This is a list of seasons played by both the senior men's football club from Ashford, Kent (Ashford United, Ashford Railway Works and Ashford/Ashford Town) in English football since 1891 and for the Ashford/Ashford United Ladies team.
Ashford United were founded in 1891 â the union between South Eastern Rangers and Kentish Express FC. The team initially played at the Victoria Ground (behind the Victoria Hotel), then subsequently moved to Godinton Road, Ashford and finally to a site off Newtown Road. They were founder members of the original Kent League and additionally the team played in the East Kent League and the Thames & Medway Combination and Division 2 of the South Eastern League. The team folded owing to heavy debts during season 1906âÂÂ07 and their league playing records for the season were expunged.
The Ashford Railway Works football club (the more commonly used name of the S.E and C.R. Ashford Works F.C.) was founded in 1907. They played their matches at the Railway Works Ground, off Newtown Road, Ashford. Many of its members were drawn from the ranks of skilled engineers from the Ashford railway works and led to the team acquiring the nickname the âÂÂNuts and Bolts'. After the 1920s the team began to be known as simply Ashford. They played in the original East Kent League, Kent League (with significant success in Division 2 East) and also the Folkestone and District Senior League. The club discontinued in 1928.
Founded in 1930 Ashford F.C. were elected to the Kent League. They began playing at the Railway Works ground and then moved to the newly acquired Essella Park ground. On the sale of that facility in 1987 they ground-shared for two years at Cheriton Road, Folkestone before returning to Ashford and the new purpose-built Homelands stadium. From the 1950âÂÂ1951 season the club began to style itself as Ashford Town Football Club rather than Ashford Football Club. The team were 1948âÂÂ49 Kent League Champions and after that league disbanded in 1959 they joined the Southern League. As a result of the re-organisation of the structure of non-League football in 2004 the team was allocated to the Isthmian League. Owing to unpaid football debts the club was suspended by The Football Association from competition in 2010. As a result of a dispute between the club's Directors it went into financial administration and the club was wound up.
Formed by one of the Directors of the former Ashford Town club, Ashford United was formed in 2011 and resurrected the name of the team from 1891 to 1907. The club began playing in the Kent Invicta League and after two seasons advanced to the Kent League which renamed itself as the Southern Counties East Football League. The team were promoted as SCEFL Champions to the Isthmian League in 2017.
Ashford Ladies team first entered league competition in the 1971 Kent Women's League Division 1 West. The team was affiliated within the Ashford United organisation in 2022.
League Record
'Other'
See also each section for key to 'other'
Football Club History Database
The Southern Counties East Football League
(formerly Jeff Trice's) Margate FC history website
The history of Dover football club
Nuts and Bolts Archive, History of Ashford Town & Ashford United