# 1981–82 Kent Football League

The 1981–82 Kent Football League season was the sixteenth in the history of the Kent Football League, a football competition featuring teams based in and around the county of Kent 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 sixteen clubs which had all competed in the previous season.
The league was won by Erith & Belvedere, who left the league following their election to the Southern League.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Season End Notes |
| 1 | Erith & Belvedere | 30 | 17 | 10 | 3 | 45 | 22 | +23 | 44 | Elected to the Southern League Southern Division |
| 2 | Sittingbourne | 30 | 16 | 11 | 3 | 63 | 33 | +30 | 43 | |
| 3 | Chatham Town | 30 | 18 | 5 | 7 | 61 | 34 | +27 | 41 | |
| 4 | Sheppey United | 30 | 16 | 5 | 9 | 60 | 40 | +20 | 37 | |
| 5 | Crockenhill | 30 | 11 | 13 | 6 | 54 | 41 | +13 | 35 | |
| 6 | Slade Green Athletic | 30 | 11 | 13 | 6 | 45 | 32 | +13 | 35 | |
| 7 | Whitstable Town | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 48 | 37 | +11 | 34 | |
| 8 | Cray Wanderers | 30 | 13 | 6 | 11 | 51 | 40 | +11 | 32 | |
| 9 | Deal Town | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 44 | 36 | +8 | 32 | |
| 10 | Ramsgate | 30 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 44 | 47 | −3 | 27 | |
| 11 | Hythe Town | 30 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 48 | 52 | −4 | 27 | |
| 12 | Darenth Heathside | 30 | 10 | 4 | 16 | 37 | 50 | −13 | 24 | |
| 13 | Tunbridge Wells | 30 | 8 | 6 | 16 | 36 | 58 | −22 | 22 | |
| 14 | Herne Bay | 30 | 7 | 6 | 17 | 36 | 63 | −27 | 20 | |
| 15 | Faversham Town | 30 | 4 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 50 | −24 | 16 | |
| 16 | Kent Police | 30 | 2 | 7 | 21 | 35 | 98 | −63 | 11 | |

### Challenge Cup

The 1981–82 Kent Football League Challenge Cup was won by Deal Town.
The competition, contested by all sixteen clubs in the league, comprised four single match tie rounds culminating in the final which was played on a neutral ground (at Sittingbourne F.C. this season).

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

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| Slade Green Athletic | 2 | 1 | | | | | | |
| Sittingbourne | 2 | 2 | | | | | | |
| Sittingbourne | 2 | 2 | Sittingbourne | Sittingbourne | 2 | | | |
| | | | Deal Town | Deal Town | 3 | | | |
| Sheppey United | Sheppey United | 1 | Deal Town | Deal Town | 3 | | | |
| Deal Town | Deal Town | 2 | | | | | | |
| Deal Town | Deal Town | 2 | | | | Deal Town | Deal Town | 2 |
| | | | | | | Erith & Belvedere | Erith & Belvedere | 1 |
| Crockenhill | Crockenhill | 1 | | | | | | | Erith & Belvedere | Erith & Belvedere | 1 |
| Erith & Belvedere | Erith & Belvedere | 2 | | | | | | |
| Erith & Belvedere | Erith & Belvedere | 2 | Erith & Belvedere | Erith & Belvedere | 3 | | | |
| | | | Chatham Town | Chatham Town | 0 | | | |
| Chatham Town | Chatham Town | 2 | Chatham Town | Chatham Town | 0 | | | |
| Hythe Town | Hythe Town | 1 | | | | | | |
* 1 2 Replay

