Tunbridge Wells Footbal Club Official Brochure by Ludis

Official Br O chure 2024 | 2025

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mem

the late, great Ken Br O mley

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“The group of lads around the Team and the supporters are, what makes the

– Jacob Feasey

Photography by Harvey Aspell

Photography by Danni Robins

Tunbridge

Wells Football Club are very much the Club of the town, and our structure provides opportunities for many, to enjoy playing the game locally

This season, we are operating an impressive 5 senior sides, from our main ground, The Culverden Stadium, as well as Cadogan playing fields.

Our First Team play at step 5 of the football pyramid, in the SCEFL Premier Division, our U23 side are reigning champions of the SCEFL Development West Division.

We have 2 Reserve sides, ecompassing a wide geographical area, one playing in the Mid Sussex Premier Division, whilst the other play in the Kent County League.

Finally, another new side this season, is our Development side, who compete in the Sevenoaks league.

This commitment to providing football for all, is unsurpassed in the local area, providing the best pathway from our successful Youth Club, as well as adults from the local area. We are a friendly, welcoming Club, heavily

Club of the town

reliant on the support of local volunteers to function. Our small, tight knit Committee is always on the look out for people who can spare some time to assist with an array of roles, whether that’s matchday support of administrational, we would love to hear from you, if you have some time and passion to spare?

Despite a tough couple of years, since the Clubhouse fire, we are blessed with a tremendous set of supporters, which really gives us a unique family feel, there is always a warm welcome to new fans, so why not try getting down to watch a game in the near future.

Senior football has been played in Tunbridge Wells since 1886

although the Club has had different names. Tunbridge Wells Wanderers might be the best, though un-used, name as eight different grounds have been used around the town. The post war years have, however, seen the town’s team almost entirely based either at the present Culverden Stadium or the Agricultural Show Grounds on what is now the Showfields Estate.

In its heyday Tunbridge Wells played regularly in front of four-figure crowds and was a significant force in non-league football. The 1920s and 30s in particular were heady days when long cup runs were almost an expectation of the supporters and Football League opposition was not unusual in the FA Cup. Tunbridge Wells’ first Kent League fixture took place in 1903 with Sittingbourne providing the opposition. Before World War II, the club also competed in the London and Southern Leagues.

«On

2005 Tunbridge Wells made European football history

Wednesday, 31st August

After the war, The Wells briefly resumed playing as an amateur club, although success and a return to semi-professional status were not far around the corner. In 1954 during the reign of the former England International, Jim Taylor as manager, the club once more progressed to the First Round Proper of the FA Cup before being comprehensively beaten by Brighton. Honours in this era included a unique treble of Kent Senior Cup, Kent Senior Shield and Kent League Cup all in the same season. The last time that Tunbridge Wells reached the first round proper of the FA Cup was in 1961 when the team was narrowly edged out by Aldershot. When England won the world cup in 1966 the football supporters of Tunbridge Wells must have thought everything was rosy with the town’s club also, by now back in the Southern League. However, the club collapsed and in 1967 it was left to the determination of supporters, who knew that they and their town deserved better, to see that the present day club came into being. They entered the Kent Premier League and by the next year the regeneration of the club was so complete that the team finished as Kent League runners-up. The Wells won the Kent League championship in 1985, and have also won the Kent League Cup on four occasions since the reformation of the club.

Floodlights were installed at Culverden in 1992 and the Club gained a 30 years extension to the lease of the ground in 1995. An impressive new bank of terracing was subsequently added behind one of the goals in addition to a new clubhouse.

On Wednesday, 31st August 2005 Tunbridge Wells made European football history by winning the longest penalty shoot-out for a senior cup match. 40 spot kicks were taken with The Wells triumphant by 16-15 over Littlehampton Town in the FA Cup Preliminary Round. The story attracted the attention of the national press with several carrying interviews and details of the record within their sports pages over the following days. A mid-season appointment of Martin Farnie resulted in Tunbridge Wells reaching their first senior cup final for 14 years, when the Kent Senior Trophy Final was reached. Unfortunately, The Wells lost the final to VCD Athletic on yet another penalty shoot-out, following a 1-1 draw after extra time.

Although the Courier Cup was won during the ensuing pre-season with a 4-2 win over Tonbridge Angels, Season 2006/07 never delivered on the promise shown, and a poor start to Season 2007/08 brought about the appointment of a new manager, Mike Robbins and his assistant Martin Larkin who

had both been successfully overseeing the reserves, and who immediately looked to build a side capable of competing going into Season 2008/09.

