1996–97 Kent Football League

The 1996–97 Kent Football League season (known as the Winstonlead Kent League for sponsorship reasons) was the 31st in the history of the Kent Football League, a football competition 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 21 clubs, 19 of which competed in the previous season together with two additional clubs:
 * Lordswood, joined from the Kent County League
 * Woolwich Town, transferred from the Spartan League

The league was won for the third time during the 1990s by Herne Bay, who recorded a League and Cup double.

Challenge Cup
The 1996–97 Kent Football League Challenge Cup was won for the first time in their history by Herne Bay, who completed a League and Cup double.

The competition was contested by the 21 teams from the Division One over five rounds: the first three were a single match knock-out followed by the semi-finals on an aggregate basis (home and away matches) and the final match played on a neutral ground (at Folkestone Invicta F.C. this season).

Quarter-finals, Semi-finals and Final
Sources
 * Quarter-finals: ;
 * Semi-finals: ;
 * Final:

Second Round

 * Lordswood 1 – 3 Sheppey United
 * Canterbury City 0 – 0 (aet) Tunbridge Wells
 * REPLAY: Tunbridge Wells 5 – 1 Canterbury City
 * Hythe United 4 – 0 Corinthian
 * Thamesmead Town 1 – 2 Cray Wanderers
 * Deal Town 3 – 0 Beckenham Town
 * Furness 1 – 1 (aet) Slade Green (score at 90 minutes: 1–1)
 * REPLAY: Slade Green 0 – 0 (aet) Furness. Slade Green won 3–0 on penalties.
 * Herne Bay 2 – 0 Woolwich Town
 * Greenwich Borough 6 – 0 Folkestone Invicta

First Round
Sources:
 * Lordswood 2 – 1 Crockenhill
 * Sheppey United 5 – 1 Faversham Town
 * Slade Green 1 – 0 (aet) Ramsgate
 * Herne Bay 3 – 1 Chatham Town
 * Greenwich Borough 1 – 0 Whitstable Town
 * Byes for the other 11 clubs
 * Second Round: ;
 * First Round:

Reserves Section
The letter "R" following team names indicates a club’s reserves team.

The 1996–97 Division Two featured reserves teams (which were not permitted in Division One) of 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 division featured 20 clubs, 17 who had competed in the previous season together with three addidtional clubs:
 * Dartford R
 * Hythe United R
 * Lordswood R, joined from the Kent County League Reserves Section

Tonbridge AFC R were the division winners.

Division Two Cup
The 1996–97 Kent Football League Division Two Cup was won by East Sussex club Hastings Town R.

The competition for the 20 teams from Division Two comprised five rounds: the first three were a single match knock-out followed by the semi-finals on an aggregate basis (home and away matches) and a single match final on a neutral ground (at Dover Athletic F.C. this season).

Quarter-finals, Semi-finals and Final
Sources:
 * Quarter-finals: ; ;
 * Semi-finals: ;
 * Final:

Second Round

 * Hastings Town R 5 – 2 Folkestone Invicta R
 * Whitstable Town R 5 – 0 Corinthian R
 * Crockenhill R 1 – 0 Hythe United R
 * Lordswood R 3 – 3 (aet) Deal Town R (Score at 90 minutes: 3–3)
 * REPLAY: Deal Town R v Lordswood R. Result: Deal Town R 1–2(aet) Lordswood R (Score at 90 minutes: 1–1). However, Deal Town R progressed to quarter-final
 * Chatham Town R 0 – 2 Margate R
 * Herne Bay R 1 – 1 (aet) Ramsgate R (Score at 90 minutes: 1–1)
 * REPLAY: Ramsgate R 3 – 0 Herne Bay R
 * Thamesmead Town R 1 – 4 Tonbridge AFC R
 * Sittingbourne R 1 – 2 (aet) Furness R (Score at 90 minutes: 1–1)

First Round
Sources:
 * Dover Athletic R 4 – 4 (aet) Thamesmead Town R (Score at 90 minutes: 3–3)
 * REPLAY: Thamesmead Town R 1 – 1 (aet) Dover Athletic R. Thamesmead Town R won 3–2 on penalties
 * Beckenham Town R 1 – 2 Chatham Town R
 * Herne Bay R 2 – 1 Faversham Town R
 * Ramsgate R 3 – 1 Dartford R
 * Byes for the other 12 clubs
 * Second Round: ; ; ; ; ;
 * First Round: ;