Maidstone FC

Last updated

Maidstone Football Club
Maidstone rc logo.png
Full nameMaidstone Football Club
Union Kent RFU
Nickname(s)Stones
Founded1880;144 years ago (1880)
Location Maidstone, Kent, England
Ground(s)William Davey Memorial Ground - The Mote
ChairmanTrevor Marvin
PresidentRichard Gray
Coach(es)David Charlton
Captain(s)Will Fox (club)
League(s) Counties 2 Kent
2022-202310
Kit left arm blackborder.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body redwhiteblackhoops.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm blackborder.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks redtop.png
Kit socks long.svg
Team kit
Official website
www.maidstone-rugby.com

Maidstone Football Club is an English rugby union club based in Maidstone, Kent. The men's first XV currently compete in Counties 2 Kent - a league at the eighth tier of the English rugby union system. The club has thriving mini and youth sections, with enjoyment and development a priority. There are three men's senior teams, catering for all ages and abilities, along with a senior women's team. [1]

Contents

History

One of the oldest rugby clubs in the country, the club was formed in 1880, and originally played at a ground close to the centre of the town owned by a Dr. Monckton. The club faced many strong teams from 1886 onwards, such as Middlesex Wanderers, Harlequin F.C., Richmond, Eton House, London Scottish and Old Merchant Taylors' FC. Within this period they found a surge of numbers in players who had formerly been pupils of Maidstone Grammar School. The club moved to The Mote in the early 1950s and have played there ever since. During the 1970s and 80s, Maidstone had become one of the premier clubs in Kent and reached the finals of the county cup for seven years running between 1974 and 1980, winning twice and once again in 1987. During the 1970s, they reached the finals of the Middlesex Sevens at Twickenham three times in four years and in 1980 were the only junior club to be invited to play in the London Senior Clubs Rugby Festival at Twickenham. Alongside Scottish club Heriot’s FP, Lansdowne from Ireland and French Champions Bagneres, the club reached the semi-finals where they were beaten 6–0 by London Scottish.

League history

At the formation of the leagues in 1987, Maidstone were unanimously voted by the seven counties of the London Division to go straight into National League Three, along with the Metropolitan Police. After six seasons in the national leagues until 1993, the club suffered four relegations in four seasons and arrived in London 1 in 1996. At this point the committee took the decision to appoint a Director of Rugby and new management and coaching structure, the slump was stopped. Promotion was achieved within three seasons and in 2000, the final of the Kent Cup was lost in the dying moments to National League side, Westcombe Park. In 2003, they were relegated to London 2, but were promoted back to London 2 as unbeaten champions in 2005. [2]

During a match against Gravesend R.F.C. on 17 January 2010, a Maidstone player allegedly gouged (although this was never proven) Gravesend player, Clarence Harding. After a Rugby Football Union hearing on 12 January 2011, the club were fined £2000 and found Maidstone guilty of "conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game". [3] They were also docked 50 points, and while the hearing judged the gouging was a deliberate action, they were unable to identify the guilty player. The club accepted the RFU's decision. Moving forward, the club looked to rebuild after a turbulent couple of seasons. After finishing fourth in London 3 in the 2011–12 season several changes have been made at the club. Their long term aim being to return to London 1 rugby within the next few seasons. The 2012–13 season was an incredibly successful one for Maidstone. They won London 3 SE with five games spare and ended undefeated in the league. This saw them return to London and SE 2 for the 2013–14 season. In their first season back at level 7, the club finished a strong second place behind leaders Charlton Park. Maidstone lost the promotion play-off to Gosport and Fareham, who they had beaten eight months before in a pre-season friendly.

For the 14-15 season, wholesale changes were made both on and off the pitch for a variety of reasons. The restructure has led to one of the best league seasons in the club's history. The first team went undefeated, only missing out on a perfect season with a draw against second placed Medway. The club was promoted back to London One South after a lengthy absence and finished a credible sixth in the 15-16 season. The club finished ninth in the 2016-17 season.

Recent cup history

The club has had relative success in the past four years[ when? ] in various cup competitions. In 2011–12, the club reached the national semi-final of the RFU Senior Vase but lost to eventual winners Wells RFC.

The club again reached the semi-final stage in 2012–13 and were very confident in going one step further and making amends for the previous season. However, despite the home draw Maidstone missed out again and went down narrowly to Drybrook RFC. In the 2013–14 season, Maidstone traveled to Blackheath RFC in the semi-final of the Kent Cup. Despite the difference in leagues, Maidstone pushed the national one team all the way, eventually losing by a single point.

The club has had fantastic success in cup competitions during the 2014–15 season. In the Kent cup quarter-final Maidstone beat national three side Westcombe Park to set up a clash with Old Elthamians. However, due to a fixture clash, the club had to withdraw from the cup. Now competing in the RFU Intermediate Cup, Maidstone have had a brilliant run beating Harrow, Medway, Diss and Chiswick to set up a semi-final with Gloucester-based Coney Hill RFC.

