Bexley Football Club 1884
History of Bexley Football Club
The exact date that Bexley FC was formed was uncertain. The current Chairman had letterhead dating back to the sixties stating 1885, but the Football Association had Bexley FC first registered in 1886. So the club had adopted this date as their formation. The club were finally given confirmation of their formation from the FA Historian as 1884.
We have in survival reports and financial statements, the oldest being for the 1935-36 season. The income for the year totalled £159 1s 0d and the expenditure for the year also £159 1s 0d. The club made a profit of £14.17s.10d, obviously the club had a good accountant in those days. The following is an extract from the report for that year.
‘No honours have come our way during the past season, but, bearing in mind the fact that two of our most promising players have immigrated to other clubs, we feel that we have had a satisfactory season and as we have found several promising young players, we look forward to better results in the coming season. It is interesting to record that our former inside right, James Daniels, who left us to join the Millwall Club midway through the season, got his place in their English League side almost immediately and retained it throughout the season. Our best wishes to him. The Reserve Team have had rather a poor season, but have great hopes for the coming season.’
For season 1936-37 the Club will again compete in the Football Association and the Football Association Amateur Challenge Cups, the Kent Senior and Kent Amateur Cup Competitions and the Kent Amateur League (Premier Division). The Junior side will again compete in Division 2 of the Kent Amateur League and the County Junior Cup, etc.”
Friday May 24th 1946 Bexley FC amalgamated with Bexley Utd and have retained the name Bexley Football Club ever since. In 1940 Bexley asked the Kent FA if they could become a senior club. We have a letter form the Kent FA stating ‘Your club chose to become a senior club in 1927’ so we already in fact had the status. Bexley remained a senior club until approximately 1980 when they lost their senior status and went into the Kent Amateur League.
The club currently plays a several locations, the main ground being St Marys Recreation Ground in Bexley, where the club has played for 90 years. Prior to 1980 the club had 3 senior teams playing in the Kent League, the Spartan League and the South London Alliance.
Today the 2 senior teams play in the South London Alliance League. The club has competed in the FA Amateur Cup and the Kent Senior and Amateur Cups.
In 1998 the current Chairman Terry Peck started coaching the 8 and 9 year old boys from Old Bexley School in Hurst Road Bexley, they were called Bexley Juniors, and Terry affiliated them to Bexley FC. As there were several other local clubs called Bexley (eg Bexley Dynamos, Bexley Darts, Bexley Pumas) the name Juniors was dropped shortly after.
In season 2007-08 Bexley FC had 7 teams. But now, because of demand, another mini soccer team has been introduced giving Bexley FC 6 Junior and 2 Senior Teams.
The managers are all currently reviewing the possibility of introducing girls football to the club and after several meetings the committee is in full favour of the club being represented in all age groups from under 8’s to under 18’s as well as continuing with senior football to the highest possible standard.
Bexley FC 1911- 1912
Bexley FC would like to thank Mrs. Olivia Lewis for donating this photograph.
Olivia’s father was Mr. Arthur Sunderland who is pictured below in the back row, second from the right.The names are a little unclear on the photograph, but the line-up is as follows:
L to R Back Row: H. Upton (coach), E. Williams, F. Kennard, C. D. Kliegi, N.S. Christmas, A Sunderland, F. Hoath
L to R Front Row: S. Webb, A. J. Vine, D. S. Baker (vice-capt), E. Stagg, F. H. Harrop
Bexley FC 1911 – 1912
