Our objective is to apply for the Kent Invicta League, says APM Contrast boss Kris Browning

APM CONTRAST have today thrown their name into the ring and have confirmed they will apply to play in the Kent Invicta League next season.


Dartford based Crown Alexandra withdrew from the League on Wednesday but APM Contrast manager Kris Browning says his club will apply to enter the Step Six League next season.

There is speculation that Fleet Leisure (based at Rochester United FC and presently in sixth-place in the Haart of Kent County League Premier) are also looking to apply.

Milton & Fulston United (based at Sittingbourne’s Bourne Park and presently in fourth-place in the Haart of Kent County League Division One) have confirmed their intentions.

Charlton Athletic Community, who withdrew from the Kent County League at the end of last season, tweeted that “they will consider an application to join the Kent Invicta League next season.”

APM Contrast, the artist formerly known as Aylesford Paper Mills, have the facilities to stage Kent Invicta League football because they play at Honey Lane, Otham, which hosts  Bearsted’s games at that level.

The club played football at their traditional ground at the Cobdown Sports & Social Club, at Station Road, Ditton since their formation back in 1919.

But they admitted it was a wrench to leave their traditional base at the end of last season and struck a groundshare agreement with land owner Albert McNaughton to become joint tenants with Bearsted, eight miles away.

“It was a bit of a wrench for us to leave Cobdown in Ditton, which has been our ground for many years,” said Browning, who turns 38 on Christmas Eve.

“It was sad to leave there but the management at Cobdown Sports Club were not looking for us to progress.

“We had plans to do the stand up and put changing rooms in and put floodlights up but due to it being up for sale for two to three years they weren’t willing to rock the boat.

“They weren’t willing to help us push the club forward. It was a massive wrench to leave there because the clubhouse and the facilities there were superb but they were not good enough to get into the Ken Invicta League.

“We were given the opportunity by Albert McNaughton, who owns the land and he said we could apply for the Kent Invicta League.

“We knew the ground was approved because Bearsted play there, who are also tenants of Albert.

“It’s sad to leave Cobdown but we’ve got aspirations to push the club forward one way or another.”

APM Contrast are in eighth-place in the Haart of Kent County League Premier, with four wins and five draws from their thirteen games.  They are eleven points behind leaders Metrogas at the halfway point of their campaign.

Browning said: “It’s been sort of an up and down season. I got rid, not got rid, a lot of lads called it a day last year so I managed to get a few youngsters’ in. I’ve got quite a few lads under the age of 20.

“It’s been a mixed season so far but we’ve done quite well. We’ve done alright so far.

“We’ve really enjoyed it (at Honey Lane). It was a bit hard at first because we were out of our own area so we did lose a couple of players due to the fact that we did move but we did gain players well.

“It’s a lovely facility over there with the potential to get better – we’re really enjoying our time there.

“Speaking to Albert, who is the ground owner, he wants us to stay there and he’s encouraged us to get funding and things so it’s all looking good.”

Browning added: “We’re going to apply to go into the Kent Invicta League next season without a doubt. That was the main objective to leave Cobham.

“We’ll apply like any others and see where we get on from there.”

Browning, who has Graham Porter (ex Gravesend & Northfleet and Margate) and Tom Adlington (ex-Ashford Town) playing for him,  insists his side will be able to cope with a higher level of football.

He added: “I think we will do. I’ve got some good youngsters at the moment. I’ve not been very lucky with injuries this year. We lost a couple of players who wanted to go and play a bit higher so I gave them a blessing too.

“But we’ve got a very good reserve side and a good youth policy and I think if we go up we’ll have a good chance of attracting more players.  We’ve got a good enough squad at the moment.

“I just think with the facilities we’ve got at Otham I think we’re more than capable of holding our own there. There’s always players’ we know who will come and strengthen us.

“That’s our objective, to apply for the Kent Invicta League.”

APM Contrast are looking to improve the facilities at their new ground.

Browning said: “We’re looking more to do up the clubhouse because it’s been neglected so we’re looking forward to doing things like that with projects, funding and sponsors. I think we’ve made the right moves in moving to Otham. We just need a bit of support really, people to help us out.

APM Contrast welcome Sheerness East to Honey Lane on Saturday.  Sheerness are second-from-bottom in the table, with two wins and two draws from their twelve league outings and are off the foot of the table because they have a better goal difference than Bredhurst Juniors.

Browning said: “We’ve been playing well over the last few weeks so I’m optimistic we can do well against them.  We do owe them because they beat us 4-1 earlier in the season and we deserved to lose.

“We played really well against Farnborough. We played them off the park. We just couldn’t convert our possession into goals.”

APM Contrast  v  Sheerness East
Haart of Kent County League Premier
Saturday 15^th December 2012
Kick Off 2:00pm
at Otham Sports Club, Honey Lane, Otham, Maidstone, Kent ME15 8RG