With the memory of the previous near misses in their minds, the club put on an incredible performance to win 44–13 to finally book at place at the Twickenham Final against Bridgnorth RFC. The final, held at Twickenham Stadium on Sunday 3 May saw an incredible day out for the whole club. In excess of 7000 supporters travelled to the home of England Rugby to watch Maidstone beat Bridgnorth 31–18 to lift the RFU Intermediate Cup and round off an unbeaten season.

For the 15-16 season, Maidstone lifted the Kent Plate after games against Tonbridge Juddians and Dartfordians. After going out of the Kent Cup to National 1 side Blackheath, Maidstone retained the Kent Plate by beating old rivals Aylesford Bulls in the final.

Honours

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

PlayerPositionUnion
Will Fox Prop Flag of England.svg England
Louis Frost Prop Flag of England.svg England
Kian Hutchinson Prop Flag of England.svg England
Jude Pearson Hooker Flag of England.svg England
Josh McKenzie Hooker Flag of England.svg England
Ryan Murphy Hooker Flag of England.svg England
Ian Lee Lock Flag of England.svg England
Daniel Fisher Lock Flag of England.svg England
Ashley Hutchinson Flanker Flag of England.svg England
Matt Fairway Flanker Flag of England.svg England
Jamie Marzetti Flanker Flag of England.svg England
Charlie Williams Number 8 Flag of England.svg England
Josh Smith Number 8 Flag of England.svg England
PlayerPositionUnion
Seb Arnold Scrum-half Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa
Josh Wilton Fly-half Flag of England.svg England
Elliot Kaul-Jones Fly-half Flag of England.svg England
Lex Delamere-Ayling Centre Flag of England.svg England
Josh Hoare Centre Flag of England.svg England
Ben Tugwell Wing Flag of England.svg England
Sam Cowdrey Wing Flag of England.svg England
Jacob Worthington Wing Flag of England.svg England
Sam Pearson Fullback Flag of England.svg England

Former players

List of former players who have gone onto represent professional clubs.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morley R.F.C.</span> Rugby team

Morley Rugby Union Football Club is a rugby union club based in Morley, West Yorkshire. England. The club are famous for playing in a maroon kit and thus are nicknamed "The Maroons". They currently play in North 1 East, a level six league in the English rugby union league system, following their relegation at the end of the 2017-18 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westcombe Park RFC</span> Rugby team

Westcombe Park RFC is a rugby football club based in Orpington in south-east London. The name of the club comes from the Westcombe Park area of what is today part of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, where the club was founded. The club played on fields in Lee, Shooter's Hill and Sidcup before the move to Orpington. Westcombe Park play in National League 2 East, a level four league in the English rugby union system following their promotion from Regional 1 South East at the end of the 2022–23 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tunbridge Wells RFC</span> English rugby union club, based in Tunbridge Wells

Tunbridge Wells RFC is an English Rugby union club that plays in Regional 1 South Central from Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England.

London 2 South West is an English level 7 Rugby Union League. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 3 South West, changing to its current name ahead of the 2009–10 season. The division is made up of teams predominantly from south-west London, Surrey, and Hampshire. The 12 teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Each year all clubs in the division are also invited to take part in the RFU Intermediate Cup - a level 7 national competition.

London 2 South East is an English level 7 Rugby Union League. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 3 South East, changing to its current name ahead of the 2009–10 season. The division is made up of teams predominantly from south-east London, Kent, East Sussex and West Sussex. The twelve teams play home and away matches from September through to April. Each year all clubs in the division also take part in the RFU Intermediate Cup - a level 7 national competition.

Regional 2 South East, previously known as London 1 South, is an English level 6 rugby union regional league for rugby clubs in London and the south-east of England including sides from East Sussex, south Essex, south Greater London, Hampshire, Kent, Surrey and West Sussex. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 2 South, changing to London 1 South ahead of the 2009–10 season. It used to be the feeder league for London & South East Premier into which the champion team each season was promoted whilst the second-placed team entered a play-off against the runner-up of London 1 North. Three teams were relegated into either London 2 South East and London 2 South West depending on their location. The league was renamed as Regional 2 South East for the 2022-23 season and moved from a 14 team, to a 12 team competition. The champion would be promoted to either Regional 1 South Central or Regional 1 South East depending on geographical location, whilst relegated sides would go to either Counties 1 Kent or Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex.

Rugby union is one of the most popular sports, in terms of both participants and spectators in London. London has several of England's leading rugby union clubs, and the city is home to 13 teams playing in national leagues, and many regional amateur leagues regulated by the London and South East Division Rugby Football Union. However, several of these teams, due to necessity, have found homes at stadia outside the boundaries of the capital. The sport is well established, especially in the middle-class suburbs to the north and west of the city. Four of the twelve clubs currently in the Gallagher Premiership have London origins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canterbury RFC</span> English rugby union club, based in Kent

Canterbury RFC is an English rugby union football club based in Canterbury, Kent. The club currently play in the fourth tier of English club rugby, participating in National League 2 East following their relegation from National League 1 at the end of the 2019–20 season. The club runs five senior sides, Canterbury Hellfire wheelchair rugby team, a ladies team, a touch rugby section and a full range of junior teams.

