1980s (part 3).....


1986-1987.......

Hythe’s fund-raising activities reached new heights in the close season with goalkeeper Lee Harrington and Bruce Marchant’s sister-in-law Jackie Sanders making a sponsored parachute jump which raised around £500 for the club. Manager Glenn Dempsey kept most of last season’s squad but would lose Mark Hatcher, soon to move to the West Country and John Smith had retired. Tim Hulme and Steve Ireland had signed for Folkestone and Micky Heynes loan had ended. There was good news with the return of Duncan Hood, out for the whole of the previous season with a knee injury, and also Adrian Bray who had not played since November.

 

The pre-season games saw a couple of heavy defeats with many players still unavailable but the pitch was looking in excellent condition after much work in the summer. The first league game was a poor 2-0 home defeat to Slade Green but the club went the next six games unbeaten, although four were drawn. As cup games began to interrupt the league schedule there were four games without a win and the club was down in eleventh place in mid-November, when they were able to concentrate on the league.

 

December and January saw five wins in eight games to improve the league position a little but this was undone in February and March with five defeats in eight games to drop to twelfth. A slight rally during April saw four wins and the final game saw a Bruce Marchant hat-trick enough to beat Faversham 3-2 and Hythe finished in eleventh position.

 

There were a few comings and goings during the season. Neil Cugley, who was at Dover for the season, signed on dual-registration and managed 6 appearances and a goal. A defeat at Herne Bay in November saw Jeff Ross and Dave Arter score for the home side, two players who would be in Hythe shirts a few years later. Paul Prior was persuaded out of retirement in November and made a few appearances from then on. Nicky Hall was signed in December, ex-Ashford and Hastings and was a regular in midfield and Clive Barham returned, having left for Canterbury the season before, he had been with Folkestone for most of the season. Even Frank Ovard played the one game, away at Herne Bay in a 3-2 defeat.

 

Hythe made their second appearance in the FA Cup but lost 1-0 at Southwick, then in Isthmian Division One.  The Vase saw away wins at East Grinstead and Thames Polytechnic before a home defeat to Harefield United, of Isthmian Division Two. There were instant defeats in the Kent Senior Trophy at Herne Bay and in the Kent League Cup to Darenth Heathside.

 

Regulars through the season were Lee Harrington in goal, defenders Ian Daffin, Mark Valler  and Adrian Bray, David Bible and Neil Smith in midfield and forwards Tony Hunter, Joe Valler  and Bruce Marchant. In total, Hythe played 40 games, winning 13, drawing 11 and losing 16, scoring 61 goals. Marchant was top scorer with 16 goals, Joe Valler was second with nine.

 

 

The Manager’s Player of the Year was Bruce Marchant, and Geoff Ewins for the reserves. Players’ Player was David Bible, and Andy Bates. Supporters’ Player was Ian Daffin and Sportsman was Dave Gooding.

 

1986-1987 League Table.....

Team P W D L F A GD Pts  
Greenwich Borough 34 24 6 4 113 36 77 78  
Crockenhill 34 22 9 3 63 31 32 75  
Alma Swanley 34 20 7 7 69 34 35 67  
Ramsgate 34 18 8 8 59 42 17 62  
Herne Bay 34 17 9 8 76 58 18 60  
Sittingbourne 34 17 8 9 60 43 17 59  
Tunbridge Wells 34 14 8 12 56 45 11 50  
Whitstable Town 34 14 8 12 45 47 -2 50  
Darenth Heathside 34 13 7 14 53 50 3 46  
Cray Wanderers 34 12 8 14 56 48 8 44  
Hythe Town 34 11 11 12 51 48 3 44  
Slade Green 34 12 6 16 50 51 -1 42  
Thames Polytechnic 34 9 6 19 48 72 -24 33  
Metropolitan Police 34 9 6 19 37 73 -36 33  
Beckenham Town 34 7 10 17 37 61 -24 31  
Deal Town 34 8 7 19 45 73 -28 31 (-1 pts)
Faversham Town 34 7 11 16 32 67 -35 31  
Kent Police 34 4 1 29 37 108 -71 13  

1986-1987 Results...

