# 2002–03 Kent Football League

The 2002–03 Kent Football League season (known as the Go Travel Kent League for sponsorship reasons) was the 37th in the history of Kent Football League a football competition in England.
The League structure comprised three divisions: a Premier Division together with a Reserves Section comprising two equal ranked geographically based divisions known as Division One North and Division One South – with a play-off between the winners of these two divisions to decide the Division One champion. Reserves teams were not permitted in the Premier Division. Additionally there were two league cup competitions: the Challenge Cup for the Premier Division clubs and another for the teams in the Reserves Section.

## Premier Division

The league featured 16 clubs which competed in the previous season, no new clubs joined the league this season.
Faversham Town resigned towards the end of the season with eight games to play. As per league rules as they resigned after 1 March their record was not expunged and, owing to the resulting unequal number of matches played by the remaining clubs, the final league positions were decided on a points per game basis.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | PPG | Promotion |
| 1 | Cray Wanderers | 29 | 19 | 5 | 5 | 68 | 23 | +45 | 62 | 2.14 | |
| 2 | Maidstone United | 30 | 18 | 9 | 3 | 76 | 31 | +45 | 63 | 2.10 | |
| 3 | Thamesmead Town | 30 | 19 | 6 | 5 | 76 | 39 | +37 | 63 | 2.10 | |
| 4 | Deal Town | 28 | 15 | 9 | 4 | 62 | 40 | +22 | 54 | 1.93 | |
| 5 | Ramsgate | 30 | 16 | 7 | 7 | 59 | 35 | +24 | 55 | 1.83 | |
| 6 | Whitstable Town | 29 | 15 | 8 | 6 | 56 | 45 | +11 | 53 | 1.83 | |
| 7 | VCD Athletic | 30 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 51 | 36 | +15 | 48 | 1.60 | |
| 8 | Hythe Town | 30 | 13 | 6 | 11 | 46 | 54 | −8 | 45 | 1.50 | |
| 9 | Slade Green | 29 | 10 | 5 | 14 | 57 | 54 | +3 | 35 | 1.21 | |
| 10 | Beckenham Town | 29 | 9 | 6 | 14 | 41 | 53 | −12 | 33 | 1.14 | |
| 11 | Herne Bay | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 53 | 54 | −1 | 34 | 1.13 | |
| 12 | Tunbridge Wells | 29 | 7 | 8 | 14 | 53 | 66 | −13 | 29 | 1.00 | |
| 13 | Lordswood | 30 | 5 | 9 | 16 | 37 | 66 | −29 | 24 | 0.80 | |
| 14 | Greenwich Borough | 30 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 36 | 70 | −34 | 20 | 0.67 | |
| 15 | Erith Town | 29 | 4 | 6 | 19 | 36 | 71 | −35 | 18 | 0.62 | |
| 16 | Faversham Town | 22 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 18 | 88 | −70 | 7 | 0.32 | Resigned from the league |
* 1 2 Faversham Town resigned with eight games to play. Their record was not expunged, but final league positions were decided on a points per game basis.

### Challenge Cup

The 2002–03 Kent Football League Challenge Cup was won by Cray Wanderers who completed the League and Cup double.
The competition was contested by the 16 teams from the Premier Division over four rounds: the first two a single match knock-out followed by the semis-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 |
| Tunbridge Wells | Tunbridge Wells | Tunbridge Wells | Tunbridge Wells | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Herne Bay | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Herne Bay | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | 2 | Tunbridge Wells | Tunbridge Wells | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | |
| | | | | | Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | 2 | 3 | 5 | | | | | |
| Maidstone United | Maidstone United | Maidstone United | Maidstone United | 0 | Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | 2 | 3 | 5 | | | | | |
| Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | 2 | | | | | | Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | Cray Wanderers | 2 |
| | | | | | | | | | | VCD Athletic | VCD Athletic | VCD Athletic | VCD Athletic | 0 |
| Deal Town | Deal Town | Deal Town | Deal Town | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | VCD Athletic | VCD Athletic | VCD Athletic | VCD Athletic | 0 |
| Slade Green | Slade Green | Slade Green | Slade Green | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Slade Green | Slade Green | Slade Green | Slade Green | 2 | Deal Town | Deal Town | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | |
| | | | | | VCD Athletic | VCD Athletic | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | | | |
| VCD Athletic | VCD Athletic | VCD Athletic | VCD Athletic | 2 | VCD Athletic | VCD Athletic | 1 | 3 | 4 | | | | | |
| Erith Town | Erith Town | Erith Town | Erith Town | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
* 1 2 after extra time

