A GUIDE TO THE TEAMS OF THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES EAST PREMIER DIVISION

BEARSTED FC were formed in 1895 and represent the Kent Village of Bearsted which is just outside of Maidstone. Their ground is actually located in the village of Otham where they moved in 1998 to meet the ground grading requirements - they did play on The Green in Bearsted from their formation to that time. 

They played in the Maidstone and District League and Kent County League before being founder members of the Step Six Kent Invicta League in 2011 where they were champions in 2016 moving up the Southern Counties East Premier Division. They finished in 11th place last season. The Bears got to the Fourth Round of the 18/19 FA Vase where they lost to Abbey Rangers and entered the FA Cup for the first time in the 17/18 season - Last season they beat Banstead Athletic in a replay before losing to Step Four side Burgess Hill Town in the Preliminary Round. 

Twitter - @bearstedfc1895

CANTERBURY CITY were revived in 2007 after the old club who played in the Southern League were evicted from their Kingsmead Stadium in 2001 and were dissolved. 

Since 2007 City have on pitches at Bridge and then Hersden before in 2010 ground sharing with Herne Bay. In 2014 they moved to share with Ashford United and with Deal Town in the 17/18 season. From 2018 to 2022 they played at Faversham Town and for the forthcoming season will share with Sittingbourne FC. 

The club is actively looking to move back to the City which has a population of around 55,000. They initially withdrew from the SCEFL in September last season citing financial reasons and they would have to wait three years to submit planning permission for a new home. Thankfully they worked things out and continued to play eventually finishing 16th in the table. 

For a club not to have played in their home town since 2001 and now playing 20 miles away in Sittingbourne must be very frustrating for their loyal fans but they fight on in the hope of having a home they can call home in The City of Canterbury. 

In 2018/19 they reached the Semi-Final of the FA Vase being narrowly beaten by Cray Valley 2-1 on aggregate. 

Twitter - @OfficialCCFC_uk

Deal is a wonderful seaside town on the East Coast of Kent with a lovely sea-front and pier that I can recommend visiting. DEAL TOWN, formed in 1908, most famous season came in 99/00 when they won the FA Vase beating Chippenham Town 1-0 in front of 20,083 fans at Wembley Stadium. They were also Champions of the Kent League that season along with the Kent Senior Trophy. 

They finished in fourth place last season which was their best finish since coming 3rd in 01/02. They club opened a new £180,000 clubhouse in 2015 making The Charles Sports Ground one of the best in the league in my opinion. 

Derek Hares has been manager since 2003 and side from a spell from 2013 to 2015 when he Chairman he has been in the dug out since. 

Twitter - @DealTownFC

ERITH & BELVEDERE made some impressive signings last season and were expected to be challenging for the title but ended up finishing in 6th place. From 1982 to 2005 they played in the Southern League and following winning the Kent League title in 2013 spent one season in the Isthmian League Division One (North) before dropping back down to the newly renamed Southern Counties East Premier Division. From 2017 to 2019 they dropped down to Division One of the SCEFL. 

The Deres are 100 years old this year having been formed in 1922 - they initially played at Park View in Belvedere. The main stand was severely damaged by fire in 1997 causing the club to move around 3 miles away to share with Welling United at Park View Road in 1999 where they have played since.

This season they have signed highly experienced striker George Purcell (was with Barking, AFC Sudbury and Bowers & Pitsea last season), midfielder Rory Ward (Holmesdale), attacking midfielder Luke Carey (Sheppey United), striker Tunde Aderonmu (Beckenham Town), midfielder George Monger (Faversham Town), defender Ryan Johnson (Folkestone Invicta), striker Max Howard (Sheppey United), Jack Miles (Sevenoaks Town), Tom Carlton (Whitstable Town), Ben Wilson (formerly of Ramsgate and Sheppey United), goalkeeper Adam Molloy (Sheppey United), Malachi Hudson (VCD Athletic) and Ryan Huckle (Ramsgate). 

I'm sure with these impressive signings they'll be challenging for the title come the business end of the season. 

Twitter - @EBTheDeres

The Dockers were formed in 1959 and are The Dere's local rivals. ERITH TOWN were originally a Sunday League side under the name of Woolwich Town and then Woolwich Heathway from 1989 reverting back to their original name after just one season. Following their move to Erith Stadium they were renamed Erith Town in 1997. 

They initially played at the Woolwich Barracks and then ground shared with Greenwich Borough before the move to Erith Sports Stadium where they have played on and off since 1995. The shared with Thamesmead Town for short spell in 2008 and with Cray Valley from 2013 and from 2016 with VCD Athletic. They have been back at their current home since 2018. 

