KSFA History

The Kent Schools’ Football Association is the county governing body for schools’ football (covering the County of Kent, Medway, Bexley, and Bromley), as well as being a registered educational charity. It came into being in 1921 as the Kent Schools’ Football Federation. In the first season, nineteen member associations competed for the Fletcher Trophy, which had been deposited with the Midland Bank in Folkestone by the United States Army at the beginning of World War I, and not reclaimed. County matches were also played in the first season, among them four against touring sides from France: the first overseas matches at this level. Between 1921 and the outbreak of World War II, Kent played a total of 137 county matches, winning 63, losing 53, and drawing 21. During the same period, other internal competitions were introduced, and in 1936 the County staged England v Wales Schools’ International at Dover, a match that attracted a crowd of over 10,000. The County resumed its normal programme after World War II, and in 1948 played against Durham at Sunderland’s Roker Park before a crowd of 25,000 - a record attendance for a schools’ inter-county game and one that is unlikely to be beaten. In the Kent team on that occasion was Peter Broadbent, of Dover, who later had a distinguished career with Wolves and England. The range of activities and competitions continued to expand, and in 1971 the Federation amalgamated with Kent Senior Schools’ Football Association which had been organising school football for boys over the statutory leaving age and, in the main, catered for boys in the existing grammar schools. The new organisation became the Kent Schools’ Football Association.

Throughout its history, the County has been fortunate to have at its helm dedicated schoolteachers to create an organisation second to none in its reputation for all that is best in schools’ football, both on and off the field of play. Messers Greenstreet and Heather, both of Folkestone, and A.B. Taylor (who eventually retired in 1956, having become chairman of the English Schools’ FA) of Dover brought with them invaluable experience from their own successful district associations. They were joined by Charles Harvey of Chatham, and later by Harry White, both of whom also became chairmen of the E.S.F.A. More recently, and after Harry White’s retirement as secretary, Tony French (Howbury Grange School) and John FowIe (Tunbridge Wells GS) run the affairs of the association, until in 1984 Phil Harding (Harvey GS, Folkestone) became only the sixth secretary of the County in over sixty years. Another influential figure was Ted Harper (Bromley GS, now Ravensbourne) who, after a distinguished playing career formed the Kent Senior Schools’ F.A. in 1961, and, together with Alan Philpott (Harvey GS) and Alan Watson (Norton Knatchbull) enhanced the County’s reputation at the annual ESFA Festivals of Football.

The past three decades have seen the Kent Schools’ F.A. enjoy considerable success. Participation in its activities and competitions has reached record levels. The County has staged four Schools’ Internationals, at Gillingham FC’s Priestfield Stadium: England v Wales in 1984, England v The Netherlands in 1988, England v France in 1994, England v Northern Ireland in 2001, watched by over 20,000 spectators. A fifth international match, involved the Girls’ Under 15 teams from England and The Republic of Ireland, was staged at Maidstone United in 2014, when a crowd of 865 (a record for a schoolgirls’ international) saw the home team triumph 8-0.

The managers of the various County teams have given generously of their time and expertise, and Kent teams have been successful in national competitions at home, as well as in Europe and the United States. John Coles has been manager of the Kent U18 Squad for over twenty years, whilst Andy Raines has served a similar term in the U14-U16 age group, recently working with great success with Richard and Niall Crutchfield. Tina Cordes served for many years as manager of the Girls Squads, to be succeeded by Rob Boyce and Nick Clements. James Hooper and Chris Greenfield have enjoyed considerable success with their Boys Squads in the U14-U16 age groups. Paul Jackson and Mike Springett continue to run the U11 and U12 squads. In season 2001-2002, Kent teams enjoyed unprecedented success, winning four regional competitions and reaching two national finals, whilst in 2003-4 a further three regional titles were secured. In 2004-5 and 2013-14, the Kent Under 18 team won the ESFA County Championship. In 2010-11 the Kent Under 16 Girls’ Squad reached the ESFA National Final, a feat repeated by the Kent Under 14 Girls’ Squad in 2012-13 and 2013-14, the Kent Under 14 boys’ squad and the Kent Under 18 boys’ squad in 2014-15. In 2016-17, Kent achieved a unique double at Under 14 level, with the boys winning the National Final by beating Berkshire 4-0 at Birmingham City FC, and the girls doing likewise with a 2-0 win over Lancashire at the same venue. In 2018-19, the Kent U14 Girls again won the National Cup, whilst the U14 Boys lost on penalties to Merseyside in the Final and the U16 girls lost on penalties to Lancashire. In 2020-21, the Kent U16 Boys won the National Cup by beating Cleveland in the Final at the Sixways Stadium, Worcester, whilst the U14 Boys lost to Sussex at St Marys Stadium, Southampton. In 2021-22, The U14 Girls won the National Cup by beating Oxfordshire, whilst the U16 Girls lost in their final to Lancashire and the U14 Boys lost to Sussex – all three finals were played at Stoke City FC. Numerous foreign tours involving Paul Jackson, Andy Raines, Mike Springett, Richard Crutchfield and Niall Crutchfield have also characterised the KSFA’s activities in recent season; these have included the very prestigious Dallas Cup, as well as tournaments in France.

