Maidstone FC
Encyclopedia
Maidstone Football Club is a Rugby Union
club based in Maidstone
, Kent
, in southern England
. The club was formed in 1880, and played at a ground closer to the centre of town owned my Dr Moncton. The club faced many strong teams from 1886 onwards, such as Middlesex Wanderers, Harlequins, Richmond, Eton House, London Scottish and Old Merchant Taylors. 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 7 years running from 1974-1980 winning twice and once again in 1987. During the 1970s, Maidstone 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.
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 3 South East 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. The club is currently in London 2 (SE). During a match against Gravesend R.F.C. On the 17th of January 2010, a Maidstone player gouged Gravesend player, Clarence Harding. After a Rugby Football Union hearing on the 12th of January 2011, the club were fined £2000 and docked 50 points.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club based in Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, in southern England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The club was formed in 1880, and played at a ground closer to the centre of town owned my Dr Moncton. The club faced many strong teams from 1886 onwards, such as Middlesex Wanderers, Harlequins, Richmond, Eton House, London Scottish and Old Merchant Taylors. 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 7 years running from 1974-1980 winning twice and once again in 1987. During the 1970s, Maidstone 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.
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 3 South East 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. The club is currently in London 2 (SE). During a match against Gravesend R.F.C. On the 17th of January 2010, a Maidstone player gouged Gravesend player, Clarence Harding. After a Rugby Football Union hearing on the 12th of January 2011, the club were fined £2000 and docked 50 points.