by Herne Bay, who recorded a League and Cup double.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Herne Bay | 40 | 23 | 11 | 6 | 73 | 35 | +38 | 80 |
| 2 | Ramsgate | 40 | 24 | 5 | 11 | 82 | 47 | +35 | 77 |
| 3 | Furness | 40 | 23 | 8 | 9 | 66 | 38 | +28 | 77 |
| 4 | Sheppey United | 40 | 22 | 7 | 11 | 74 | 47 | +27 | 73 |
| 5 | Deal Town | 40 | 20 | 5 | 15 | 80 | 56 | +24 | 65 |
| 6 | Folkestone Invicta | 40 | 19 | 7 | 14 | 66 | 57 | +9 | 64 |
| 7 | Whitstable Town | 40 | 17 | 12 | 11 | 61 | 44 | +17 | 63 |
| 8 | Chatham Town | 40 | 16 | 11 | 13 | 60 | 52 | +8 | 59 |
| 9 | Greenwich Borough | 40 | 16 | 10 | 14 | 71 | 62 | +9 | 58 |
| 10 | Faversham Town | 40 | 16 | 9 | 15 | 58 | 73 | −15 | 57 |
| 11 | Beckenham Town | 40 | 15 | 10 | 15 | 49 | 47 | +2 | 55 |
| 12 | Canterbury City | 40 | 15 | 10 | 15 | 47 | 55 | −8 | 55 |
| 13 | Hythe United | 40 | 15 | 8 | 17 | 70 | 76 | −6 | 53 |
| 14 | Thamesmead Town | 40 | 15 | 8 | 17 | 53 | 61 | −8 | 53 |
| 15 | Lordswood | 40 | 14 | 8 | 18 | 57 | 72 | −15 | 50 |
| 16 | Slade Green | 40 | 12 | 9 | 19 | 45 | 50 | −5 | 45 |
| 17 | Woolwich Town | 40 | 10 | 13 | 17 | 40 | 62 | −22 | 43 |
| 18 | Cray Wanderers | 40 | 11 | 6 | 23 | 43 | 66 | −23 | 39 |
| 19 | Crockenhill | 40 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 51 | 80 | −29 | 38 |
| 20 | Tunbridge Wells | 40 | 8 | 10 | 22 | 44 | 76 | −32 | 34 |
| 21 | Corinthian | 40 | 8 | 6 | 26 | 37 | 71 | −34 | 30 |

### Challenge Cup

The 1996–97 Kent Football League Challenge Cup was won for the first time in their history by Herne Bay, who completed a League and Cup double.
The competition was contested by the 21 teams from the Division One over five rounds: the first three were a single match knock-out followed by the semi-finals on an aggregate basis (home and away matches) and the final match played on a neutral ground (at Folkestone Invicta F.C. this season).

#### Quarter-finals, Semi-finals and Final

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| Sheppey United | Sheppey United | Sheppey United | Sheppey United | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tunbridge Wells | Tunbridge Wells | Tunbridge Wells | Tunbridge Wells | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tunbridge Wells | Tunbridge Wells | Tunbridge Wells | Tunbridge Wells | 1 | Sheppey United | Sheppey United | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | |
| | | | | | Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | |
| Hythe United | Hythe United | Hythe United | Hythe United | 0 | Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | |
| Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | 2 | | | | | | Sheppey United | Sheppey United | Sheppey United | Sheppey United | 1 |
| | | | | | | | | | | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | 3 |
| Deal Town | Deal Town | Deal Town | 0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | 3 |
| Slade Green | Slade Green | Slade Green | 0 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Slade Green | Slade Green | Slade Green | 0 | 2 | Slade Green | Slade Green | 2 | 0 | 2 | | | | | |
| | | | | | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | | | |
| Herne Bay | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | 2 | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | | | |
| Greenwich Borough | Greenwich Borough | Greenwich Borough | Greenwich Borough | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
* 1 2 After extra time, score at 90 minutes 0–1 to Cray Wanderers
* 1 2 After extra time
* 1 2 Replay
* 1 2 After extra time, score at 90 minutes 0–1 to Herne Bay
Sources
* Quarter-finals: "Weekend Results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 1 Cup, quarter finals". Kent Today. 17 February 1997. p. 35. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Last night's results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 1 Cup, quarter-final replay". Kent Today. 19 February 1997. p. 31. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* Semi-finals: "Weekend Results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 1 Cup, semi final, first leg". Kent Today. 24 March 1997. p. 43. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Weekend Results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 1 Cup, semi-final, second leg". Kent Today. 1 April 1997. p. 39. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* Final: "Weekend Results: Winstonlead Kent League: Results: Saturday: Winstonlead Kent League, Division 1 Cup final". Kent Today. 6 May 1997. p. 35. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.

