Faversham Town Football Club is a football club based in Faversham, Kent, England. Nicknamed the 'Lilywhites' due to their white strip, they are currently members of the and play at Salters Lane.
The club was established in 1884 and were founder members of the Kent League in 1894, joining Division Two of the new league. They were Division Two champions in 1895âÂÂ96, earning promotion to Division One. They left the league in 1900, but returned in 1904. When the league was expanded in 1909 they were moved into Division Two East. After finishing bottom of the division in 1911âÂÂ12, the club left the league for a second time. The club rejoined the league in 1924 under the name Faversham Rangers, and were placed in Division Two (Mid-Kent). However, they left the league after three seasons. Now under the name Faversham Invicta, they joined Division One of the Eastern Section of the Kent County League in 1934. Although they were relegated to the Mid-Kent Section at the end of the 1934âÂÂ35 season, they returned to the Kent League in 1937, joining Division Two. They finished bottom of the division in 1938âÂÂ39.
After World War II Faversham (now under their current name) continued in the Kent League, and were Division Two runners-up in 1946âÂÂ47. They were promoted to Division One at the end of the 1948âÂÂ49 season and remained in Division One until the league folded in 1959, at which point they joined the Aetolian League. In 1964 the Aetolian League merged with the London League to form the Greater London League, with Faversham placed in the 'B' Section. In 1965 they became members of the Premier Division. However, they left at the end of the 1965âÂÂ66 season to join the reformed Kent League. They went on to win back-to-back league titles in 1969âÂÂ70 and 1970âÂÂ71, before joining Division One the MetropolitanâÂÂLondon League (a merger of the Greater London League and the Metropolitan League) in 1971.
Faversham were runners-up in their first season in the MetropolitanâÂÂLondon League. In 1973 they transferred to Division Two of the Athenian League, but after finishing bottom of the table in 1975âÂÂ76 they returned to the Kent League. In 1977âÂÂ78 they won the Kent League, a feat they repeated in 1989âÂÂ90. After several seasons of struggling in the league, including finishing bottom of the table in 1995âÂÂ96 and 2001âÂÂ02, the club resigned from the league eight matches from the end of the 2002âÂÂ03 season. They did not enter a league in 2003âÂÂ04 or 2004âÂÂ05, but joined the Premier Division of the Kent County League in 2005. After finishing as Premier Division runners-up in their first season, they were promoted back to the Kent League. They went on to win the Kent League in 2009âÂÂ10, earning promotion to Division One South of the Isthmian League.
In 2012âÂÂ13 Faversham finished third in Division One South, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. After defeating Hythe Town 3âÂÂ0 in the semi-finals, they were beaten 3âÂÂ0 by Maidstone United in the final. Another third-place finish in 2014âÂÂ15 ended with the club losing 5âÂÂ4 on penalties to Merstham in the semi-finals of the play-offs after a 0âÂÂ0 draw. They reached the play-offs again in 2015âÂÂ16 after finishing fifth, but after beating Dorking Wanderers 2âÂÂ1 in the semi-finals, the club lost 3âÂÂ0 to Worthing in the final. They were relegated back to the renamed Southern Counties East League Premier Division at the end of the 2022âÂÂ23 season after finishing second-from-bottom of the South East Division of the Isthmian League. The club were runners-up in the Premier Division the following season, going on to lose on penalties to Corinthian in the play-off semi-finals. In 2024âÂÂ25 they were Premier Division champions, earning promotion to the South East Division of the Isthmian League.
The club moved to Salters Lane in 1948. The ground currently has a capacity of 2,000, of which 200 is seated and 1,800 covered. An artificial pitch was installed in 2023.
Due to the fact that Faversham's civic coat of arms is based on the Royal Arms of England, Faversham Town is the only English club side to have a badge depicting three lions passant guardant, similar to that of the England national team.