The Mike Robbins era brought about an exciting finish to 2007/08 and an impressive start to 2008/09 with The Wells in the mix for honours moving in to Christmas, before a run of bad form led to a mid-table finish.

In pre-season 2009/10 Robbins stepped down as manager, joining League One outfit Exeter City in a scouting capacity, and Martin Larkin was presented with his first senior management role - with former Port Vale and current Tunbridge Wells player Brad Sandeman as his assistant.

With no playing budget, Larkin set about assembling a squad of local players and achieved a 7th place finish in his first year in charge. Top six was achieved in Season 2010/11 along with the best progress in the FA Cup since 1969/70 Season (Dulwich Hamlet being among the scalps claimed), a lengthy run in the FA Vase (five rounds), and another Kent Senior Trophy final (lost 1-3 to Erith Town). More than 100 goals were scored in all competitions over the course of the season.

Larkin’s time in charge of The Wells is becoming established as one of continual improvements (all the while without a playing budget), and off the pitch the average crowd is reflecting those on-pitch improvements. Nevertheless, when Season 2012/13 approached, nobody could have reasonably expected what unfolded. The club became only the second from Kent to reach the FA Vase Final (lost 1-2 to Spennymoor) and won the Kent Senior Trophy for the first time, courtesy of a 2-1 win over Lordswood in the Final.

New post-1967 record crowds of 1,180 and then 1,754 were also recorded at Culverden in the FA Vase Quarter Final against Hadleigh United and the Semi Final (first leg) against Shildon respectively, while 16,751 watched the FA Vase Final at Wembley. Ultimately, these achievements represent what can happen when a tallented core of local players - many of whom were unearthed as rough diamonds - can be brought together and kept together for a few seasons. Further cultivation would surely mean that the future again looks rosy at Culverden.

On the eve of the club’s 125th Anniversary Season (2011/12), the Courier Cup was secured with Crowborough beaten 4-0 in the Final, and expectations were raised with a minimum Top 5 finish in the League, and another lengthy run in the FA Vase outlined as targets. Both were achieved with The Wells matching their best previous FA Vase performances to reach the last 32 (Fourth Round Proper).

Senior Football in the Wells

When and where did it all start?

The first senior side was formed in 1886 at a meeting held in the Mount Ephraim Hotel on October 7th of that year. This club was an amateur club, what must be remembered is that there was a strict distinction between amateur and professional until the 1970’s.

Playing only friendlies at first, it wasn’t until 1902 that they played in the FA Cup and 1905 before they played league football. They played under the name of Tunbridge

Wells FC and were known as the “Two Blues” this was to distinguish them from the professional team Tunbridge Wells Rangers who were founded in 1903.

Sadly the Two Blues played their last match on April 29th 1914 and were never reformed after the !st World War, although the Wells had two senior sides from 1903 to 1914 it was felt the town could no longer support two clubs.

It was the Kent League that ensured we had a side called Tunbridge Wells Rangers as it was the Vale Rangers who wanted to turn professional and join the Kent League who would only accept them if they used the towns name. The Rangers existed until 1940 when again a World War saw the demise of the club.

After the War the town were very cautious about reforming should it be an amateur or professional side bearing in mind they had already turned down the option of going back to the Southern League. Their answer was to take the easy option and form a club Tunbridge Wells FC to play in the Kent Amateur League. They re-joined the Kent League in 1950 and turned professional in 1952 adding the name United. Having turned down the Southern League after the war they eventually joined in 1959. Having moved to the Culverden in 1962 to complicate things they changed their name again to Tunbridge Wells Rangers in the hope of recreating some of the glories of the 1930’s also changing their colours back to that used before the war.

This change was a total failure as in 1967 the club folded, completely broke, and leaving rather a bad name in local football.

So at last we have the club you now support, but only after much hard work especially by Peter Saunders and Des Hitch, as on August 19th 1967 under the management of Dennis Way the Wells beat Canterbury City Reserves 3.2 in the Kent Premier League. The new club had to drop the name Rangers and the local council again refused to buy the ground which was offered to them for £14,000 (£315,000) in today’s money.

A rather complicated story but we can look more closely at the achievements of the clubs later

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Having looked at when the two Tunbridge Wells Football Clubs were founded, we now look at where they played:

We start with the Two Blues; 1886-91; Lower Cricket Ground - this was next to the London Road by the Church Road traffic lights. It is very obvious that one of its failings was that it never was an enclosed ground. As the club only played friendlies at that time it

did not matter until in 1890 when the Kent Badge cup competition was formed this very quickly was renamed the Kent Senior Cup. The Two Blues took the bold step of entering and were drawn to play Tonbridge, but they needed to have an enclosed ground So the Headmaster of Skinners School the Rev TP Knott allowed the match to be played on the ground behind the school the only condition was that the boys were allowed in free. The result Two Blues 3 Tonbridge 0.