The "Dockers v Deres' derby games last season saw a 2-3 win at Park View Road late in the season for Erith Town. The Deres won 0-2 at Erith Stadium in August. 

The future is bright at the club as their youth side got to the First Round of the FA Youth Cup last season playing Portsmouth at home in front of a record crowd of 444 people. They narrowly lost 0-1 to Pompey!

Since promotion to the Kent League Premier Division in 1998 their best placed finish has been 3rd on two occasions in 12/13 and 13/14. They finished 7th last season. 

Twitter - @ErithTown

FISHER FC were formed in 2009 following the demise of FISHER ATHLETIC who moved out of their Surrey Docks home and were ground sharing at Dulwich Hamlet. 

The Fish initially ground shared at Champion Hill but thankfully now have a home they can call their own and it's only a stone's throw from the old club's home. St Pauls Sports Ground was opened in 2016. 

They have been members of the Kent League/Southern Counties East Premier since formation aside from a one season (17/18) stay in Division One following relegation in 2017.

Former Tower Hamlet's boss Ajay Ashanike is the current manager of Fisher and took them to a 13th place finish last season. He has been in charge since October 2019 and has developed a good reputation for giving young players a chance of playing football and helping them move up the pyramid. 

One recent example of this is winger Jamie Yila who was with Fisher from 2019 to 2021 with his stand out performances earning him a move to Isthmian Premier Division Cray Wanderers. He scored 12 goals for The Wands last season which has seen him move on to Vanarama South side Chelmsford City. He is only 21 years old and has a huge future in the game thanks to Ajay giving him a chance and seeing his potential when playing for Fisher. 

Twitter - @FisherFC

GLEBE FC were formed in 1995 as Glebe Globetrotters. They were initially a youth team based in West Wickham before an adult team was formed and joining the Kent Invicta League in 2013. They achieved promotion to the SCEL Premier in 2017. They played at Holmesdale's Oakley Road from 2013 before they moved into Foxbury Avenue in Chislehurst. The ground is also the home of Stansfeld FC who took over Eltham Palace in 2016 who also played at Foxbury.

Glebe had their best season in their history in 21/22 when they finished in 3rd place with only Chatham Town and Sheppey United ahead of them. They parted company with manager Harry Hudson in in February. Luke Rooney is the name man in charge having joined the club in April - The 31 year old brings with a huge amount of experience having played in the football league for Gillingham, Swindon Town, Burton Albion, Rotherham United, Crawley Town and Luton Town. 

They reached the Fourth Round of the FA Vase last season losing at Hamworthy United 3-2.

Rooney has made a number of impressive signings and I expect Glebe to be challenging once again this season. 

Twitter - @glebefootball

HOLLANDS & BLAIR were formed in 1970 and are based in Gillingham. Their Star Meadow home is only a stone's throw from their football league neighbour's Priestfield stadium. 

They were formed at H&B United and played in the Rochester & District League Division Six. 

In 1973 they merged with with a another Rochester & District League side named Hollands and Blair who were a factory team based in the Twydall area of the town with H&B and Hollands & Blair playing for one more season on a first team and reserve team basis. From 1974/85 one team named Hollands and Blair continued to play. 

Another club to have been founder members of the Kent Invicta League in 2011 they won the title twice in a row in 13/14 and 14/15 which saw them move up to the SCEFL Premier where they finished in 2nd place at their first attempt - Only Greenwich Borough were above them. 

Last season Blair finished in 9th position. 

Twitter - @hollandsblairfc

The club known as HOLMESDALE FC were formed in 1956 but can trace it's history back to a club called Holmesdale Baptists who were formed after The First World War but folded in 1923. 

Originally known as Holmesdale Baptists they dropped the second part of the name in the late 50s when played were recruited from another church in the area. 

In 05/06 they won the Kent County League Division One (West) followed by the Premier Division in 06/07 allowing them to move up to the Kent League Premier for the 07/08 season. They were relegated in 2016 but moved back to the Premier on a PPG basis based on their record from the two curtailed seasons in 19/20 and 20/21 finishing in 12th place in 21/22. 

The club's roots lie in the Shirley area of Croydon. As they weren't able to improve the ground and install floodlights they moved to their current Oakley Road ground in Bromley to allow them to progress up the leagues. 

Several teams stayed at their original Oaks Road ground and formed a new club REAL HOLMESDALE - their first team unfortunately weren't able to complete their season in the Surrey South Eastern Combination with their reserve side finishing bottom of the SSEC Junior Division Five. 

