# 1986–87 Kent Football League

The 1986–87 Kent Football League season (known as the Winstonlead Kent League for sponsorship reasons) was the twenty-first 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 eighteen clubs, which had all competed in the previous season.
Slade Green Athletic changed their name to Slade Green.
The league was won by Greenwich Borough, part of a league and cup double.
At the end of the season both bottom clubs, Faversham Town and Kent Police, were re-elected to continue their membership of the division.

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Season End Notes |
| 1 | Greenwich Borough | 34 | 24 | 6 | 4 | 113 | 36 | +77 | 78 | |
| 2 | Crockenhill | 34 | 22 | 9 | 3 | 63 | 31 | +32 | 75 | |
| 3 | Alma Swanley | 34 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 69 | 34 | +35 | 67 | |
| 4 | Ramsgate | 34 | 18 | 8 | 8 | 59 | 42 | +17 | 62 | |
| 5 | Herne Bay | 34 | 17 | 9 | 8 | 76 | 58 | +18 | 60 | |
| 6 | Sittingbourne | 34 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 60 | 43 | +17 | 59 | |
| 7 | Tunbridge Wells | 34 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 56 | 45 | +11 | 50 | |
| 8 | Whitstable Town | 34 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 45 | 47 | −2 | 50 | |
| 9 | Darenth Heathside | 34 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 53 | 50 | +3 | 46 | |
| 10 | Cray Wanderers | 34 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 56 | 48 | +8 | 44 | |
| 11 | Hythe Town | 34 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 51 | 48 | +3 | 44 | |
| 12 | Slade Green | 34 | 12 | 6 | 16 | 50 | 51 | −1 | 42 | |
| 13 | Thames Polytechnic | 34 | 9 | 6 | 19 | 48 | 72 | −24 | 33 | |
| 14 | Metropolitan Police (Hayes) | 34 | 9 | 6 | 19 | 37 | 73 | −36 | 33 | |
| 15 | Beckenham Town | 34 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 37 | 61 | −24 | 31 | |
| 16 | Deal Town | 34 | 8 | 7 | 19 | 45 | 73 | −28 | 31 | |
| 17 | Faversham Town | 34 | 7 | 11 | 16 | 32 | 67 | −35 | 31 | Re-elected |
| 18 | Kent Police | 34 | 4 | 1 | 29 | 37 | 108 | −71 | 13 | Re-elected |
* ↑ Faversham Town were deducted one point and one goal for fielding an ineligible player - the deducted goal has been reinstated in the table.
* ↑ Faversham Town were deducted one point.

### Challenge Cup

The 1986–87 Kent Football League Challenge Cup was won, for the second occasion in three seasons, by Greenwich Borough and was part of a league and cup double.
The competition, contested by all eighteen clubs in Division One, comprised five single match tie rounds (with the first round featuring two ties) culminating in the final which was played on a neutral ground (the initial tie was at Tunbridge Wells F.C. this season).

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

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| Faversham Town | Faversham Town | Faversham Town | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| Ramsgate | Ramsgate | Ramsgate | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| Ramsgate | Ramsgate | Ramsgate | 2 | Ramsgate | Ramsgate | Ramsgate | 2 | | | | |
| | | | | Greenwich Borough | Greenwich Borough | Greenwich Borough | 3 | | | | |
| Metropolitan Police (Hayes) | Metropolitan Police (Hayes) | Metropolitan Police (Hayes) | 0 | Greenwich Borough | Greenwich Borough | Greenwich Borough | 3 | | | | |
| Greenwich Borough | Greenwich Borough | Greenwich Borough | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| Greenwich Borough | Greenwich Borough | Greenwich Borough | 1 | | | | | Greenwich Borough | Greenwich Borough | 1 | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | Sittingbourne | Sittingbourne | 1 | 1 |
| Sittingbourne | Sittingbourne | Sittingbourne | 5 | | | | | | | | | Sittingbourne | Sittingbourne | 1 | 1 |
| Darenth Heathside | Darenth Heathside | Darenth Heathside | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| Darenth Heathside | Darenth Heathside | Darenth Heathside | 3 | Sittingbourne | Sittingbourne | Sittingbourne | 3 | | | | |
| | | | | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | 0 | | | | |
| Deal Town | Deal Town | Deal Town | 0 | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | 0 | | | | |
| Herne Bay | Herne Bay | Herne Bay | 1 | | | | | | | | |
* 1 2 After extra time (score at 90 minutes: 0–0)
* 1 2 Replay

