Folkestone Invicta F.C.

Folkestone Invicta Football Club is a football club based in Folkestone, Kent, England. They are currently members of the Isthmian League Premier Division and play at Cheriton Road.

Folkestone Invicta
Full nameFolkestone Invicta Football Club
Nickname(s)Invicta, The Seasiders, Stripes
Founded1936
GroundCheriton Road, Folkestone
Capacity4,000 (336 seated)[1]
ChairmanPaul Morgan
ManagerNeil Cugley
LeagueIsthmian League Premier Division
2019–20Isthmian League Premier Division (season abandoned)

History

The club was established in 1936 and initially played in the East Kent Amateur League, before joining the Eastern Section of the Kent County League. They won Division One in 1969–70 and were Division One runners-up in 1976–77 before going on to win the Premier Division in 1978–79.[2] The Premier Division was renamed the Senior Division in 1984. The town's main club, Folkestone, folded in 1990, and after a third-place finish in 1990–91,[3] Invicta joined Division Two of the Kent League, which was largely composed of reserve teams. They went on to win the division, as well as the Division Two Cup and the Kent Intermediate Shield in the 1991–92 season, and were promoted to Division One.[2]

Folkestone were runners-up in Division One of the Kent League in 1997–98, earning promotion to the Southern Division of the Southern League. They were transferred to the Eastern Division for the 1999–2000 season. They went on to finish as runners-up in the division, earning promotion to the Premier Division. The club spent three seasons in the Premier Division, before finishing bottom of the table in 2002–03, after which they were relegated to the Eastern Division. A fifth-place finish the following season was enough for an immediate promotion due to the creation of the Conference North and South creating several spaces in the divisions above. However, the club were transferred to the Isthmian League, joining its Premier Division.[4]

In 2005–06 Folkestone reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time, losing 2–1 at League Two Chester City. The club spent four seasons in the Isthmian League Premier Division before relegation to Division One South at the end of the 2008–09 season. In 2009–10 they were runners-up in Division One South, having missed out on the title due to having ten points deducted for going into administration.[4][2] However, they qualified for the promotion play-offs, and after beating Leatherhead on penalties in the semi-finals, they defeated Godalming Town 2–1 in the final, earning promotion back to the Premier Division. In the following season the club finished bottom of the Premier Division and the club were relegated straight back to Division One South.

The next four seasons saw Folkestone finish in the top five, qualifying for the promotion play-offs; in 2011–12 they lost 2–1 to Dulwich Hamlet in the semi-finals and in 2012–13 they lost at the same stage to Maidstone United. In 2013–14 they won their semi-final, beating Hastings United 3–2, but lost on penalties to Leatherhead in the final after a 1–1 draw.[4] They reached the final again in 2014–15 after defeating Whyteleafe in the semi-finals, but were beaten 3–0 in the final by Merstham.[4] After four successive play-off failures, the club won Division One South in 2015–16 to return to the Premier Division.[4] They finished fourth in the Premier Division in 2017–18, going on to lose 4–0 in the play-off semi-finals to Hendon.

Ground
Cheriton Road

When Folkestone folded in 1990, Folkestone Invicta were playing in nearby Hythe. However, they returned to the town in 1991, taking over Folkestone's old Cheriton Road in 1991.[5]

Honours
  • Isthmian League
    • Division One South champions 2015–16
  • Kent League
    • Division Two Champions 1991–92
    • Division Two Cup Winners 1991–92
  • Kent County League
    • Eastern Section Premier Division champions 1978–79
    • Eastern Section Division One champions 1969–70
    • Les Leckie Cup winners 1990–91[2]
  • Kent Intermediate Shield
    • Winners 1991–92

Records
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See also
  • Folkestone Invicta F.C. players
  • Folkestone Invicta F.C. managers

References
  1. The Buildkent Stadium Folkestone Invicta F.C.
  2. History of Folkestone Invicta F.C Folkestone Invicta F.C.
  3. Kent County League 1984–1991 Non-League Matters
  4. Folkestone Invicta at the Football Club History Database
  5. Folkestone Invicta Pyramid Passion

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