#### Second Round

* Lordswood 1 – 3 Sheppey United
* Canterbury City 0 – 0 (aet) Tunbridge Wells
* REPLAY: Tunbridge Wells 5 – 1 Canterbury City
* Hythe United 4 – 0 Corinthian
* Thamesmead Town 1 – 2 Cray Wanderers
* Deal Town 3 – 0 Beckenham Town
* Furness 1 – 1 (aet) Slade Green (score at 90 minutes: 1–1)
* REPLAY: Slade Green 0 – 0 (aet) Furness. Slade Green won 3–0 on penalties.
* Herne Bay 2 – 0 Woolwich Town
* Greenwich Borough 6 – 0 Folkestone Invicta

#### First Round

* Lordswood 2 – 1 Crockenhill
* Sheppey United 5 – 1 Faversham Town
* Slade Green 1 – 0 (aet) Ramsgate
* Herne Bay 3 – 1 Chatham Town
* Greenwich Borough 1 – 0 Whitstable Town
* Byes for the other 11 clubs
Sources:
* Second Round: "Weekend Results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 1 Cup, second round". Kent Today. 27 January 1997. p. 39. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Last night's results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 1 Cup, second round replay". Kent Today. 29 January 1997. p. 31. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* First Round: "Weekend Results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 1 Cup, First Round". Kent Today. 28 October 1996. p. 35. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.

## Reserves Section

The letter "R" following team names indicates a club’s reserves team.
The 1996–97 Division Two featured reserves teams (which were not permitted in Division One) of clubs from Kent and the adjacent area whose first team played in Division One and other higher ranked leagues. There was a League Cup competition for the teams in the section.

### Division Two

The division featured 20 clubs, 17 who had competed in the previous season together with three addidtional clubs:
* Dartford R
* Hythe United R
* Lordswood R, joined from the Kent County League Reserves Section
Tonbridge AFC R were the division winners.

#### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Tonbridge AFC R | 38 | 28 | 6 | 4 | 103 | 41 | +62 | 90 |
| 2 | Dartford R | 38 | 26 | 6 | 6 | 100 | 46 | +54 | 81 |
| 3 | Sittingbourne R | 38 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 108 | 57 | +51 | 76 |
| 4 | Furness R | 38 | 22 | 7 | 9 | 73 | 38 | +35 | 73 |
| 5 | Hythe United R | 38 | 18 | 9 | 11 | 76 | 60 | +16 | 63 |
| 6 | Deal Town R | 38 | 18 | 6 | 14 | 80 | 53 | +27 | 60 |
| 7 | Herne Bay R | 38 | 18 | 6 | 14 | 63 | 54 | +9 | 60 |
| 8 | Dover Athletic R | 38 | 18 | 6 | 14 | 62 | 66 | −4 | 60 |
| 9 | Lordswood R | 38 | 18 | 4 | 16 | 77 | 69 | +8 | 58 |
| 10 | Margate R | 38 | 16 | 8 | 14 | 64 | 66 | −2 | 53 |
| 11 | Hastings Town R | 38 | 13 | 10 | 15 | 80 | 80 | 0 | 49 |
| 12 | Crockenhill R | 38 | 15 | 4 | 19 | 67 | 82 | −15 | 49 |
| 13 | Thamesmead Town R | 38 | 13 | 9 | 16 | 59 | 65 | −6 | 45 |
| 14 | Ramsgate R | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 72 | 90 | −18 | 44 |
| 15 | Whitstable Town R | 38 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 56 | 68 | −12 | 39 |
| 16 | Chatham Town R | 38 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 39 | 72 | −33 | 38 |
| 17 | Beckenham Town R | 38 | 11 | 5 | 22 | 61 | 97 | −36 | 38 |
| 18 | Folkestone Invicta R | 38 | 9 | 6 | 23 | 48 | 100 | −52 | 33 |
| 19 | Corinthian R | 38 | 6 | 6 | 26 | 49 | 87 | −38 | 24 |
| 20 | Faversham Town R | 38 | 6 | 5 | 27 | 75 | 121 | −46 | 23 |
* ↑ Dartford AFC R were deducted three points
* ↑ Sittingbourne R were deducted three points
* ↑ Margate R were deducted three points
* ↑ Thamesmead Town R were deducted three points
* ↑ Chatham Town R were deducted three points

### Division Two Cup

The 1996–97 Kent Football League Division Two Cup was won by East Sussex club Hastings Town R.
The competition for the 20 teams from Division Two comprised five rounds: the first three were a single match knock-out followed by the semi-finals on an aggregate basis (home and away matches) and a single match final on a neutral ground (at Dover Athletic F.C. this season).

