Folkestone Invicta F.C.
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| Full name | Folkestone Invicta Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Invicta, The Seasiders, Stripes | ||
| Founded | 1936 | ||
| Ground | Fullicks Stadium, Cheriton Road, Folkestone | ||
| Capacity | 4,000 | ||
| Manager | Neil Cugley | ||
| League | Isthmian League Division One South | ||
| 2014-15 | Isthmian League Division One South, 2nd | ||
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Folkestone Invicta F.C. are a football club based in the town of Folkestone, Kent, England. They play their home matches at Cheriton Road, currently known under the terms of a sponsorship deal as the Fullicks Stadium, and currently compete in the Isthmian League Division One South.
Contents
History
Kent County League and Kent League
Folkestone Invicta was formed in 1936 and played in the East Kent Amateur League (now the Kent County League). They took over the Cheriton Road ground in early 1991 after the demise of the old Folkestone F.C. who had enjoyed a long history in the Southern League.
Under manager Gary Staniforth, Invicta joined the Kent League and completed the Division Two league and cup double during the 1991–92 season, losing just two league games all season and beating Whitstable Town in the Division One Cup Final.
Invicta achieved senior status and joined Division One of the Kent League, making steady progress in their first two seasons at this level under club stalwart Staniforth. The nearest the club came to another trophy during these two seasons was when they lost the 1994 Plaaya Kent Senior Trophy Final 3–1 against Alma Swanley at Gravesend & Northfleet's Stonebridge Road.
Former Dover Athletic, Hythe Town, Crawley Town and Sittingbourne player Tim Hulme then took over as player-manager for the 1994–95 season. Invicta at one point chased the Kent League double that season, but ended up empty handed, losing the Division One Cup semi final over two legs to holders Ramsgate with the championship eventually being won by Sheppey United.
Invicta entered the FA Cup for the first time during the 1994–95 season, beating Hailsham Town and then Southern League Premier Division side Sittingbourne before going out 2–1 at home to a Worthing side which included former Tottenham Hotspur striker Mark Falco.
Hopes were high for the 1995–96 season as Invicta strengthened their squad, but things turned sour during the second half of the season as Hulme left the club, with his assistant Micky Dix taking over for the remainder of the season.
Former Canterbury City boss Darren Hare was recruited for the 1996–97 season, but after a poor start he was soon replaced by one-time Folkestone Town manager Dennis Hunt, assisted by veteran player Bobby Wilson.
It was during this season that a club record 2,332 saw the club play hosts to West Ham United in a benefit game following freak floods in the town. A strong West Ham side included Paulo Futre, Julian Dicks, Frank Lampard and Stan Lazaridis.
It was the arrival of manager Neil Cugley from Ashford Town during the summer of 1997 which was to provide the catalyst for the return of Southern League football to the town.
Southern League
Cugley made an immediate impact as promotion was achieved by finishing runners up to Herne Bay in 1997–98. The club continued to make good progress in 1998–99 as Southern League football returned to Folkestone. Invicta finished third in the Southern Division behind champions Havant & Waterlooville and runners up Margate, with the promotion race going to the final day of the season. Invicta also reached the final of the 1999 Kent Senior Cup where they lost 1–0 at home to then Football Conference club Welling United.
The 1999–2000 season saw the club achieve more progress with promotion to the Southern League Premier Division as runners up to Fisher Athletic in the Eastern Division. The 2000–01 season saw the club compete in the Southern League Premier Division for the first time and Invicta achieved their objective of staying up. In the process they were the only side to win away to Nigel Clough's Burton Albion at Eton Park.
The 2001–02 season saw an improved Invicta side briefly top the Premier Division table for the first time in the club's history during the opening weeks of the season. The club reached the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup but were beaten 5–1 in a replay away to Welling United after drawing the initial tie 1–1 with a lucrative trip to Reading as the prize. The season ended on a dramatic note as Invicta 3–3 home draw with Tamworth on the final day of the season denied the Lambs the championship – that game was watched by a crowd of 1,277, the highest ever home attendance for an Invicta league match.
That record was broken in August 2002 when the visit of neighbours Dover Athletic attracted a crowd of 1,446 to Cheriton Road, but the 2002–03 season was to prove a difficult season for Invicta as financial constraints took their toll. The young side had a run of 22 Premier Division matches without a win and had to wait until February for a first home league win of the season. A late rally was not enough to prevent the club from finishing bottom of the table and being relegated back down to the Eastern Division.
The 2003–04 season was more successful for Invicta as the club finished fifth in the Eastern Division to win promotion via the re-structuring of the non-league game.
Isthmian League
In 2004 the club was switched from the Southern League to the Isthmian League, where they have finished in a mid-table position in the Premier Division 2 seasons running.
In the 2005–06 FA Cup competition, Invicta managed to qualify for the First Round proper for the first time in their history.[1]
In the season 2007–08 Invicta progressed to the 4th qualifying round of the FA Cup, losing 2–0 to Billericay Town on 27 October 2007, but were relegated from the Premier Division due to a defeat on the last day of the season to Maidstone United.
The club re-signed Jimmy Dryden, who was offered a new deal at bitter rivals Dover Athletic, who had just won promotion into the Premier Division. Dryden went on to become the Club's leading scorer in the 2008–09 season, and is also contracted for the forthcoming season.
Not all concerning the future of the Club is certain; it remains in the balance with senior figures negotiating with Revenue and Customs to try and establish a path forward in the interests of both parties. In the Isthmian Division One South, Invicta finished the 2008–09 season in 11th place. Despite insolvency during 2009–10,and a subsequent 10 point deduction, Folkestone finished 2nd in the league with 82 points, 7 behind Croydon Athletic, and were promoted to the Premier Division via the play-offs. Invicta finished bottom of the Premier Division in the 2010–11 season, however, and were relegated back to Division One South.
Jimmy Dryden, the club's leading scorer, left Invicta before the 2011–12 season started and signed a deal at rivals Hythe Town, for whom he played against Invicta on the Boxing Day derby between the two clubs in 2011. It was the first time the two clubs had played each other in a league game for 14 years. Invicta won the game 8–0 watched by a crowd of 1,018.
The 2011/12 season was a good season for Invicta, finishing in 4th place. The supporters and players of the club are happy after a tough 2-0 away win at local rivals Hythe Town. They secured a play-off spot after beating Chipstead 4-1. Invicta lost though to Dulwich Hamlet 2-1 at Champion Hill, so another season in the Isthmian League Division One South for Invicta. Long time servant Micheal Everitt who had over 500 appearances for Invicta left to Kent rivals Whitstable Town.
The 2012/13 season saw Invicta again make the promotion play-offs, only to be beaten 1-0 by Maidstone United in the semi-finals.
Ground
Folkestone Invicta play their home games at The Fullicks Stadium, Cheriton Road, Folkestone, Kent, CT19 5JU.
Current squad
According to [1]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Honours
- Kent League Division Two Champions 1991–92
- Kent League Cup Winners 1991–92
- Won Isthmian League Division One Play-Off 2009–10
- Runners-Up Isthmian League Division One 2009–10, 2013–14
- Runners Up Eastern Division, Southern League 1999–2000
- Runners-Up Kent League Division One 1997–98
- Runners-Up Kent Senior Cup 1998–99
- Runners-Up Plaaya Kent Senior Trophy 1993–94
Records
- Record attendance: 2,322 v West Ham United, friendly match, November 1996
Former players
1. Players that have played/managed in the Football League or any foreign equivalent to this level (i.e. fully professional league).
2. Players with full international caps.
3. Players that hold a club record.
References
External links
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