#### First Round

* Slade Green Athletic 3 – 2 Faversham Town
* Whitstable Town 1 – 1 (aet) Sittingbourne Match abandoned after 105 minutes. (score at 90 minutes 1–1)
* REPLAY: Sittingbourne 4 – 2 (aet) Whitstable Town (score at 90 minutes 2–2)
* Sheppey United 7 – 1 Tunbridge Wells
* Deal Town 1 – 1 Darenth Heathside
* REPLAY: Darenth Heathside 0 – 3 Deal Town
* Crockenhill 2 – 1 Kent Police
* Erith & Belvedere 1 – 0 Ramsgate
* Cray Wanderers 1 – 3 Chatham Town
* Herne Bay 3 – 4 Hythe Town
Sources:
* Final: "Pools Check: Kent League: League Cup Final". Sunday Mirror. 9 May 1982. p. 44. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* Semi-finals: "Results and Tables: Saturday: Kent League; League Cup semi-final". Kentish Express. 26 March 1982. p. 25. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Results and Tables: Saturday: Kent League; League Cup semi-final". Kentish Express. 2 April 1982. p. 25. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* Quarter-finals: "Results and Tables: Saturday: Kent League Cup 3rd(sic) rnd". Kentish Express. 12 February 1982. p. 21. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Sports Summary: Soccer: Kent League:: Cup, 3rd(sic) round". Daily Mirror. 10 March 1982. p. 25. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* First Round: "County Soccer Details: Results: Tuesday: Kent League Division 1: League Cup". Kentish Express. 2 October 1981. p. 23. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "County Soccer Details: Results: Saturday: Kent League Division 1, League Cup". Kentish Express. 30 October 1981. p. 27. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "County Soccer Details: Results: Saturday: Kent League Division 1: League Cup 1st rnd". Kentish Express. 27 November 1981. p. 23. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Injury-time equalizer denies Reds in cup". Whitstable Times. 27 November 1981. p. 14. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Extra-time goals end Town's cup hopes". Whitstable Times. 4 December 1981. p. 15. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Results and Tables: Saturday: Kent League Cup 2nd(sic) rnd replay". Kentish Express. 12 February 1982. p. 21. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.

## Reserves Section

The letter "R" following team names indicates a club's reserves team.
Division Two featured mostly reserves teams (which were not permitted in Division One) from 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 league featured seventeen clubs (including one non-reserve team, Snowdown Colliery Welfare) who had all competed in the division the previous season.
The division was won by Maidstone United R, part of a Division Two league and cup double.
At the end of the season Deal Town R resigned from the league.

#### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Season End Notes |
| 1 | Maidstone United R | 32 | 27 | 3 | 2 | 123 | 32 | +91 | 57 | |
| 2 | Dover R | 32 | 18 | 6 | 8 | 55 | 38 | +17 | 42 | |
| 3 | Welling United R | 32 | 18 | 5 | 9 | 88 | 42 | +46 | 41 | |
| 4 | Chatham Town R | 32 | 17 | 6 | 9 | 69 | 42 | +27 | 40 | |
| 5 | Dartford R | 32 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 68 | 50 | +18 | 39 | |
| 6 | Sittingbourne R | 32 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 64 | 45 | +19 | 38 | |
| 7 | Erith & Belvedere R | 32 | 16 | 5 | 11 | 58 | 41 | +17 | 37 | |
| 8 | Hastings United R | 32 | 15 | 4 | 13 | 55 | 55 | 0 | 34 | |
| 9 | Herne Bay R | 32 | 14 | 5 | 13 | 48 | 51 | −3 | 33 | |
| 10 | Sheppey United R | 32 | 14 | 3 | 15 | 60 | 67 | −7 | 31 | |
| 11 | Folkestone R | 32 | 11 | 7 | 14 | 66 | 66 | 0 | 29 | |
| 12 | Darenth Heathside R | 32 | 10 | 4 | 18 | 44 | 62 | −18 | 24 | |
| 13 | Hythe Town R | 32 | 10 | 3 | 19 | 42 | 71 | −29 | 23 | |
| 14 | Ashford Town R | 32 | 9 | 4 | 19 | 38 | 55 | −17 | 22 | |
| 15 | Snowdown Colliery Welfare | 32 | 8 | 5 | 19 | 41 | 92 | −51 | 21 | |
| 16 | Whitstable Town R | 32 | 8 | 4 | 20 | 35 | 76 | −41 | 20 | Re-elected |
| 17 | Deal Town R | 32 | 5 | 3 | 24 | 37 | 106 | −69 | 13 | Resigned |

