Gillingham to stage Kent Senior Cup Final to mark 125th anniversary

The Kent Senior Cup will celebrate its 125^th anniversary season by taking the final back to Gillingham’s Preistfield Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday, 5 May 2014.


The PortableFloodlights.com Kent Senior Cup celebrates its 125^th anniversary this season, having been first played in its current format in the 1888-1889 season with Chatham taking home the trophy in its first year. 

To celebrate the landmark anniversary, the final will return to Priestfield for the first time in two decades and be held on the May bank holiday weekend.

Priestfield Stadium is the largest football stadium in the county and home to the highest-ranked Kent club in the football pyramid.

Gillingham chairman Paul Scally, welcomed the Kent Senior Cup Final to the ground.

He said in a statement issued on www.kentfa.com: “We’re delighted to host the 125^th Kent Senior Cup Final at Priestfield and happy to be able play a part in the history of this competition.  We’ll do our utmost to make both the competing teams feel welcome and give the final the occasion it deserves.”

Gillingham will again play in the Kent Senior Cup this year alongside other leading Kent clubs Dartford, Ebbsfleet and Charlton Athletic, who still maintain their traditional affiliation to the Kent County FA. 

The Kent boundary historically ran all the way to Tower Bridge in London, and clubs that were previously affiliated are still welcome to affiliate and enter the Kent Senior Cup.

The opening rounds’ fixtures have now been released and have thrown up some exciting matches, with Dartford travelling to their Skrill Premier rivals Welling United and last season’s finalists Tonbridge Angels facing Ebbsfleet United, who they beat in last year’s semi-final. 

Holders Charlton Athletic will travel to Folkestone Invicta to begin the defence of their crown, whilst League One club Gillingham visit Erith & Belvedere. 

The Kent FA run 20 county cups each season, with the Senior Cup being the most prestigious of the competitions, and PortableFloodlights.com will return as competition sponsors for the 2013-2014 Senior Cup for the third year in succession.  

New logos have been commissioned for each of the cups this season, with a special anniversary edition of the Senior Cup for the 125^th anniversary. 

Paul Dolan, the chief executive of the Kent FA explained the reasons behind the early announcement of the final venue.

He said: “In recent years the final has been hosted by one of the competing clubs, but for our 125^th Anniversary final we wanted a marquee venue for the occasion.  We’re very grateful to Paul Scally and the team at Gillingham for agreeing to host this occasion, and we’ll be making further announcements about celebration events to mark the 125^th Anniversary as the season progresses.”

Kent Senior Cup Sponsored by PortableFloodlights.com 2013-2014

First Round Draw:

Welling United  v  Dartford
Erith & Belvedere  v  Gillingham
Dover Athletic  v  Margate
Herne Bay  v  Ramsgate
Chatham Town  v  Sittingbourne
Ebbsfleet United  v  Tonbridge Angels
Folkestone Invicta  v  Charlton Athletic

Second Round Draw:

VCD Athletic  v  Tunbridge Wells
Dover Athletic or Margate  v  Erith & Belvedere or Gillingham
Maidstone United  v  Thamesmead Town
Cray Wanderers  v  Bromley
Hythe Town  v  Faversham Town
Whitstable Town  v  Herne Bay or Ramsgate
Chatham Town or Sittingbourne  v  Ebbsfleet United or Tonbridge Angels
Welling United or Dartford  v  Folkestone Invicta or Charlton Athletic

Visit The Kent Football Association’s website: www.kenta.com