#### Second Round

* Faversham Town 1 – 0 Alma Swanley
* Ramsgate 2 – 1 Slade Green
* Metropolitan Police (Hayes) 2 – 1 Tunbridge Wells
* Crockenhill 1 – 2 Greenwich Borough
* Cray Wanderers 2 – 5 Sittingbourne
* Darenth Heathside 3 – 0 Hythe Town
* Deal Town 3 – 0 Kent Police
* Herne Bay 3– 1 Thames Polytechnic

#### First Round

* Whitstable Town 0 – 2 Deal Town
* Beckenham Town 1 – 3 Herne Bay
Sources:
* Final:"Results: Saturday: Winstonlead Kent League: League Cup final". Kentish Express. 7 May 1987. p. 46. Retrieved 12 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Brave Bourne go down in controversial final". East Kent Gazette. 14 May 1987. p. 36. Retrieved 12 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* Semi-finals: "Soccer Results, Fixtures, Tables: Results: Saturday: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 1: League Cup, semi-finals". Kentish Express. 9 April 1987. p. 53. Retrieved 12 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* Quarter-finals: "Soccer Results And Fixtures: Results: Saturday: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 1: League Cup, Round 3". Kentish Express. 12 February 1987. p. 53. Retrieved 12 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Soccer Results And Fixtures: Results: Saturday: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 1: League Cup, Round 3". Kentish Express. 12 March 1987. p. 55. Retrieved 12 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* Second Round:"Soccer Results And Fixtures: Results: Saturday: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 1 Cup, Round 2". Kentish Express. 20 November 1986. p. 55. Retrieved 12 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* First Round: "Results, fixtures, tables: Results: Saturday: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 1 Cup, first round". Kentish Gazette. 10 October 1986. p. 71. Retrieved 12 June 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 eighteen clubs (including one non-reserve team, Snowdown Colliery Welfare), sixteen of which had competed in the division the previous season together with two additional clubs
* Hastings Town R
* Ramsgate R, joined from the Kent County League
The division was won for the second successive season (and the third time in four seasons) by Fisher Athletic R.
At the end of the season Erith & Belvedere R withdrew from the division and both bottom clubs, Faversham Town R and Whitstable Town R, were re-elected to continue their membership of the division.

#### League Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Season End Notes |
| 1 | Fisher Athletic R | 34 | 26 | 4 | 4 | 112 | 29 | +83 | 79 | |
| 2 | Sittingbourne R | 34 | 22 | 7 | 5 | 75 | 33 | +42 | 73 | |
| 3 | Erith & Belvedere R | 34 | 16 | 13 | 5 | 72 | 49 | +23 | 61 | Resigned |
| 4 | Ashford Town R | 34 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 64 | 43 | +21 | 61 | |
| 5 | Snowdown Colliery Welfare | 34 | 17 | 5 | 12 | 55 | 51 | +4 | 56 | |
| 6 | Hastings Town R | 34 | 15 | 7 | 12 | 79 | 62 | +17 | 52 | |
| 7 | Dover Athletic R | 34 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 73 | 56 | +17 | 50 | |
| 8 | Folkestone R | 34 | 16 | 3 | 15 | 56 | 60 | −4 | 51 | |
| 9 | Thanet United R | 34 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 72 | 69 | +3 | 46 | |
| 10 | Herne Bay R | 34 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 51 | 57 | −6 | 46 | |
| 11 | Ramsgate R | 34 | 13 | 5 | 16 | 56 | 62 | −6 | 44 | |
| 12 | Darenth Heathside R | 34 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 52 | 64 | −12 | 44 | |
| 13 | Thames Polytechnic R | 34 | 12 | 7 | 15 | 62 | 76 | −14 | 43 | |
| 14 | Sheppey United R | 34 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 63 | 62 | +1 | 38 | |
| 15 | Hythe Town R | 34 | 9 | 4 | 21 | 48 | 71 | −23 | 31 | |
| 16 | Deal Town R | 34 | 8 | 5 | 21 | 53 | 98 | −45 | 29 | |
| 17 | Faversham Town R | 34 | 6 | 7 | 21 | 49 | 97 | −48 | 25 | Re-elected |
| 18 | Whitstable Town R | 34 | 5 | 5 | 24 | 32 | 85 | −53 | 20 | Re-elected |
* ↑ Fisher Athletic R were deducted three points and ten goals for fielding an ineligible player - the deducted goals have been reinstated in the table.
* ↑ Fisher Athletic R were deducted three points.
* ↑ Dover Athletic R were deducted one point and one goal for fielding an ineligible player - the deducted goal has been reinstated in the table.
* ↑ Dover Athletic R were deducted one point.
* ↑ Sheppey United R were deducted three points and one goal for fielding an ineligible player - the deducted goal has been reinstated in the table.
* ↑ Sheppey United R were deducted three points.

