Sittingbourne

Sittingbourne FC is a non-league football club that was formed in 1886 in the town of the same name in Kent. In 1888 they merged with another local club, Nil Desperandums. They became founder members of the Kent League 

Initially, the club played at the Recreation Ground, the home of former club Sittingbourne United before moving to Gore Court Cricket Ground before moving in 1892 to a field behind The Bull pub in the centre of the town.

Woodstock Park, taken from the internet

A couple of runners-up positions were followed by being crowned as champions in 1902-03 before they left the competition two years later to join Division One of the South Eastern League before returning to the Kent League for the beginning of the 1909-10 campaign. 

The club had a brief spell in the Southern League around the War years and once again a couple of decades later. The 'Brickies' reached the second round of the FA Cup in 1925-26 when Swindon Town ended the run and again in 1928-29 when Walsall were victorious. The club competed in the Eastern Section of the Southern League for three seasons from 1927-28. 

Serious financial issues were overcome in 1932-33, which returned following the War. Eventually, The Bull Ground was purchased in 1954 which was celebrated by a game against Poland. Kent League titles were delivered in 1957-58 and 1958-59 under manager Ike Clarke, which saw the 'Bourne' move back to the Southern League as a Division One side.

When the Kent League was reformed in 1967, Sittingbourne joined it. Three runners-up places ensued before they were crowned as champions in 1975-76 with Gorden Burden leading the side, with yet another runners-up place following in 1981-82. Another Kent League title was racked up in 1983-84 while Peter Laraman managed the team.

Two more second places ensued before the end of the decade. Management spells under Arthur Ervine and Ray Parker ensued, before the appointment of Hugh Stinson. In February 1990 the huge decision was made to sell The Bull Ground for redevelopment. 

The old Main Stand at The Bull Ground

Central Park, sold as being not far from the town centre was a huge site, which included a greyhound track and top-of-the-range facilities. In the first season in their new home, the Brickies lifted the Kent League title as the side went unbeaten throughout.

Sittingbourne went up to the Southern Division of the Southern League where they won the title in 1992-93 with John Ryan managing the team as large crowds flocked to Central Park, with the club being described as the Manchester United of non-league football. Bourne were relegated back to the Southern Division in 1994-95 as Steve Lovell took over team affairs.

The demotion was because the club spent an additional £1 million on the development of their new home as well as the £4.5 million that they received for their former ground. The team bounced back to the Premier Division, winning the Southern Division at the first attempt but huge problems were just around the corner.

The club was locked out of Central Park and greyhound racing ceased. It looked like the end until a deal was agreed between Swale Council and the liquidators. Lovell departed in September 1996 to be replaced by Alan Walker. By March 1997 there was no money to pay the players. 

A deal was signed to stage greyhound racing once more and offer the club their required lease. During the 1997-98 season, both Arsenal and Millwall sent teams to play friendlies at Central Park to help raise cash while waiving their expenses, before the Brickies were relegated.

Central Park's main stand

In their more modest surroundings, Sittingbourne could adjust financially with Stinson returning without payment in March 1999. He was replaced by John Roles eight months later. The club got a lucky break as they were reprieved from relegation to the Kent League following the demise of Baldock Town.

Mark Beeney came in as manager in October 2001 before the club made the decision to move out of Central Park in 2002-03 and develop one of the training pitches on the complex with stands and call it Bourne Park. That included the original stand from The Bull Ground, which was brought back to life.

Steve Nolan took charge before Lovell returned in March 2005 before the club became members of Division One South of the Isthmian League from 2006-07. Gary Abbott was appointed as manager in November 2007 taking his side to a Kent County Cup win before his playing budget was cut.

The terraced cover at Central Park

Richard Brady, Joe Dowley, and the duo of Jim and Danny Ward took charge in short spells, with the club moving to the south of the town to Woodstock Park for the 2012-13 season under new chairman Maurice Dunk after Bourne Park became outdated and expensive to maintain. 

Matt Wyatt and Nick Davis became joint managers of the side in September 2013 before Wyatt was handed the sole reins in July 2014. He lasted a few months before Davis was given his chance. Aslan Ödev was appointed in the role in January 2018 with the club being placed in Division South East of the Isthmian League for the following season.

The stand from The Bull Ground
given a second life at Bourne Park

In January 2019 Chris Lynch became Sittingbourne's manager before he was succeeded by Darren Blackburn just over a year later. Nick Davis returned in May 2022 to take up the role until he was replaced seven months later by Ryan Maxwell. The Brickies reached the playoffs in 2023-24, losing their home semifinal to Three Bridges.

The signs of promise were in place, with the 2024-25 season seeing Sittingbourne go on a tremendous FA Trophy run, defeating Salisbury, and Southend United. 

Sittingbourne FC will play in the Isthmian League South East Division in the 2024-25 season.

My visit

Central Park an Bourne Park

Friday 16th July 2010

I was on annual leave from work so I decided after plenty of research to have a day’s groundhopping in North Kent. I had a relaxing break in Faversham after I undertook other ground visits before arriving in Sittingbourne. I had wanted to visit both Bourne and Central Park for some time. 

My parents had mentioned they’d visited the town when I was just a nipper to visit relatives. I remembered when living in Scarborough how Sittingbourne were making big noises about moving up through the leagues at their super stadium when they first moved in. 

Added to this, my good mate and fellow Scarborough fan, Simon Keane worked near to the ground so I’d no doubt get the chance to see him. I needed a walk after my splendid pub lunch in Faversham and sure enough, I got one. The stadium's complex was on the far side of an industrial estate along soulless roads. 

The approach to the grounds was Church Road, which had some very old terraced houses, a boarded-up pub, a sports and social club, restricted access and a general feel of neglect. Everywhere seemed litter strewn and overgrown. Simon telephoned me and agreed to meet me outside the stadium once I'd completed my tasks. 

The entrance to Central Park was certainly grand. It had a huge gateway and car park with an imposing Main Stand. It would have graced a Football League club, but it had been built in completely the wrong place. No buses served the stadium and unless you have a car it would need a very devoted supporter to go on foot on a dark midweek night. 

All the stadium was locked up, so I couldn't get inside. I know from viewing the internet that the Main Stand was all seated, with a section of covered terrace on the far side and a section of open terracing behind each goal curving around the greyhound track. Many of the entrances to the stadium were now disused and derelict. 

It was hard to tell whether the stadium had been totally abandoned. The only sign of life was a business which had rented out a unit at the rear of the stand as a HQ. It was a desperate sight. I walked past a practice pitch down a slope and into another huge car park servicing Bourne Park. 

A gentleman gave me permission to enter in the far corner. Well, I hate to say it but Bourne Park was also a bit of a mess.  The main stand was decent enough on the halfway line on the far touchline and was in reasonable condition. On the near side, there were a couple of basic covers without any elevation for standing fans. 

A cover held up with scaffolding pole support was behind the near goal along with several portakabin buildings offering services. The far end had a small roof and open standing.  All the open standing areas consisted of square paving stones, which can look quite smart. Unfortunately, weeks had grown threw the gaps making it look unkempt 

Although to be fair it was still pre-season and such work could well be about to be carried out. I certainly hoped so. I just found it very sad that a club bobbing happily along sold a prime site and was cast into the wilderness on the edge of town. It's a lesson many clubs would do well to learn from.

I met Simon and we walked back into town and connected onto our train for the next call at Gillingham while catching up with everything.