Date Opponents Comp Venue Score Att Scorers
26/07/1986 Dover Athletic F Home 1-1   Tony Hunter
02/08/1986 Swanley Town F Home 2-2   Paul Martin 2
05/08/1986 Ashford Town F Home 1-4   Joey Valler
09/08/1996 Hounslow Town F Home 2-5   Bruce Marchant, Adrian Bray
16/08/1986 Slade Green KLD1 Home 0-2    
20/08/1996 Whitstable Town KLD1 Away 1-0   J Valler
23/08/1996 Alma Swanley KLD1 Home 1-1   Mark Hatcher
27/08/1986 Kent Police KLD1 Home 4-0   J Valler, Bray, Marchant 2
30/08/1986 Beckenham Town KLD1 Away 2-2   Ian Lancaster, Steve Harris
03/09/1986 Deal Town KLD1 Away 1-1   Marchant
06/09/1986 Sittingbourne KLD1 Home 1-1   Lancaster
13/09/1986 Southwick FAC1Q Away 0-1 118  
20/09/1986 East Grinstead Town FAVP Away 3-1aet 41 Harris 2, Terry Collins pen
27/09/1986 Cray Wanderers KLD1 Home 0-1    
04/10/1986 Tunbridge Wells KLD1 Away 1-1   Harris
11/10/1986 Greenwich Borough KLD1 Home 0-4    
18/10/1986 Thames Polytechnic FAV1 Away 4-1 55 Marchant, David Bible 2, Lancaster
28/10/1986 Sittingbourne KLD1 Away 0-2    
01/11/1986 Herne Bay KST1 Away 2-3   Bray,  J Valler
08/11/1986 Harefield United FAV2 Home 1-2 40 Marchant
15/11/1986 Darenth Heathside KLC2 Away 0-4    
22/11/1986 Thames Polytechnic KLD1 Home 1-0   J Valler
29/11/1986 Slade Green KLD1 Away 0-1    
06/12/1986 Canterbury City F Away      
13/12/1986 Kent Police KLD1 Away 2-1   Neil Smith, Bray
20/12/1986 Alma Swanley KLD1 Away 2-2   Nicky Hall, N Smith
27/12/1986 Deal Town KLD1 Home 4-2   Bible, Hunter 2, J Valler
03/01/1987 Faversham Town KLD1 Away 2-0   N Smith, Marchant
24/01/1987 Metropolitan Police (Area 4) KLD1 Home 2-0   Bible, J Valler
07/02/1987 Metropolitan Police (Area 4) KLD1 Away 2-2   Marchant, J Valler
14/02/1987 Ramsgate KLD1 Home 0-1    
21/02/1987 Greenwich Borough KLD1 Away 2-3   J Valler 2
28/02/1987 Darenth Heathside KLD1 Home 1-1   Hunter
07/03/1987 Whitstable Town KLD1 Home 0-2    
14/03/1987 Crockenhill KLD1 Home 0-1    
21/03/1987 Tunbridge Wells KLD1 Home 2-2   Marchant, Hunter
28/03/1987 Herne Bay KLD1 Away 2-3   Neil Cugley, N Smith
29/03/1987 Thames Polytechnic KLD1 Away 1-0   Marchant
04/04/1987 Darenth Heathside KLD1 Away 2-2   Paul Prior, Marchant
11/04/1987 Beckenham Town KLD1 Home 4-0   Hall, Hunter, Marchant, Prior pen
20/04/1987 Ramsgate KLD1 Away 1-2   Clive Barham
22/04/1987 Herne Bay KLD1 Home 4-2   Marchant, Bible, Prior pen, N Smith
25/04/1987 Crockenhill KLD1 Away 2-3   Marchant, Barham
30/04/1987 Cray Wanderers KLD1 Away 1-1   Prior
02/05/1987 Faversham Town KLD1 Home 3-2   Marchant 3

1987-1988......

It would prove to be a momentous season in the history of Hythe Town but the first half would see business as usual. Again, pre-season preparation was difficult due to players missing and some late signings. Steve Ireland returned to the club after a season at New Romney, defender Graham Mitchell joined from Herne Bay and Stuart Patterson was signed as the first choice goalkeeper, joining from Folkestone Invicta. Defender Dave McDonald and striker Paul Godden both joined from Ashford, Dickie Rhodes joined from Folkestone and Paul Prior signed on again as an occasional striker.