Looking back - Where did they play?

The grounds

1891-98 & 1906-07 | Down Lane

Down Lane was renamed Culverden Down around 1900. The ground was behind the Primary School and near what is now Whitefield Road. In September 1907 the ground was sold for building.

1898-1906 | The Nevill

The ground was given to the town by the Marquess Of Abergavenny as an athletics, cricket and football ground. The football pitch was where the tennis courts are now. At the time it was felt the ground was too far out and at the wrong end of the town.. After a fall out with the tennis club in September 1906 as to which club had access to the ground in the month of September. The football club lost and decided to return to Down Lane.

1907-11 | Swiss Cottage

Swiss Cottage was a folly built in 1830 and the ground was opposite the White House in Culverden Down approximately where Derwent Drive is now.

1911-14 | Ferndale

Charity Farm, Ferndale this was the worst ground in whatever league the Wells played in this was particularily so with the Isthmian

League. The ground later became the Hilbert Recreation Ground. Now we come to the Rangers 1903-06; Swiss Cottage - When the Rangers moved on the Two Blues took over.

1906-09 | Combley Park

The ground was at the end of Southfields Road on the site of what is now the Girls Grammar school. The name Combley was the name of the farmer who owned Down Farm. The council required them to move so the school could be built in 1909.

1909-10 | Powder Mill Lane

The ground was on the right up behind the Cross Keys which were used as the changing rooms. The ground which was found in a rush was not suitable for senior football as passers-by could watch the game from the road even then it had a record gate of 1200. The ground was only used for one season.

1910-40 | Down Farm

The ground lay between Reynolds Lane and the A26 a present map shows it to have been behind where Leighton Close is now the exact position is I believe is where the football pitch is now on the far side of the playing field.

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Post War; There have been

three grounds used by the club since the 2nd World War

1947-50 & 1951-52 (part of) season 1952-53 | Down Farm

Although the ground was still called Down Farm it was a different pitch closer to the town and between the A26 and the artificial hockey pitch. This ground had no covered accommodation and was shared with the Telephones FC

1950-51 (part of) 1952-53 - 1961-62

| Eridge Road

The ground also known as the Agricultural Ground was where the Showfields Estate is now, to pinpoint the exact position of the pitch the goalmouth closest to the A26 is where the Rowan Tree Road Surgery is now.

1961-62 onwards | The Culverden Stadium

Now over 60 years the home of Tunbridge Wells FC by far the longest stay and looking at the pitch now the best they have had. This was not always so as after the visit of Hereford United in 1964 they commented “Tunbridge Wells Rangers having been forced to move grounds only two years previously, the facilities were little better than those of a village green and the rock hard surface caused a number of injuries”

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Tunbridge Wells 2-0 Wantage Town

Binfield 1-2 Tunbridge Wells

Tunbridge Wells 1-0 Dunston UTS

Larkhall Athletic 3-4 Tunbridge Wells

Tunbridge Wells 2-0 Hadleigh Utd

Tunbridge Wells 2-0 Shildon (1st leg)

Shildon 3-2 Tunbridge Wells (2nd leg)

Spennymoor Town 2-1 Tunbridge Wells

Road to Wembley - FA Vase

The 1st Team

Our First Team play in the SCEFL (Southern Counties Eastern Football League) League, which is in the 9th tier of the football pyramid.

The team are managed by Steve Ives, in his second season at the helm, and looking to build on last season’s 13th place finish.

Steve’s backroom team is as follows:

Steph Harper – Assistant Manager

Adam Porter – Goalkeeper Coach

Wayne Emerson – Coach

Steve Tindle – Coach

Richard Withers – Physio

George Stevenson – Physio

Why not come down to one of our games, and see what a special environment it is, you will be guaranteed a warm welcome

At the time of print, the side sit 8th in the division and are still in the prestigious FA Vase competition, with dreams of repeating Martin Larkin’s class of 2013 heroics by reaching Wembley!

We have a strong ethos for giving young, local players an opportunity, often promoting players from our U23 & U18 squads. 12 of the current squad are local players, &/or have come through the youth section, this is something we are really proud of and a big factor in giving the Club an inclusive family feel.

“It’s been a tough couple of years, since the Clubhouse fire, and I think most people in the know would accept that with the challenges we’ve faced, it’s been a success to stay well clear of relegation last season. Obviously, this year we are looking to improve on our league position, and at the very least, make sure that we are competitive in every game we play. We are also committed to working with young players, looking to improve and better themselves, we have a strong coaching team, all dedicated to helping people be the best that they can.”