Twitter - @HolmesdaleFC

K SPORTS are based in Aylesford just outside of Maidstone and were formed in 1919 as Aylesford Paper Mills. They have undergone several named changes in their history - After folding in the late 60s the club were re-formed in 1974 and renamed Reed International in the mid 80s for a few seasons before reverting back to their original name. In 2003 they became APM Mears and then APM in 2010 before APM Contrast in 2011. In 2016 they adopted their current name. 

The Paperboys finished 17th last season and parted company with manager Barry Morgan in early April. They appointed Brother's Ian and George Batten as joint managers where they drew 1-1 with Erith Town in their first match in charge which ended a run of eight straight defeats in a row. They then lost to Glebe (0-2), Lordswood (1-2), Sheppey United (1-5) and Fisher FC (2-6). They played 19 league games after the turn of the year winning 2 (v Towers Hamlets and Crowborough Athletic) with the one draw against Erith Town and 16 defeats. 

Twitter - @KSportsFC

KENNINGTON represent the Kennington area of Ashford. They were formed in the 1880s (the exact date isn't known with the Kent FA records showing 1888 and the FA at 1885) and were long term members of the Ashford & District League before moving up to the Kent County League in the 02/03 season where the flip flopped between the Premier and Division One (East) before winning the Premier Division in the 17/18 season which allowed them to move up to the SCEFL Division One. The Ton were top of D1 when the 19/20 season was curtailed and promoted on a PPG basis based on their combined results of that season and the 20/21 campaign. They finished in a very creditable 5th place in their first season in the Premier Division. 

Kennington originally played at Sandyacres and briefly at the Julie Rose Athletics Stadium before moving into groundshare with Ashford United at the beginning of the 18/19 season. 

They entered the FA Cup for the first time in 20/21 reaching the 1st QR in the 21/22 season where they lost to Isthmian Premier side Carshalton Athletic. 

They also have a good record in the FA Vase since first entering in 2019. They have reached the Second Round (losing to Newhaven) and Third Round (lost to Sutton Common Rovers) in their first two seasons before losing to Deal Town in the First Round last season. 

Twitter - @KenningtonFC

LORDSWOOD play at Martyn Grove in Chatham which is around 3 miles away from Chatham Town's ground. They were established in 1968 playing in the Rochester & District League before joining the Kent County League in 1982. They were promoted to the Kent League for the 96/97 season where they have been in the top division evert since. 

Last season the finished second from bottom conceding 107 goals in 38 games but were reprieved from relegation as their PPG total was one of the best from the second bottom teams across the step 5 divisions. 

Former player Richard Dimmock was appointed boss on Christmas Eve replacing the departing Neil Hunter. Dimmock moved up from Halls Athletic of the Kent County Division One (West) who were second in the table when he left. 

Twitter - @LordswoodFC

PHOENIX SPORTS are based in Barnehurst to the North of Bexley Heath. They were formed in 1935 at St Johns Welling and changed it's name to Lakeside prior to the Second World War - They were renamed Phoenix after the War as symbol of rising from the ashes of the previous clubs after the destruction of the local area during The Blitz. 

They played in the Kent County League and London Spartan League before in 2011 being founder members of the Kent Invicta League which they won in 12/13 moving up to the SCEFL Premier where they were Champions in 15/16 moving up to the Isthmian League. They stayed at Step 4 for seven seasons before a 19th place finish in the South-East Division last campaign saw them relegated to the SCEFL Premier for the 22/23 season. 

Since they were formed they played at various locations in the local area moving to their current home in 1950 which was a piece of waste land at the time - It has developed and evolved to what is now The Phoenix Sports Ground. Their ground is a stone's throw (around a 5 min walk) from VCD Athletic's Oakwood home. 

Steve O'Boyle is currently the man in charge having re-joined the club for a second spell last November. He took Phoenix from the Kent Invicta to the Isthmian League when he was first in charge of the club. 

Twitter - @phoenixsport82

PUNJAB UNITED were formed in 2003 and joined the Kent County League Premier Division in 16/17. They ascended up the leagues winning the Premier Division at the first attempt and then the SCEFL Division One in 17/18 - they topped the table with 90 points to runner's up K Sports on 88 points. K Sports would of been top but had 3 points deducted for playing an ineligible player in a game in March.

They finished in 14th place last season. The food served at their Stadium has received rave reviews from many visitors. Their ground is named 'The Steve Cook Stadium' in honour of club legend Steve Cook who was their dedicated groundsman who sadly passed away in 2020. He was highly respected and a friend to many people at the club. 

Twitter - @PUFC_Gravesend

RUSTHALL were formed in 1899 and play at The Jockey Farm Stadium. The Rustics are another club who were founder members of the Kent Invicta League with floodlights installed in April 2016. 