#### Quarter-finals, Semi-finals and Final

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| Whitstable Town R | Whitstable Town R | Whitstable Town R | Whitstable Town R | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Margate R | Margate R | Margate R | Margate R | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Margate R | Margate R | Margate R | Margate R | 2 | Margate R | Margate R | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | |
| | | | | | Deal Town R | Deal Town R | 4 | 0 | 4 | | | | | |
| Herne Bay R | Herne Bay R | Herne Bay R | Herne Bay R | 1 | Deal Town R | Deal Town R | 4 | 0 | 4 | | | | | |
| Deal Town R | Deal Town R | Deal Town R | Deal Town R | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Deal Town R | Deal Town R | Deal Town R | Deal Town R | 2 | | | | | | Deal Town R | Deal Town R | Deal Town R | Deal Town R | 0 |
| | | | | | | | | | | Hastings Town R | Hastings Town R | Hastings Town R | Hastings Town R | 1 |
| Crockenhill R | Crockenhill R | Crockenhill R | Crockenhill R | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | Hastings Town R | Hastings Town R | Hastings Town R | Hastings Town R | 1 |
| Hastings Town R | Hastings Town R | Hastings Town R | Hastings Town R | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hastings Town R | Hastings Town R | Hastings Town R | Hastings Town R | 4 | Hastings Town R | Hastings Town R | 1 | 6 | 7 | | | | | |
| | | | | | Furness R | Furness R | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | |
| Tonbridge AFC R | Tonbridge AFC R | Tonbridge AFC R | Tonbridge AFC R | 1 | Furness R | Furness R | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | |
| Furness R | Furness R | Furness R | Furness R | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
* 1 2 After extra time, score at 90 minutes: 0–0
Sources:
* Quarter-finals: "Weekend Results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2 Cup, quarter-finals". Kent Today. 24 February 1997. p. 39. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Last night's results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2 Cup, quarter-finals". Kent Today. 5 March 1997. p. 35. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Weekend Results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2 Cup, quarter-finals". Kent Today. 10 March 1997. p. 35. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* Semi-finals: "Weekend Results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2 Cup, semi final, first leg". Kent Today. 24 March 1997. p. 43. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Weekend Results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2 Cup, semi-final, second leg". Kent Today. 1 April 1997. p. 39. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* Final: "Weekend Results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2 Cup Final". Kent Today. 21 April 1997. p. 35. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.

#### Second Round

* Hastings Town R 5 – 2 Folkestone Invicta R
* Whitstable Town R 5 – 0 Corinthian R
* Crockenhill R 1 – 0 Hythe United R
* Lordswood R 3 – 3 (aet) Deal Town R (Score at 90 minutes: 3–3)
* REPLAY: Deal Town R v Lordswood R. Result: Deal Town R 1–2(aet) Lordswood R (Score at 90 minutes: 1–1). However, Deal Town R progressed to quarter-final
* Chatham Town R 0 – 2 Margate R
* Herne Bay R 1 – 1 (aet) Ramsgate R (Score at 90 minutes: 1–1)
* REPLAY: Ramsgate R 3 – 0 Herne Bay R
* Thamesmead Town R 1 – 4 Tonbridge AFC R
* Sittingbourne R 1 – 2 (aet) Furness R (Score at 90 minutes: 1–1)

#### First Round

* Dover Athletic R 4 – 4 (aet) Thamesmead Town R (Score at 90 minutes: 3–3)
* REPLAY: Thamesmead Town R 1 – 1 (aet) Dover Athletic R. Thamesmead Town R won 3–2 on penalties
* Beckenham Town R 1 – 2 Chatham Town R
* Herne Bay R 2 – 1 Faversham Town R
* Ramsgate R 3 – 1 Dartford R
* Byes for the other 12 clubs
Sources:
* Second Round: "Weekend Results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2 Cup, second round". Kent Today. 9 December 1996. p. 39. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Weekend Results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2 Cup, second round". Kent Today. 16 December 1996. p. 39. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Weekend Results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2 Cup, second round". Kent Today. 23 December 1996. p. 35. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Last night's results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2 Cup, second round". Kent Today. 15 January 1997. p. 29. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Weekend Results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2 Cup, second round". Kent Today. 20 January 1997. p. 35. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Last night's results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2 Cup, second round replay". Kent Today. 29 January 1997. p. 31. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* First Round: "Weekend Results: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2 Cup, first round". Kent Today. 11 November 1996. p. 39. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Football Results, Fixtures & Tables: Results: Tuesday, November 12: Winstonlead Kent League: Division Two Cup 1st round replay". Dover Express. 14 November 1996. p. 76. Retrieved 16 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.