### Division Two Cup

The 1981–82 Kent Football League Division Two Cup was won by Maidstone United R, part of a Division Two league and cup double.
The competition was contested by all seventeen clubs in the division and comprised five single match tie rounds (with a single tie in the first round) culminating in the final which was played on a neutral ground (at Chatham Town F.C. this season).

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

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| Folkestone R | Folkestone R | 5 | | | | | | |
| Dartford R | Dartford R | 3 | | | | | | |
| Dartford R | Dartford R | 3 | Folkestone R | Folkestone R | 1 | | | |
| | | | Dover R | Dover R | 3 | | | |
| Sheppey United R | Sheppey United R | 2 | Dover R | Dover R | 3 | | | |
| Dover R | Dover R | 5 | | | | | | |
| Dover R | Dover R | 5 | | | | Dover R | Dover R | 1 |
| | | | | | | Maidstone United R | Maidstone United R | 6 |
| Maidstone United R | Maidstone United R | Maidstone United R | | | | | | | Maidstone United R | Maidstone United R | 6 |
| Chatham Town R | Chatham Town R | Chatham Town R | | | | | | |
| Chatham Town R | Chatham Town R | Chatham Town R | Maidstone United R | Maidstone United R | Maidstone United R | | | |
| | | | (Quarter-final match 4 winner) | (Quarter-final match 4 winner) | (Quarter-final match 4 winner) | | | |
| Welling United R | Welling United R | Welling United R | (Quarter-final match 4 winner) | (Quarter-final match 4 winner) | (Quarter-final match 4 winner) | | | |
| Winner of Ashford Town R v Hastings United R | Winner of Ashford Town R v Hastings United R | Winner of Ashford Town R v Hastings United R | | | | | | |

#### Second Round

* Folkestone R 1 – 0 Erith & Belvedere R
* Dartford R 3– 1 Sittingbourne R
* Sheppey United R 4 – 1 Snowdown Colliery Welfare
* Whitstable Town R 1 – 3 Dover R
* Darenth Heathside R v Maidstone United R
* Chatham Town R 5 – 0 Deal Town R
* Welling United R 3– 2 Herne Bay R
* Ashford Town R v Hastings United R

#### First Round

* Hythe Town R 1 – 2 Erith & Belvedere R
* Byes for the other fifteen clubs
Sources:
* Final: "Soccer Results Round-Up: Kent League: Division 2: League Cup Final". Kentish Express. 30 April 1982. p. 35. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* Semi-finals: "Results and Tables: Monday: Kent League Cup Division 2 semi-final". Kentish Express. 19 March 1982. p. 27. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* Quarter-finals: "Results and Tables: Kent League: Division 2: League Cup Round 3". Kentish Express. 5 February 1982. p. 22. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Your Complete Fixture List: Tomorrow: Soccer: Kent League: Division 2: League Cup". Kentish Express. 22 January 1982. p. 31. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* Second Round: "County Soccer Details: Results: Saturday: Kent League: Division 2: League Cup 2nd rnd". Kentish Express. 9 October 1981. p. 31. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "County Soccer Details: Saturday: Fixtures: Kent League: Division 2: League Cup 2nd rnd". Kentish Express. 9 October 1981. p. 31. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "County Soccer Details: Results: Saturday: Kent League Division 2: League Cup 2nd rnd". Kentish Express. 27 November 1981. p. 23. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Results and Tables: Kent League: Division 2: League Cup 2nd rd". Kentish Express. 4 December 1981. p. 27. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* First Round: "County Soccer Details: Results: Saturday: Division 2: League Cup 1st rd". Kentish Express. 18 September 1981. p. 27. Retrieved 19 May 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.