Lydd Town

Lydd Town F.C. – A brief history

Lydd Town were formed in 1885. Their early matches were played at The Banks where the cricket ground now lies. Their first trophy success was in 1909/10 when they beat Icklesham 2-0 to win the Rye Charity Cup. Before the First World War Lydd played in the South Eastern (Ashford) League. They moved ground in 1911 to play their matches at The Rype in the centre of Lydd.

In 1920/21 the club joined the Folkestone and District Junior League winning it for the first time in 1926/27. In 1921 their colours were changed from blue and white to red and green which remain their current colours.

The club suspended activities in 1939 and restarted again in 1946 after the war. Considerable success in the league and cups in the years following culminating in the league and cup double in 1958/59 saw Lydd move up to the Kent Amateur League. A new pavilion was built on The Rype in 1961 presented to the town by Alderman Gordon Paine, MBE, for the use of local sports clubs. In 1962/63 their Reserves entered the League. In 1969/70 Lydd won the Kent Amateur League for the first time and retained it the following season. More success in cups followed but it was to be some time before they won the league again.

In 1984/85, after a league re-organisation, Lydd played in Premier Division East instead of the top Senior Division. The league title was won that season and with it promotion into the top division. It was in 1989/90 that Lydd’s most successful period started. They won the League five years in a row, three years in the Eastern Senior Division and following the League re-organisation when the Premier Division as it is now known was formed (combining the Eastern and Western clubs) they won the First Division East two years running. In four of those years the league and cup double was achieved as well as many other cup success. The decision was taken to move up to the Premier Division for the 1994/95 season, despite concern over their facilities not being up to the required standard. Their best finish was runners-up in 1995/96.

The club desperately needed a new ground as their Council owned facilities at The Rype were becoming increasingly criticised and their future as a Premier Division club could have been in doubt. A successful application for a lottery grant was made and with the funds the club raised they moved to their new ground on the outskirts of the town in 1999/00. World Cup hero George Cohen officially opened the ground, named after long serving player, manager and current chairman Pat Lindsey.

Lydd’s most recent successes were in the Kent Intermediate Challenge Shield final in 2000/01 when they defeated Phoenix Sports 1-0 at Ashford Town F.C and in 2002/03 in the Les Leckie Cup Final against Milton Sports at Chatham Town F.C. where they won a penalty shoot-out 5-4 following a 2-2 score after extra time.

Things then became difficult for a few seasons and the first team were relegated from the Premier Division at the end of the 2005/06 season. The first team did however win the Weald of Kent Senior Competition in 2007 beating Premier Division Bromley Green 4-2 in the final.

Further relegation followed but the appointment of Manager Dave Johncock in December 2009 saw the clubs fortunes pick up and in season 2010/11 Lydd were runners up in Division Two East. A successful application was made to be a part of the new Step Six League for 2011/12 and the Club finished the inaugural season in 12th place. In 2012/13, with Dave Smith taking over as manager, Lydd finished 6th and were runners up to Hollands & Blair in the Invicta League Challenge Trophy, losing 4-3 at Homelands Ashford. In season 2013/14 Lydd finished as runners up in the league to Hollands & Blair.

Work has since been carried out on The Lindsey Field which includes the installation of floodlights, two 50 seater stands, turnstile and fencing to fully enclose the ground.

The last few Seasons in the SCEFL First Division have seen Lydd finish 9th in 2016-17, 10th in 2017-18 and 12th in 2018-19.
2019/20 was a wipeout due to Coronovirus as was 2020/21, with the following full year resulting in a 15th placed finish.

Then came the 2022/23 season - and what a season it was! We finished third in the league which was good enough for the play-offs. We beat Faversham Strike Force in the semi and played Tooting Bec in the final, which was switched late on to our home ground.
The game went to penalties following a 1-1 draw and we came out victorious, sealing a place in the Premier Division!

We now excitedly look forward to the 2023/24 campaign.