Derek Coates is an English rugby union player who played at Full back. He is known for his spells with Blackheath and Westcombe Park, where thanks to his prowess with the boot he became one of the most prolific points scorers in National League 2 South history with over 1,000 points spread between the two clubs, and was also one of the most consistent scorers averaging 12 points a game. Since he has retired from playing he has remained in the game as a coach.

Michael Melford is a retired English rugby union player who plays as a winger. He has spent most of his semi-professional rugby career with Canterbury during the most successful spell of the clubs career to date, which included a spell as club captain. With over 90 tries for his club in National League 2 South alone, he has become one of the most prolific try scorers in the competition's history. He currently runs a personal training business in Chatham, Kent.

Gert De Kock is a retired South African rugby union player who played at Fly-half or Full-back. A highly skilled player that could both kick points and score tries, he became one of the top try scorers in National League 2 South history, with 80 tries scored during his spells playing for Westcombe Park and Canterbury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Austell RFC</span> Rugby union club, based in Cornwall

St Austell RFC is a Cornish rugby union club based in the town of St Austell and was founded in 1963. The club run three senior men's teams as well as ladies side, a colts and multiple junior/mini sides. The club's kit is red and white hoops and the first team currently play in Regional 1 South West with home games at Tregorrick Park.

The Kent Rugby Football Union is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in the county of Kent in England. The union is the constituent body of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) for Kent, and administers and organises rugby union clubs and competitions in the county. It also administers the Kent county rugby representative teams.

The Kent Rugby Challenge Cup is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organised by the Kent Rugby Football Union. It was first introduced during the 1890-91 season, with the inaugural winners being R.N.C., Greenwich. It was discontinued after the 1926-27 season, but reintroduced during the 1969–70 season, the winners in that year were Sidcup.

The Kent Plate is an annual rugby union knock-out club competition organised by the Kent Rugby Football Union. It was first introduced during the 2001–02 season, with the inaugural winners being Bromley. It is the fourth most important rugby union cup competition in Kent, behind the Kent Cup, Kent Shield and Kent Vase, but ahead of the Kent Salver.

The RFU Intermediate Cup is a rugby union national knockout cup competition in England run by the Rugby Football Union. It is contested by teams at level 7 of the English rugby union system. While the competition is a national one, it is however split into regions until the semi-finals with the final being held at Twickenham Stadium in London. It was first contested in 1997. Presently, the RFU Intermediate Cup is the third most important club cup competition in England, behind the Premiership Rugby Cup and RFU Championship Cup.

The RFU Senior Vase is a rugby union national knockout cup competition in England run by the Rugby Football Union, which has been competed for since the 2006–07 season. It is contested for by teams at level 8 of the English rugby union system, with only 1st XV sides being allowed to enter. The competition is a national one but is split into regions until the semi-finals with the final being held at Twickenham Stadium in London. As of 2018-19 it is the fourth most prestigious national club cup competition in England behind the Premiership Rugby Cup, RFU Championship Cup and RFU Intermediate Cup.

The RFU Junior Vase is a rugby union national knockout cup competition in England run by the Rugby Football Union, which has been competed for since 1990. It is mostly contested by 1st XV teams at level 9 of the English rugby union system, although sides as low as level 12 or even outside the league system can sometimes enter. The competition is a national one, but split into regions until the national semi-finals with the final being held at Twickenham Stadium in London. Presently, the RFU Junior Vase is the fifth most important club cup competition in England, behind the Premiership Rugby Cup, RFU Championship Cup, RFU Intermediate Cup and RFU Senior Vase.

The 2017–18 RFU Junior Vase is the 28th version of the RFU Junior Vase national cup competition for clubs at level 9 and below of the English rugby union system. The competition consists of 134 clubs divided into four regions. The winners of each region then advance to the national semi-finals with the final being held at Twickenham Stadium in London at the end of the season, along with the RFU Intermediate Cup and RFU Senior Vase finals.

The 2017–18 RFU Intermediate Cup is the 22nd version of the RFU Intermediate Cup national competition for clubs at level 7 of the English rugby union system. The cup consists of 91 clubs divided into four regions. The winners of each region then advance to the national semi-finals with the final being held at Twickenham Stadium in London at the end of the season, along with the RFU Intermediate Cup and RFU Junior Vase finals.

References

  1. ↑ "Regional results". The RUGBYPaper. 13 April 2014. p. 36.
  2. ↑ "Maidstone Rugby Club". Archived from the original on 5 February 2010. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  3. ↑ "Maidstone Rugby Club fined over eye gouging". bbc.co.uk. 13 January 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.