 

The league season got off to a strange start, three wins were followed by four defeats and it would be March until Hythe managed two league wins in a row. There was a 6-2 defeat at Eastbourne United in the FA Cup which was shortly followed by a 2-1 home defeat to Chertsey Town in the FA Vase. The great storm of October 1987 saw Reachfields’ two-year-old stand have the roof lifted off and the front wall collapse, to be cordoned off and never rebuilt. The next game did see Hythe’s best win of the season, as they blew away Thames Polytechnic 6-0. There was a thrilling defeat to Southern League Corinthian in the Kent Senior Trophy, losing 4-5 after extra time. A run of six games with only a single point had seen the club fall to thirteenth place in the table.

 

But the new year saw news break of a takeover bid for the club by local businessman Tony Walton, the owner of Lympne Industrial Estate. His proposals were put to an EGM on February 11th and passed, with Walton becoming chairman, replacing Mick Leach who had been chairman for the previous five years. Walton’s plans were to rebuild the ground in the summer, when Neil Cugley would arrive from Margate to be player-manager. This news did not go down well at Margate, who suggested that Cugley should move immediately. He signed for Hythe and Walton made him manager in place of Glenn Dempsey, his first game in charge was a 2-1 win at Cray Wanderers in March.

 

The side was strengthened by the return from Folkestone of Micky Heynes; ex-Folkestone, Dover and Ashford’s Chris Hamshare and Ashford’s Steve Brignall would arrive soon after. Cugley’s second game was a home Kent League Cup semi-final with Cray, when Hythe’s biggest crowd of the season, nearly 250, saw the home side reach the final by coming from behind thanks to two goals from David Bible. The league results picked up, twelve wins from the last fourteen games saw Hythe climb the table to finish in fifth place. The Kent League Cup final ended in disappointment, being well beaten by Tunbridge Wells in the final at Herne Bay.

 

 

Stuart Patterson was the regular keeper, full-backs were Ian Daffin, Russell Milton and later Neil Hearnden, centre-backs Adrian Bray and Mark Valler. The midfield was David Bible, Tony Hunter and Nicky Hall; Bruce Marchant played the whole season up front, with Steve Ireland and Paul Godden until the later stages when it was Neil Cugley and Micky Heynes. Tony Hunter top-scored with 14 goals, Nicky Hall scored 12. Hythe played 44 games, winning 23, drawing 4 and losing 17, scoring 89 goals in total.

 

1987-1988 League Table.....

Team P W D L F A GD Pts
Greenwich Borough 36 26 5 5 111 50 61 83
Faversham Town 36 23 7 6 92 36 56 76
Whitstable Town 36 20 8 8 57 37 20 68
Sittingbourne 36 17 11 8 68 53 15 62
Hythe Town 36 19 4 13 70 58 12 61
Kent Police 36 16 8 12 69 66 3 56
Cray Wanderers 36 16 7 13 72 52 20 55
Beckenham Town 36 16 5 15 61 55 6 53
Tunbridge Wells 36 14 10 12 57 50 7 52
Ramsgate 36 14 8 14 55 53 2 50
Darenth Heathside 36 11 11 14 57 58 -1 44
Alma Swanley 36 11 11 14 41 47 -6 44
Metropolitan Police 36 11 8 17 45 61 -16 41
Slade Green 36 10 9 17 54 60 6 39
Danson 36 10 9 17 44 68 -14 39
Deal Town 36 11 5 20 40 67 -27 38
Thames Polytechnic 36 10 8 18 37 65 -28 38
Herne Bay 36 9 8 19 35 69 -34 35
Crockenhill 36 4 6 26 21 82 -61 18

1987-1988 Results.....

