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Corinthian F.C. (Kent)
Encyclopedia
Corinthian Football Club is an English association football club formed in 1972
at Hartley
in Kent
by a millionaire builder named Ron Billings, mainly to give his sons a club to play for. The club fielded an adult side which played at the Gay Dawn Farm sports complex and enjoyed a sudden short run of success in the 1980s. The club returned to the Kent League
in 2009 after a lengthy absence.
The motto was simply “pro omnium beneficio”- for the benefit of all, but on the pitch the principles were simple; “Hard, but fair”. Losing wasn’t considered before the game, but if the result went against them then the team were taught to take it graciously.
For the first ten years of the club's existence they welcomed such teams as Tottenham Hotspur
, Charlton Athletic
and Norwich City
amongst other league teams as well as county and district representative sides as opposition. On top of these games these were many regular visitors to Gay Dawn Farm from local clubs making up a fixture list of 60 games per season.
During the 1980s with the arrival of an experienced football manager, Tony Sitford, they progressed from youth football into competitive men’s football playing in the Southern League
, at the time a level 7 league in the English football league system
. This level of football by a totally amateur club made them unique, but caused problems in the long run in attracting new players. In their first season in the league they finished a creditable fifth, but subsequent seasons saw them slide down the table until they finished bottom and were relegated to the Kent League
in 1991
. They subsequently slipped into the Kent League Division Two (renamed Division One in 1998).
Early in the new century they reviewed the whole football club and decided that they had lost their roots in youth football and this was having a detrimental effect on the senior side, so decided to withdraw temporarily from senior football, whilst rebuilding the lower levels of the club. In 2008 they had managed to create a club running five sides from 13 years old through to 18 years old and needed progression. They integrated a senior side within Welling United
and developed a reserve side playing in the Kent League Division Two. This set up has moved on now to the Suburban league, but is still being run from Gay Dawn Farm.
In 2009, following the withdrawal of Slade Green
, the league amended its constitution to allow the club to return to the Premier Division under its own name.
and Gillingham
star Andy Hessenthaler
, who played at Gay Dawn as a teenager Jimmy Bullard
, currently at Hull City
, also used to play for the Fawkham
based side.
1972 in football (soccer)
The following are the football events of the year 1972 throughout the world.-Events:*Copa Libertadores 1972: Won by Independiente after defeating Universitario de Deportes on an aggregate score of 2-1....
at Hartley
Hartley, Kent
This article is about the village in North Kent, England. For the South Kent village of the same name see Hartley, Cranbrook. For other uses, see Hartley ....
in 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...
by a millionaire builder named Ron Billings, mainly to give his sons a club to play for. The club fielded an adult side which played at the Gay Dawn Farm sports complex and enjoyed a sudden short run of success in the 1980s. The club returned to the Kent League
Kent League
The Kent League is an English football league for teams based in Kent and south east London, which was established in 1966. It was also the name of a similar league which existed from 1894 until 1959.-History:...
in 2009 after a lengthy absence.
History
Corinthian FC was founded in 1972 by Ron Billings to provide football in a safe environment, whilst teaching the players the principles that he believed to be important in sport.The motto was simply “pro omnium beneficio”- for the benefit of all, but on the pitch the principles were simple; “Hard, but fair”. Losing wasn’t considered before the game, but if the result went against them then the team were taught to take it graciously.
For the first ten years of the club's existence they welcomed such teams as Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
, Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
and Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
amongst other league teams as well as county and district representative sides as opposition. On top of these games these were many regular visitors to Gay Dawn Farm from local clubs making up a fixture list of 60 games per season.
During the 1980s with the arrival of an experienced football manager, Tony Sitford, they progressed from youth football into competitive men’s football playing in the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
, at the time a level 7 league in the English football league system
English football league system
The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for association football clubs in England, with six teams from Wales also competing...
. This level of football by a totally amateur club made them unique, but caused problems in the long run in attracting new players. In their first season in the league they finished a creditable fifth, but subsequent seasons saw them slide down the table until they finished bottom and were relegated to the Kent League
Kent League
The Kent League is an English football league for teams based in Kent and south east London, which was established in 1966. It was also the name of a similar league which existed from 1894 until 1959.-History:...
in 1991
1991 in football (soccer)
The following are the football events of the year 1991 throughout the world.- Events :*UEFA Champions League 1991: FK Red Star wins 5-3 on penalties over Olympique de Marseille after 0-0 draw....
. They subsequently slipped into the Kent League Division Two (renamed Division One in 1998).
Early in the new century they reviewed the whole football club and decided that they had lost their roots in youth football and this was having a detrimental effect on the senior side, so decided to withdraw temporarily from senior football, whilst rebuilding the lower levels of the club. In 2008 they had managed to create a club running five sides from 13 years old through to 18 years old and needed progression. They integrated a senior side within Welling United
Welling United F.C.
Welling United Football Club are an English football club, based in Welling in the London Borough of Bexley. They currently play in the Conference South. The 2010–11 season was not a good one for them as the club had financial problems, nearly going bankrupt but lots of supporters chipped in and...
and developed a reserve side playing in the Kent League Division Two. This set up has moved on now to the Suburban league, but is still being run from Gay Dawn Farm.
Slade Green F.C.
Slade Green F.C. is a football club based in Slade Green in the London Borough of Bexley, England. They were established in 1946 and played in the Kent League from 1970 until 2009.-History:...
, the league amended its constitution to allow the club to return to the Premier Division under its own name.
Notable former players
Notable players to play for Corinthian include the former WatfordWatford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
and Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
star Andy Hessenthaler
Andy Hessenthaler
Andrew "Andy" Hessenthaler is an English football manager and former player, currently in his second spell as manager of Gillingham. Hessenthaler began his career in non-league football and did not turn professional until he joined Watford at the age of 26...
, who played at Gay Dawn as a teenager Jimmy Bullard
Jimmy Bullard
James Richard "Jimmy" Bullard is a footballer who currently plays for Ipswich Town. He played youth football at West Ham before moving to Gravesend & Northfleet in 1998...
, currently at Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
, also used to play for the Fawkham
Fawkham
Fawkham is a village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, England. The parish is located to the north-east of Sevenoaks town. The main village in the parish is Fawkham Green. The railway station now called Longfield was originally called Fawkham.The 12th century parish church is...
based side.
Club records
- Best league performance: 5th in Southern League Southern Division (level 7), 1985/86
- Best FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
performance: 2nd qualifying round, 1993/94 - Best FA VaseFA VaseThe Football Association Challenge Vase is an annual football competition for teams playing below Step 4 of the English National League System...
performance: 5th round, 1987/88