Why our players love the Club?

“The thing I love best about the Club, is the large number of fans, who follow us home & away cheering us on!” – Harry Hudson

“The group of lads around the Team and the supporters are what makes the Club so good!” – Jacob Feasey

“One of the most loyal fanbases in the league, with familiar faces following both home and away. The fan’s support isn’t just on matchdays, they take an interest in players, getting to know us personally – it’s really a family Club!” – Siji Akinlusi

“I love the fans of this Club and the atmosphere they create at every game, their support is unwavering and doesn’t go unnoticed” – Josh McArthur Nolan

Fixtures

Type

Kent Snr Trophy 12/10/24 15:00 Tunbridge Wells - Erith & Belvedere Culverden Stadium

FA Vase 19/10/24 15:00 Tunbridge Wells - Pagham Culverden Stadium

Premier 22/10/24 19:45 Tunbridge Wells - Corinthian Culverden Stadium

Premier 26/10/24 15:00 Tunbridge Wells - Whitstable Town Culverden Stadium

Premier 02/11/24 15:00 Hollands & Blair - Tunbridge Wells Star Meadow Sports Club

Premier 09/11/24 15:00 Tunbridge Wells - Lordswood AFC Culverden Stadium

Premier 16/11/24 15:00 Erith & Belvedere - Tunbridge Wells Park View Road Stadium

Premier 30/11/24 15:00 Glebe - Tunbridge Wells Glebe FC

Premier 07/12/24 15:00 Tunbridge Wells - Kennington Culverden Stadium

Premier 14/12/24 15:00 Corinthian - Tunbridge Wells Corinthians Sports Club

Premier 21/12/24 15:00 Tunbridge Wells - Faversham Town Culverden Stadium

Premier 28/12/24 15:00 Tunbridge Wells - Sutton Athletic Culverden Stadium

Premier 04/01/25 15:00 Bearsted - Tunbridge Wells Otham Sports Ground

Premier 11/01/25 15:00 Tunbridge Wells - Punjab United Culverden Stadium

Premier 18/01/25 15:00 Snodland Town - Tunbridge Wells Potyns Sports Ground

Premier 25/01/25 15:00 Tunbridge Wells - Hollands & Blair Culverden Stadium

Premier 08/02/25 15:00 Whitstable Town - Tunbridge Wells Whitstable Town FC

Premier 15/02/25 15:00 Faversham Town - Tunbridge Wells Faversham Town FC

Premier 01/03/25 15:00 Tunbridge Wells - Erith & Belvedere Culverden Stadium

Premier 08/03/25 15:00 Lydd Town - Tunbridge Wells The Lindsey Field

Premier 15/03/25 15:00 Tunbridge Wells - Fisher Culverden Stadium

Premier 22/03/25 15:00 Lordswood AFC - Tunbridge Wells Lordswood Sports Club

Premier 29/03/25 15:00 Tunbridge Wells - VCD Athletic Culverden Stadium

Premier 05/04/25 15:00 Tunbridge Wells - Larkfield & New Hythe Culverden Stadium

Premier 12/04/25 15:00 Stansfeld - Tunbridge Wells The Artic Stadium

Premier 21/04/25 15:00 Tunbridge Wells - Rusthall Culverden Stadium

Premier 26/04/25 15:00 Holmesdale - Tunbridge Wells Holmesdale FC

An electrical fault has been identified as the cause of the fire at Tunbridge Wells Football Club, as reported by Kent Fire and Rescue Service. The club described the aftermath as “almost complete destruction” after board members assessed the damage. Images show the devastation at the Culverden Stadium clubhouse, which was severely damaged, with the roof, ceilings, and walls destroyed, leaving thick black debris throughout.

The club was still grappling with the devastating loss of a long-time supporter who was struck by a van after departing from a game

The club expressed, “This is a dark day, in a dark week, for everyone connected to Tunbridge Wells Football Club. Thankfully, no one was injured.” They are also mourning a long-time supporter who tragically passed away after being struck by a van following a match on January 7. A minute’s silence and applause were held in his memory at Saturday’s game. Following inspections, the club determined the clubhouse would be “unusable for the foreseeable future” and secured the site, advising fans to stay away due to its dangerous condition. Fire crews responded just after 9 PM on Thursday, using four engines to extinguish the blaze by midnight. The club, which has a strong local following, plans to implement fundraising measures and will share details soon.

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Opening hours:

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■ 4* VIP tickets to game

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