Date Opponents Comp Venue Score Att Scorers
01/08/1987 Hounslow Town F Home 1-5   *
4/5 Aug?? Ashford Town F Home 0-5    
08/08/1987 Shillington F Home 1-3   *
15/08/1987 Crockenhill KLD1 Away 1-0   Nicky Hall
18/08/1987 Kent Police KLD1 Home 4-2   Dickie Rhodes, David Bible, Bruce Marchant, Steve Ireland
22/08/1987 Slade Green KLD1 Home 2-0   Rhodes, Hall
26/08/1987 Whitstable Town KLD1 Away 2-4   Bible, Marchant
29/08/1987 Herne Bay KLD1 Away 0-1    
31/09/1987 Deal Town KLD1 Home 0-1    
05/09/1987 Ramsgate KLD1 Away 0-4    
12/09/1987 Eastbourne United FAC1Q Away 2-6 69 Hall, Tony Hunter
19/09/1987 Whitstable Town KLD1 Home 2-1   Graham Mitchell, Marchant
03/10/1987 Chertsey Town FAVP Home 1-2 130 Ireland
10/10/1987 Sittingbourne KLD1 Away 2-6   Mitchell, Hunter
17/10/1987 Thames Polytechnic KLD1 Home 6-0   Ireland 2, Paul Godden, Hall, Bible, Mitchell
24/10/1987 Whitstable Town KST1 Home 2-0   Ian Daffin, Bible
31/10/1987 Danson KLD1 Away 1-1   Marchant
07/11/1987 Beckenham Town KLD1 Home 0-2    
14/11/1987 Crockenhill KLC2 Home 4-1   Daffin, Godden, Hunter, Bible
21/11/1987 Metropolitan Police (Area 4) KLD1 Away 4-1   Marchant, Mark Valler pen, Hunter, Hall
28/11/1987 Danson KLD1 Home 0-1    
05/12/1987 Corinthian KST2 Home 4-5aet   Hunter 3, Duncan Hood
12/12/1987 Greenwich Borough KLD1 Home 0-3    
19/12/1987 Kent Police KLD1 Away 1-4   Paul Prior
26/12/1987 Tunbridge Wells KLD1 Home 2-2   Hunter, Ireland
09/01/1988 Slade Green KLD1 Away 2-4   Ireland, Bible pen
13/02/1988 Darenth Heathside KLD1 Away 1-2   Hall
20/02/1988 Deal Town KLD1 Away 2-1   Hall, OG
27/02/1988 Beckenham Town KLD1 Away 1-1   Hunter
05/03/1988 Sittingbourne KLCQF Home 3-2   Hall, Marchant, Bible
12/03/1988 Faversham Town KLD1 Home 1-1   Hall
19/03/1988 Cray Wanderers KLD1 Away 2-1   Micky Heynes, Hunter
26/03/1988 Cray Wanderers KLCSF Home 2-1 250 Bible 2
02/04/1988 Alma Swanley KLD1 Home 2-1   Hunter, Hall
04/04/1988 Cray Wanderers KLD1 Home 2-1   Heynes, Adrian Bray
09/04/1988 Thames Polytechnic KLD1 Away 2-0   Neil Cugley, *?
10/04/1988 Metropolitan Police (Area 4) KLD1 Home 1-0   Heynes
13/04/1988 Tunbridge Wells KLD1 Away 3-4   Cugley 2, Heynes
16/04/1988 Greenwich Borough KLD1 Away 1-3   Heynes
18/04/1988 Faversham Town KLD1 Away 3-0   Steve Brignall, Heynes, Hall
21/04/1988 Herne Bay KLD1 Home 6-0   Brignall, Heynes 2, Marchant 2, Chris Hamshare
23/04/1988 Darenth Heathside KLD1 Home 3-2   Hall, OG, Steve Harris
25/04/1988 Ramsgate KLD1 Home 3-1   Rhodes 2, Hall
30/04/1988 Tunbridge Wells KLCF Neutral 1-4 330 Hunter
02/05/1988 Alma Swanley KLD1 Away 1-0   Hunter
04/05/1988 Crockenhill KLD1 Home 4-2   Neil Hearnden pen, Hunter, Rhodes, Cugley
07/05/1988 Sittingbourne KLD1 Home 3-1   Cugley, Hamshare, Brignall

1988-1989....

Player recruitment for the new season had started before the previous season had ended, thanks to Neil Cugley’s earlier than intended arrival. Micky Heynes and Steve Brignall had played at the end of the 87-88 season and the summer saw plenty more activity. Tim Hulme returned to Hythe, from Dover Athletic, Mark Stanton joined from Folkestone Invicta, goalkeeper Lee Smelt, ex-Nottingham Forest, Halifax and Cardiff signed, as did Dave Carr, a local boy whose career spanned Luton Town, Torquay United, Maidstone and Dover. More June arrivals were Shaun Carey, after impressing for rivals Tunbridge Wells, Bruce Quarterman from KCL champions New Romney and another return for Terry Collins.

 

The club was to become a limited company and work was well under way on the new dressing rooms, clubhouse, covered terracing and floodlights. It was expected that most of the previous season’s first team would continue to play for the club in the reserves, in Kent League Division Two. The club also entered a third team, Hythe ‘A’, in the Kent County League Eastern Section Premier Division, under manager Keith Tebbutt. Season tickets were on offer at £20, with match admission £1 and 50p. Shirt sponsors were Chairman Tony Walton’s window company Larchimage, and the club colours were changed to reflect this, with yellow shirts and green shorts.

