2008–09 Kent Football League

The 2008–09 Kent Football League season (known as the Bulmers Cider Kent League reflecting the sponsorship by Bulmers) was the 43rd in the history of Kent Football League a football competition in England.

The League structure comprised three divisions: a Premier Division together with Divisions One and Two – the latter two were known as the Reserves Section, comprising reserves teams which were not permitted in the Premier Division. Additionally there were two league cup competitions, the Challenge Cup for the Premier Division clubs and another for the teams in the two divisions of the Reserves Section.

Premier Division
The division featured 17 clubs, 16 of which competed in the previous season together with one additional club:
 * Norton Sports, joined from the Kent County League

At the end of the season three clubs left the division:
 * VCD Athletic, promoted to the Isthmian League Division One North
 * Croydon, transferred to the Combined Counties League
 * Slade Green, resigned as the club folded

Challenge Cup
The 2008–09 Kent Football League Challenge Cup, known as the Bulmers Cider Kent League Cup (reflecting the sponsorship by Bulmers), was won by Croydon.

The competition was contested by the 17 teams from the Premier Division over a total of five rounds: four on an aggregate basis (home and away matches) followed by a final match played on a neutral ground (at Welling United F.C. this season).

Second Round

 * Hythe Town 14 – 3 Sporting Bengal United (1st Leg 10–1; 2nd Leg 4–2)
 * Lordswood 0 – 6 Erith Town (1st Leg 0–3; 2nd Leg 0–3)
 * Croydon 4 – 2 Sevenoaks Town (1st Leg 2–0; 2nd Leg 2–2)
 * Slade Green 6 – 4 Greenwich Borough (1st Leg 1–2; 2nd Leg 5–2)
 * Herne Bay 5 – 0 Norton Sports (1st Leg 1–0; 2nd Leg 4–0)
 * Faversham Town 4 – 1 Beckenham Town (1st Leg 1–0; 2nd Leg 3–1)
 * Holmesdale 2 – 1 Deal Town (1st Leg 2–0; 2nd Leg 0–1)
 * Tunbridge Wells 3 – 2 VCD Athletic (1st Leg 1–1; 2nd Leg 2–1)

First Round
Byes for the remaining 15 teams
 * Erith & Belvedere 6 – 8 Tunbridge Wells (1st Leg 2–2; 2nd Leg 4–6(aet))

Source: SCEFL Archives

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

The 2008–09 Reserves Section comprised two divisions, with promotion and relegation possible between the divisions. Promotion from the Reserves Section into the Premier Division was not permitted. There was a single League Cup competition for all teams in the section.

Division One
The division featured twelve clubs, ten of which competed in the previous season together with Dover Athletic R and Ashford Town (Kent) R who had both been promoted from Division Two.

At the end of the season Folkestone Invicta R and Sevenoaks Town R were relegated and Dover Athletic R left the league.

Division Two
The division featured eleven clubs, nine of which competed in the previous season together with two additional clubs:
 * Ramsgate R, relegated from Division One
 * Welling United R rejoining the Kent League for a single season after three years absence.

At the end of the season Herne Bay R and Holmedale R were promoted to Division One and Greenwich Borough R, Tunbridge Wells R and Welling United R left the league.

Reserves Cup
The 2008–09 Kent Football League Reserves Cup, Known as the HAUC Reserves League Cup (reflecting the sponsorship by the Highways Agency and Utilities Committee), was won by Thamesmead Town R, who completed a League and Cup double.

The competition was contested by all 23 teams of the Reserves Section over a total of five rounds: the first three were single match knock-out rounds, followed by the semi-finals on an aggregate basis (home and away matches) and then the final match played on a neutral ground (at Folkestone Invicta F.C. this season)

Second Round

 * Holmesdale R 2 – 3 Lordswood R
 * Dover Athletic R 1 – 2 Folkestone Invicta R
 * Welling United R 0 – 1 Ashford Town (Kent) R
 * Erith & Belvedere R 0 – 2 Thamesmead Town R
 * Sevenoaks Town R 0 – 2 Whitstable Town R
 * Dartford R 3 – 1 Ramsgate R
 * Margate R 1 – 3 Herne Bay R
 * Cray Wanderers R 0 – 2 Maidstone United R

First Round
Byes for the remaining nine teams
 * Erith & Belvedere R 4 – 1 Deal Town R
 * Herne Bay R 3 – 0 Chatham Town R
 * Thamesmead Town R 2 – 1 VCD Athletic R
 * Welling United R 3 – 0 Hythe Town R
 * Holmesdale R 5 – 3 Faversham Town R
 * Greenwich Borough R d – W Lordswood R (match score 2-0, Greenwich Borough R disqualified)
 * Tunbridge Wells R 0 – 4 (aet) Dartford R

Source: SCEFL Archives