At international level, an increasing number of Kent players have gained recognition:

Under 18 - Kelvin Arterton (Gravesend GS), Rene Armstrong (Dover GS), Steven Aslett (Simon Langton GS, Canterbury); Tom Axford (Abbey School, Faversham), Paul Bates (Leigh CTC, Dartford), Jack Beerling (Beths GS), Noah Carney (Abbey School, Faversham), Robert Carter (Kemnal TC, Bromley), Adrian Clewlow (Sir Manwood’s GS, Sandwich), Frannie Collins (Chatham GS), Elliott Cutts (Simon Langton GS), Jeremy Goss (Pent Valley Secondary School, Folkestone), Tom Hadler (Simon Langton GS), John Hardwick (Tunbridge Wells THS), Lloyd Harrington (Abbey School), Jason Hawes (Ravenswood, Bromley), Matthew Hollyoak (Tunbridge Wells GS), Douglas Lofts (St Simon Stock School, Maidstone), Sam McCallum (Simon Langton GS), Sam Morrison (Aylesford School), Paul O’Brien (Dover GS), James O’Halloran (Wrotham School), Sam Orisakoti (Beths GS), Ian Parkes (Tunbridge Wells GS), Colin Reeves (Erith GS), Andrew Sambrook (Rainham Mark GS, Gillingham), Paul Sawyer (Dartford THS), Michael Scott (Maplesden Noakes, Maidstone), Josh Shonibare (Ravensbourne), Aaron Simpson (Maplesden Noakes School), Steven Slater (Ravensbourne School for Boys, Bromley), Chris Smalling (Chatham GS), Jamie Thornby (Norton Knatchbull School, Ashford), Ashley Ulph (Maidstone GS), Stephen White (Borden GS, Sittingbourne), Josh Wisson (Maplesden Noakes School), Josh Woolley (Maplesden Noakes School). Uniquely, four of these were selected in 2015-16: O’Halloran, Orisatoki, Shonibare and Wisson. 

Notable among these is Chris Smalling who, on leaving school at the age of 18, was signed by Fulham, and subsequently transferred to Manchester United for a fee reputed to be £12million.

Under 15 - Anthony Allman (Maidstone SFA), H. Cochrane (Greenwich SFA), George Crickson (Dover SFA), Jamie Day (North Kent SFA), lan Docker (Medway SFA), Jamie Donnelly (North Kent SFA), Billy Gilbert (Blackheath), D. Hancock (North Kent) Neill Howell (St Augustines), Paul Kelly (North Kent SFA), Jamie Kyte (North Kent SFA), Leslie Lines (Dover SFA), J.McGovern (Woolwich), Adam Molloy (Leigh Academy, Dartford), Alan Morgan (Dover SFA), B.Odeje (Blackheath SFA), Gavin Peacock (North Kent SFA), G. Penned (Greenwich SFA), Arthur Phebey (Lewisham SFA), Paul Robinson (North Kent SFA), Roger Saxby (Ashford & Weald SFA), R. Sheen (West Kent SFA), John Shepherd (North Kent SFA), J. Stenson (Blackheath SFA), A. Tracey (Gillingham SFA), Andrew Turner (North Kent SFA), E. Tucker (Rochester SFA), L. Vaissen (Bermondsey & Rotherhithe FA), R.Wade (Blackheath SFA), W.Whittaker (Greenwich SFA).

Under 15 Girls: In 2013-14, Alessia Russo (St Simon Stock School) became the first girl from Kent to be selected for England Schools at the Under 15 age group. She subsequently was a member of the England Lionesses Squad that won the Euros in 2022. Her England Schools pathway has been followed by Maddie Brant (Maidstone GGS), Phoebe Cowley (Towers School, Ashford), Ruby Gaitley (Bexleyheath Academy), Niamh O’Neill (Darrick Wood School, Orpington), Miri Taylor (Rainham SFG), Isobel Young (Dartford SFG).