 

July arrivals were Paul Brenchley, a full-back from Ashford, Frank Ovard (again), lastly with Crawley before playing the summer in Sweden, and Folkestone full-back Kevin Smart.

 

After an unbeaten pre-season, which included a 6-0 win at Hythe’s twin town Berck-sur-Mer, Hythe got off to a flying start. The first three league games saw a 7-0 win at Ramsgate, a 6-0 home win over Met Police (Hayes) and another 7-0 away win, at Herne Bay. Reality returned in the next game, losing 2-1 at home to Alma Swanley, who would prove to be Hythe’s nearest challengers in the first half of the season.

 

The FA Cup saw a trip to the Feltham Arena and a game on one of the early and unpopular old Astroturf pitches where Hythe managed a 1-1 draw. The replay saw the inaugural game under the new Reachfields floodlights and Hythe were coasting, 2-0 up, when goalkeeper Lee Smelt was injured and was taken to hospital with a broken collar bone. Outfield players Heynes and Mark Valler both had spells in goal but were unable to prevent Feltham scoring five goals.

 

September saw Joey Valley rejoin the club, Ricky Fusco sign from Margate and Mark Hyham arrive from Gillingham’s youth team. Even Tony Howes, our goalkeeper ten seasons previously, was needed to cover three goalkeeper injuries. Mark Stanton was signed from local football.

Hythe continued their league matches, many were won, some by large scores but there were still the shock defeats, including twice to third-placed Faversham. By October Hythe were 15 points clear at the top, having scored 60 goals in 14 games.

 

In the FA Vase there was an easy win over Sittingbourne followed by an epic battle with Hastings in the first round. Hythe led 3-0 with 15 minutes remaining only for Hastings to draw level, with two of the goals from Peter Heritage, which didn’t go unnoticed. A glorious goal from Shaun Carey won the tie in extra-time. Sadly, the next round saw an extra-time 1-0 defeat at Romsey Town.

 

Hythe managed their seventh league win in a row with a 9-0 beating of Chatham Town, helped by a Mark Stanton hat-trick but the local paper highlighted a typically cheeky goal scored by Frank Ovard, who received a tap pass from a penalty by Dave Carr. Hythe ended the year still 15 points ahead, with the reserve side also top of their division.

 

The new year saw a blip in form with two defeats, at Deal and at home to Sittingbourne. Hythe’s reaction was to sign Peter Heritage for £4,000, described by Dave Carr as the toughest forward he had faced in non-league football. The recovery was not instant as Hythe exited the Kent Senior Trophy at Cray and the Kent League Cup at Whitstable and lost again in the league to Sittingbourne.

The club closed the ground for three weeks to complete ground improvements in the hope of promotion. It did not affect first team home games but two reserve fixtures were cancelled, which did not please the Kent League. They fined the club £250 and deducted six points, dropping the reserves to second place.

 

Two more players arrived, this time on loan, Jason Wheeler from Crawley and Mark Smelt from Leatherhead. Bad weather had seen the first team without a game for six weeks. Desperate for a game, the first team fulfilled a reserve team fixture at Hastings, winning 6-1 and adding to the displeasure of both Hastings, the reserves’ nearest rivals, and the league.  Back on the pitch, Hythe could only manage a home 4-4 draw against Darenth Heathside in front of over 500 in the newly improved ground.

 

April saw Hythe cruise to the title with three games to spare, winning eight games in a row and ending up breaking three league records. Frank Ovard had broken the individual scoring record with 36 goals, the club broke Greenwich’s goalscoring record by 20 goals, ending with 133 and a league record points total of 90. In the same week that the first team clinched the league title, the reserves also won their division and beat Folkestone Reserves 3-1 in the Division Two Cup final at Reachfields. It proved a bittersweet moment, with the news that the reserves (virtually last season’s first team) were being disbanded in an attempt to ease the problems with the Reachfields playing surface. The newly formed ‘A’ team finished fifth in the County League and were beaten finalists in the Invitational Cup.

 

In May came the news that Hythe had been accepted (promotion was not automatic in those days) into the Beazer Homes (Southern) League for the following season, with Bashley and Yate Town.

There was one further battle with the Kent League as all Hythe’s prize money was withheld for ‘failing to buy tickets for the presentation evening’. After a couple of weeks of newspaper headlines and bad publicity for the club, league and the league’s sponsors, a cheque for £2,000 arrived without comment. The club could now look forward to Southern League football, with the Chairman publicly stating, seriously or not, that the aim was the Football League within ten years.

