Canterbury City F.C.

Football club infobox |clubname = Canterbury City|

Division Two East, 1st (promoted)
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=|pattern_ra1=|leftarm1=800080|body1=800080|rightarm1=800080|shorts1=FFFFFF|socks1=800080| pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=| leftarm2=0000FF|body2=0000FF|rightarm2=0000FF|shorts2=FFFFFF|socks2=0000FF|

Canterbury City F.C. are a football team currently based in Bridge near Canterbury, England. Reformed in 2007, they are the first football club formed as a Community interest company, and in 2008-09 will compete in the Kent County League Division One (East). The club will also have a Reserves Team and a Ladies Team along with a number of youth and girls' teams.

A previous incarnation of the club who have played outside the football league for fifty odd years. They were founded in 1947 and spent a long association with the Kent and Southern Football Leagues. However, archaic evidence suggests a team of the same name existed in the mid-19th century, though the modern team did not claim lineage.

Originally Canterbury played in the Kent League and after some solid campaigns they joined the Metropolitan League for the 1958-60 season where they finished 3rd which was enough to win promotion to the Southern League Division 1 where they soon consolidated.

The 1960s saw some good FA Cups for Canterbury as they twice made it through to the 1st Round Proper. In 1963-64 they hosted Torquay United at home but lost 0-6 in front of a record 3,001 attendance and in 1968-69 they gave Swindon Town a tough battle before eventually going down by a narrow 0-1 scoreline.

In 1971 Division 1 was renamed the Southern Division as Canterbury remained a regular name in the division but began to frequently struggle as they were often found at the wrong end of the table.

In 1994 Canterbury were struggling on and off the pitch and after another tough season they dropped down to the Kent League but after a few steady seasons the club again fell on hard times and after finishing bottom of the ladder for two consecutive seasons they withdrew in the summer of 2001 and folded.

The club's old ground at the Kingsmead Stadium has recently been re-developed for residential housing and the club are in discussion with the city council to identify potential sites for a new Community Football Centre. It is hoped that the new facility will be open by autumn 2010.

The club is sponsored by P&O Ferries who are named on the squad shirts.

On the 22nd March 2008 City beat Pembury 3-2 at home confirming promotion to the Kent County League Division One East and after beating Saga Sports & Social 9-2 on the 19th April were crowned League Champions.

References

External links

* [http://www.canterburycityfc.com Official website]
*fchd| id=CANTERBC| name=Canterbury City
*fchd| id=CANTERC2| name=Canterbury City Reserves
* [http://www.nonleaguefooty.co.uk/club/canterbury-city.html Canterbury City] NonLeagueFooty
* [http://www.runtrackdir.com/details.asp?track=canterbury-kr Kingsmead Stadium] UK Running Track Directory