#### First Round

* Tunbridge Wells v Hythe Town
* Beckenham Town v Herne Bay
* Faversham Town 2 – 5 Maidstone United
* Cray Wanderers 2 – 1 Thamesmead Town
* Deal Town v Greenwich Borough
* Lordswood v Slade Green
* VCD Athletic v Ramsgate
* Erith Town 1 – 0 Whitstable Town
Sources: Beckenham Town FC: Cup Draws & Results (archived) & Herne Bay FC (archived)

## Reserves Section

The letter "R" following team names indicates a club's reserves team.
The 2002–03 Reserves Section comprised two equal ranked geographically based divisions, Division One North and Division One South. The top club in each division played a single match to decide the Division One Champion. Promotion from the Reserves Section into the Premier Division was not permitted. There was a single League Cup competition for all teams in the section.

### Division One Champion Play-off

Deal Town R were the Division One champions. They won the single play-off match, played at Herne Bay F.C., between the top team from each of the Division One North and Division One South:
* Cray Wanderers R 2 – 3 Deal Town R

### Division One North

The division featured 12 clubs, 10 of which had competed in the previous season together with two additional clubs:
* Corinthian, returning to the Kent League after resigning in 1998 from Division One (subsequently renamed the Premier Division).
* Erith & Belvedere R
Prior to the season the Swanley Furness club was renamed Danson Furness
At the end of the season the top six teams were moved to the newly formed Division One and the bottom six to the newly formed Division Two.

#### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Season End Notes |
| 1 | Cray Wanderers R | 22 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 68 | 18 | +50 | 56 | Moved to Division One |
| 2 | Thamesmead Town R | 21 | 16 | 0 | 5 | 65 | 34 | +31 | 48 | Moved to Division One |
| 3 | Danson Furness | 22 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 52 | 39 | +13 | 40 | Moved to Division One |
| 4 | Corinthian | 22 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 44 | 40 | +4 | 36 | Moved to Division One |
| 5 | Erith Town R | 21 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 33 | 39 | −6 | 33 | Moved to Division One |
| 6 | Dartford R | 22 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 30 | 26 | +4 | 31 | Moved to Division One |
| 7 | Chatham Town R | 22 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 47 | 38 | +9 | 30 | Moved to Division Two |
| 8 | Beckenham Town R | 22 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 40 | 59 | −19 | 24 | Moved to Division Two |
| 9 | Tunbridge Wells R | 22 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 34 | 56 | −22 | 24 | Moved to Division Two |
| 10 | Lordswood R | 22 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 27 | 44 | −17 | 18 | Moved to Division Two |
| 11 | VCD Athletic R | 32 | 5 | 12 | 15 | 44 | 58 | −14 | 27 | Moved to Division Two |
| 12 | Erith & Belvedere R | 22 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 29 | 62 | −33 | 16 | Moved to Division Two |
* ↑ Dartford R were deducted three points
* ↑ Erith & Belvedere R were awarded three points

### Division One South

The division featured 12 clubs, 11 of which had competed in the previous season together with one additional club:
* Maidstone United R
Prior to the season the Hastings Town club was renamed Hastings United
At the end of the season the top six teams were moved to the newly formed Division One, Margate R resigned from the league and the remaining five clubs were moved to the newly formed Division Two.

#### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Season End Notes |
| 1 | Deal Town R | 22 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 55 | 25 | +30 | 46 | Moved to Division One |
| 2 | Dover Athletic R | 22 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 69 | 35 | +34 | 42 | Moved to Division One |
| 3 | Herne Bay R | 22 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 47 | 26 | +21 | 41 | Moved to Division One |
| 4 | Ashford Town (Kent) R | 22 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 43 | 26 | +17 | 39 | Moved to Division One |
| 5 | Ramsgate R | 22 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 41 | 42 | −1 | 35 | Moved to Division One |
| 6 | Hastings United R | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 40 | 27 | +13 | 32 | Moved to Division One |
| 7 | Sittingbourne R | 22 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 45 | 69 | −24 | 26 | Moved to Division Two |
| 8 | Folkestone Invicta R | 22 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 49 | 52 | −3 | 25 | Moved to Division Two |
| 9 | Maidstone United R | 22 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 38 | 43 | −5 | 25 | Moved to Division Two |
| 10 | Whitstable Town R | 22 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 35 | 46 | −11 | 23 | Moved to Division Two |
| 11 | Margate R | 22 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 29 | 46 | −17 | 22 | Resigned from the League |
| 12 | Hythe Town R | 22 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 25 | 79 | −54 | 11 | Moved to Division Two |
* ↑ Sittingbourne R were deducted three points
* ↑ Whitstable Town R were awarded three points