### Division Two Cup

The 1986–87 Kent Football League Division Two Cup was won by Sittingbourne R.
The competition, contested by all eighteen clubs in the division, comprised five single match tie rounds (with the first round featuring two ties) culminating in the final which was played on a neutral ground (at Ramsgate 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 |
| Erith & Belvedere R | Erith & Belvedere R | 7 | | | | | | |
| Dover Athletic R | Dover Athletic R | 1 | | | | | | |
| Dover Athletic R | Dover Athletic R | 1 | Erith & Belvedere R | Erith & Belvedere R | 1 | | | |
| | | | Ashford Town R | Ashford Town R | 2 | | | |
| Ashford Town R | Ashford Town R | 3 | Ashford Town R | Ashford Town R | 2 | | | |
| Fisher Athletic R | Fisher Athletic R | 2 | | | | | | |
| Fisher Athletic R | Fisher Athletic R | 2 | | | | Ashford Town R | Ashford Town R | 0 |
| | | | | | | Sittingbourne R | Sittingbourne R | 1 |
| Darenth Heathside R | Darenth Heathside R | 3 | | | | | | | Sittingbourne R | Sittingbourne R | 1 |
| Thanet United R | Thanet United R | 1 | | | | | | |
| Thanet United R | Thanet United R | 1 | Darenth Heathside R | Darenth Heathside R | 1 | | | |
| | | | Sittingbourne R | Sittingbourne R | 2 | | | |
| Sittingbourne R | Sittingbourne R | 2 | Sittingbourne R | Sittingbourne R | 2 | | | |
| Thames Polytechnic R | Thames Polytechnic R | 1 | | | | | | |
* 1 2 After extra time

#### Second Round

* Hythe Town R 1 – 4 Erith & Belvedere R
* Dover Athletic R 5 – 0 Faversham Town R
* Whitstable Town R 0 – 1 Ashford Town R
* Hastings Town R v Fisher Athletic R
* Folkestone R 1 – 3 Darenth Heathside R
* Thanet United R 2 – 0 Herne Bay R
* Sittingbourne R 3– 1 Sheppey United R
* Thames Polytechnic R 5 – 1 Deal Town R

#### First Round

* Ramsgate R 3 – 5 Ashford Town R
* Sheppey United R 3 – 1 Snowdown Colliery Welfare
Sources:
* Final:"Soccer Results And Fixtures: Results: Saturday: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2 Cup Final". Kentish Express. 30 April 1987. p. 54. Retrieved 12 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* Semi-finals: "Gazette Soccer: Results:Tuesday: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2 Cup, semi-final". Kentish Gazette. 27 March 1987. p. 69. Retrieved 12 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Results And Fixtures: Results: Saturday: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2: League Cup, semi-final". Kentish Express. 15 April 1987. p. 63. Retrieved 12 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* Quarter-finals: "Soccer Results And Fixtures: Results: Saturday: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2: League Cup, Round 3". Kentish Express. 12 February 1987. p. 53. Retrieved 12 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Soccer Results And Fixtures: Results: Saturday: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2: League Cup, Round 3". Kentish Express. 5 March 1987. p. 54. Retrieved 12 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* Second Round:"Soccer Results And Fixtures: Results: Saturday: Winstonlead Kent League: League Cup, Round 2". Kentish Express. 6 November 1986. p. 55. Retrieved 12 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Soccer Results And Fixtures: Results: Saturday: Winstonlead Kent League: League Cup, Division 2". Kentish Express. 13 November 1986. p. 55. Retrieved 12 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Soccer Results And Fixtures: Results: Saturday: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2 Cup, Round 2". Kentish Express. 20 November 1986. p. 55. Retrieved 12 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Gazette Soccer: Results: Saturday: Winstonlead Kent League: Division 2 Cup, first round(sic)". Kentish Gazette. 12 December 1986. p. 78. Retrieved 12 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
* First Round: "Results And Fixture Guide: Results: Saturday: Winstonlead Kent League: League Cup, Round 1". Kentish Express. 30 October 1986. p. 55. Retrieved 12 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.; "Jarvis helps reserves to finals place". Sheerness Times Guardian. 7 November 1986. p. 37. Retrieved 12 June 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.