In addition to honours for players. Tony French was elected Chairman of the ESFA in 1987-88 and in 2003-4 Phil Harding held the same position in the ESFA’s Centenary Year. He also served a further two seasons as ESFA Chairman in 2019-20 and 2020-21. Kent schools have also been successful:

1989: Brampton Junior School (Bexley) won the Smiths Under 11 6-a-side
1990: Harvey GS reached the final of the ESFA Under 19 Individual Schools’ Competition
1998: Darrick Wood School were runners-up in the Under 16’s Girls’ Competition
1998: Welling School were national finalists in the Under 12 5-a-sides
2000: Maidstone GS reached the final of the ESFA Under 19 Cup
2000: Cator Park School for Girls (Beckenham) won the ESFA Under 13 final at Wembley
2002: Bexley won the ESFA National Under 11 Inter-Association 7-a-sides
2005: Greatstone Primary School were runners-up in the ESFA National Under 11 7-a-sides
2007: Ravenswood School (Bromley) won the ESFA Under 15 Cup in the final at Goodison Park
2012: St Francis School (Maidstone) were runners-up in the ESFA Under 11 National 7-a-sides
2012: Hayesbrook School (Tonbridge) were runners-up in the National Under 12 Futsal Finals
2013: Rainham School for Girls won the National Futsal Final
2014: St Columbas School (Bexleyheath) were runners-up in the ESFA Under 15 National Final at Sheffield Wed
2014: Ravenswood School won the ESFA Under 13 Cup in the final at the Madejski Stadium, Reading
2014: Howard School won the National Futsal Final
2015: Oakwood Park GS won the ESFA Under 14 Cup in the final at the Madejski Stadium, Reading
2015: Loose Junior School were runners-up in the ESFA National Under 11 7-a-sides (Girls)
2015: Boughton-under-Blean & Dunkirk were runners-up in the ESFA National Under 11 7-a-sides (Small Schools)
2017: Beths GS won the ESFA Under 14 Cup
2019: Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys were runners-up in the ESFA U13 Cup for B teams
2019: Hurstmere School were runners-up in the ESFA U14 Cup for B teams
2022: Orpington U11 Girls were National 7 a side Champions
2022: Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys were National Champions in the ESFA U13 Cup for B teams
2022: Hurstmere School were National Champions in the ESFA U14 Boys Cup
2022: Hurstmere School were runners-up in the ESFA U16 Cup
2022: West Kent U12 Boys were runners-up in the ESFA Champions Cup
2022: Dartford U12 Boys were runners-up in the ESFA Champions Cup Plate
2022: West Kent U12 Girls were runners-up in the ESFA Champions Cup
2022: Medway U14 Girls were runners-up in the ESFA Champions Cup Plate
2022: Medway U13 Boys were runners-up in the ESFA Champions Cup Plate
2022: Maidstone U15 Boys were runners-up in the ESFA Champions Cup Plate
2022: St Pauls School (Dartford PSFA) were National Runners-up in the ESFA U11 7-a-side Small Schools Cup
2022: St Mary’s School (Orpington PSFA) were National Champions in the ESFA U11 7-a-side Schools Cup
2022: Days Lane School (Bexley PSFA) were National Champions in the ESFA U11 7-a-side Schools Cup for Girls

In season 2021-22, seventeen school, district and county teams from Kent reached ESFA National Finals. Today, the Kent Schools’ Football Association is one of the strongest and most successful schools’ organisations in the country, that maintains the high standards and traditions set by those dedicated schoolmasters who established the Association, but at the same time keeps pace with the ever-changing educational scene, including being at the forefront of girls’ football, to ensure that young footballers in Kent continue to enjoy the best that schools’ football has to offer. The KSFA excellent website, run by Daniel Fowler, underpins the County’s administration, whilst the KSFA’s Twitter feed provides news on a daily basis.

Currently, the KSFA’s activities involve over 25,000 young people each season and the KSFA runs:

• 10 county representative teams
• 16 inter-school knock-out competitions for secondary schools
• Under 19 League, which compromises almost 90 teams in 9 divisions
• 8 inter-district competitions at secondary level, including 2 for girls
• 6 Futsal competitions for secondary schools in conjunction with the Kent County FA
• 3 inter-school Under 11 competitions for schools – part of the ESFA competition framework
• 3 leagues, two 9-a-side cup competitions, a festival, and 4 small-sided tournaments for Under 11 district teams