### Division One Cup

The 2002–03 Kent Football League Division One Cup was won by Cray Wanderers R.
The competition was contested by all 24 teams from both the Division One leagues over a total of five rounds: the first two were on an aggregate home and away basis; the third round, the quarter-finals a single match; the semis finals again on an aggregate basis; and a single final match which was played on a neutral ground (played at Ashford Town (Kent) 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 |
| Sittingbourne R | Sittingbourne R | Sittingbourne R | 2 | 4p | | | | | | | | | | |
| Maidstone United R | Maidstone United R | Maidstone United R | 2 | 3p | | | | | | | | | | |
| Maidstone United R | Maidstone United R | Maidstone United R | 2 | 3p | Sittingbourne R | Sittingbourne R | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | |
| | | | | | Cray Wanderers R | Cray Wanderers R | 4 | 5 | 9 | | | | | |
| Cray Wanderers R | Cray Wanderers R | Cray Wanderers R | Cray Wanderers R | Cray Wanderers R | Cray Wanderers R | Cray Wanderers R | 4 | 5 | 9 | | | | | |
| Erith Town R | Erith Town R | Erith Town R | Erith Town R | Erith Town R | | | | | | | | | | |
| Erith Town R | Erith Town R | Erith Town R | Erith Town R | Erith Town R | | | | | | Cray Wanderers R | Cray Wanderers R | Cray Wanderers R | Cray Wanderers R | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | | | Dover Athletic R | Dover Athletic R | Dover Athletic R | Dover Athletic R | 2 |
| Hastings United R | Hastings United R | Hastings United R | Hastings United R | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | Dover Athletic R | Dover Athletic R | Dover Athletic R | Dover Athletic R | 2 |
| Dartford R | Dartford R | Dartford R | Dartford R | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dartford R | Dartford R | Dartford R | Dartford R | 3 | Dartford R | Dartford R | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | |
| | | | | | Dover Athletic R | Dover Athletic R | 4 | 1 | 5 | | | | | |
| Dover Athletic R | Dover Athletic R | Dover Athletic R | Dover Athletic R | 2 | Dover Athletic R | Dover Athletic R | 4 | 1 | 5 | | | | | |
| Beckenham Town R | Beckenham Town R | Beckenham Town R | Beckenham Town R | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
* 1 2 After extra time, score at 90 mins:1–1
* ↑ Sittingbourne R won on penalties

#### Second Round

(Matches played on an aggregate home and away basis)
* Tunbridge Wells R v Erith Town R
* Ashford Town (Kent) R v Dover Athletic R
* Maidstone United R 5 – 3 Danson Furness (3–0; 2–3)
* Corinthian 2 – 3 Hastings United R (1–2; 1–1)
* Hythe Town R 1 – 6 Dartford R (1–3; 0–3)
* Deal Town R v Cray Wanderers R
* Herne Bay R 2 – 5 Sittingbourne R (1–3; 1–2)
* Lordswood R 1–3 Beckenham Town R (0–0; 1–3)

#### First Round

(Matches played on an aggregate home and away basis)
* Corinthian v Chatham Town R
* Cray Wanderers R v Folkestone Invicta R
* Dartford R v Margate R
* Dover Athletic R 9 – 2 Erith & Belvedere R (8–1; 1–1)
* Thamesmead Town R v Danson Furness
* Tunbridge Wells R v Ramsgate R
* VCD Athletic R v Deal Town R
* Whitstable Town R 0 – 6 Herne Bay R (0–2; 0–4)
Byes for the remaining eight clubs
Sources: Herne Bay FC: team pages (archived) & Beckenham Town FC: results (archived)