A second place finish in the 18/19 SCEFL Division One season saw them promoted to the Premier Division where they have finished 19th and 19th being relegated back down to Division One for the two curtailed seasons. The finished 2nd and 5th in the 19/20 and 20/21 campaigns which saw them promoted back to the Premier Division for the 21/22 season where they finished 18th by goal difference from Lordswood. 

They entered the FA Cup for the first time in 17/18 where they have lost to CB Hounslow United. They then beat Wick in the 18/19 campaign before losing to Cray Wanderers in a replay. The lost to Balham in 19/20 and K Sports in 21/22. 

Twitter - @FCRusthall

STANSFELD FC were formed as Stansfeld Oxford & Bermondsey Club Football Club  in 1897 by John Stansfeld who was Doctor and philanthropist who started the Oxford Medical Mission in the Bermondsey Area along with the football club. In his later life he became an Anglican Priest and was the vicar of St Anne's Church in Bermondsey. 

They played in the Kent County League until 2017 when they merged with Eltham Palace who were playing in the SCEFL Division One at Foxbury Avenue. They played under the name of Eltham Palace for the 16/17 season before being renamed Stansfeld for the 17/18 campaign. 

They join Step Five football for the first time in their history following the Division One title win last season. 

Billy Hamlin and Jamie Phipps are joint managers at the club. 

Twitter - @StansfeldFC

SUTTON ATHLETIC are promoted to the Premier Division after a second place finish in Division One and winning the play-offs last season. 

The Hextable based club are another who were founder members of the Kent Invicta League and move up to Step Five football for the first time in their history having been formed in 1898. 

Twitter - @Sutton_Athletic

TUNBRIDGE WELLS can trace their history back to the formation of the original club in 1886. They played in the Isthmian League from 1911 to 1913. 

There was another club called Tunbridge Wells Rovers formed in 1903 that played in The Southern League on and off until they were dissolved in 1967 - they were also called Tunbridge Wells United from 1950 to 1963.

A new club was formed in 1967 and have played in the Kent League/SCEFL league since. They have won the league title once in 1984/85. Perhaps their most famous season came in the 12/13 season when they got to the FA Vase Final losing to Spennymoor Town 1-2 in front of  16,751 people at Wembley Stadium. 

They finished in 8th position last season under Richard Styles (see Whitstable Town) who has been replaced by Luke Carpenter who was part of the coaching staff last season. 

Carpenter has made some good signings as well as retaining players from last season. Jack Walder (Hastings and Lewes), Trevor McCreadie (Hastings and Haywards Heath Town), Matt Astle (Eastbourne Town and Saltdean United), Jaan Stanley (Aldershot Town, Heybridge Swifts and Great Wakering Rovers), Jacob Feasey (Hailsham Town, Crowborough AFC and AFC Uckfield), Dan Tear (Crowborough AFC, Chipstead, Eastbourne Town), Lamin Bah (Sevenoaks Town), Chandler Kasai (Punjab United) have all be signned. 

Harry Hudson, Johnny Phillips, Connor Pring, Robbie Bissett, James Nurden, Ryan Cheek and Frankie Griffin have all been retained from last season's squad. 

Carpenter will be assisted by Steve Ives who was AFC Uckfield Town Manager last season - they finished in 14th place of the Southern Combination Premier Division. 

Twitter - @Tun_Wells_FC 

WELLING TOWN were only formed in 2014 as a Sunday League side joining Saturday football and the Kent County League in the 16/17 season. The Boots finished 2nd in the Division Three West and then top of Division Two West before successfully applying to join the SCEFL Division One for the 18/19 season where they were title winners at the first time of asking. 

Last season they finished 14th in the Premier Division table. 

They were managed by former Hullbridge Sports boss Darren Manning from October to May last season. 

He has been replaced by Kevin Oakes who is chairman and founded the club back in 2014. He has been Manager of the first team previously. 

They played at Bayliss Avenue from 2017 after Thamesmead Town left the ground. In 2021 they relocated to share with Kent Football United Efes Stadium in Dartford and played some games at Chatham Town's Bauvill Stadium last season. They will be full time ground sharers at Chatham for the 22/23 season.

Twitter - @WellingTownFC

WHITSTABLE TOWN move back down to Step Five football after a four season stay in the Isthmian South-East Division. 

The Oystermen finished bottom of the table last season winning just 8 of their 38 games. 

Richard Styles left Tunbridge Wells in May to be their new manager as Andy Drury left to join local rival's Margate. 

They are expected to be up towards the top of the division for the 22/23 campaign as Styles and his management team look to bring Isthmian football back to The Belmont Ground. 

Twitter - @whitstabletown