 

Goalkeeping duties were shared between Lee Smelt and Tony Howes, full-backs were Kevin Smart and Ricky Fusco, centre-backs were Dave Carr and Neil Cugley. Tim Hulme, Shaun Carey, Steve Brignall and Mark Hyham were the regular midfield, with Paul Stanton, Frank Ovard and, later, Peter Heritage up front. Ovard was leading scorer with 36, Stanton scored 27 and Hulme managed 18. Hythe played 48 games, winning 34, drawing 4 and losing 10, scoring 152 goals. Kevin Smart was voted Player of the Year, with Paul Stanton runner-up.

 

1988-1989 League Table......

  P W D L F A GD Pts  
Hythe Town 38 29 3 6 133 41 92 90  
Deal Town 38 24 4 10 80 35 45 76  
Faversham Town 38 22 7 9 68 36 32 73  
Darenth Heathside 38 20 8 10 69 44 25 68  
Sittingbourne 38 18 12 8 59 43 16 66  
Alma Swanley 38 18 10 10 66 46 20 64  
Cray Wanderers 38 19 7 12 67 53 14 64  
Whitstable Town 38 18 9 11 75 42 33 63  
Ramsgate 38 19 6 13 66 61 5 63  
Slade Green 38 17 10 11 60 59 1 61  
Tunbridge Wells 38 16 8 14 58 57 1 56  
Kent Police 38 16 5 17 61 74 -13 53  
Crockenhill 38 11 12 15 52 51 1 45  
Danson 38 12 5 21 55 67 -12 41  
Metropolitan Police(Hayes) 38 11 7 20 50 83 -33 40  
Greenwich Borough 38 8 15 15 53 56 -3 36 (-3 pts)
Beckenham Town 38 8 10 20 41 68 -17 34  
Thames Polytechnic 38 8 10 20 44 83 -39 34  
Chatham Town 38 3 8 27 41 105 -64 17  
Herne Bay 38 3 4 31 27 121 -92 13  

1988-1989 Results......

Date Opponents Comp Venue Score  Att Scorers
? Lydd Town F Away? 3-1   ***
? Berck sur Mer F Away 6-0   ******
? Ashford Town F Away? 3-2   ***
10/08/1988 Canterbury City F Away 1-1   Micky Heynes
13/08/1988 Hastings Town F Home 3-2   Frank Ovard, Tim Hulme 2
17/08/1988 Ramsgate KLD1 Away 7-0   Heynes 3, Neil Cugley 2, Dave Carr, Ovard
20/08/1988 Metropolitan Police (Area 4) KLD1 Home 6-0   Ovard 4, 1 pen, Heynes, Bruce Quarterman
23/08/1988 Herne Bay KLD1 Away 7-0   Heynes 3, Ovard 2, Hulme, Carr
27/08/1988 Alma Swanley KLD1 Home 1-2   Shaun Carey
29/08/1988 Deal Town KLD1 Home 3-2   Ovard, Carr, Steve Brignall
03/09/1988 Feltham FACP Away 1-1 66 Hulme
07/09/1988 Feltham FACPR Home 2-5 300 Heynes 2, 1 pen
10/09/1988 Cray Wanderers KLD1 Home 3-0   Heynes 2, Carey
17/09/1988 Darenth Heathside KLD1 Away 3-2   Ovard 2, 1 pen, Quarterman
20/09/1988 Faversham Town KLD1 Away 1-4   Ovard pen
24/09/1988 Greenwich Borough KLD1 Home 4-1   Mark Hyham 2, Mark Stanton, Ovard
27/09/1988 Tunbridge Wells KLD1 Home 4-1   Carr, Cugley, Ovard, Kevin Smart
01/10/1988 Danson KLD1 Away 4-1   Hyham, Carey, Ovard, Stanton
05/10/1988 Kent Police KLD1 Home 8-1   Ovard 4, 1pen, Stanton, Brignall, Hulme, John Smith
08/10/1988 Sittingbourne FAVP Home 2-0 200 Stanton, Hulme
15/10/1988 Tunbridge Wells KLD1 Away 4-1   Hyham, Hulme, Ovard 2, 1 pen
19/10/1988 Herne Bay KLD1 Home 5-0   Hyham, Carey, Styanton, Cugley, Ovard
22/10/1988 Kent Police KST1 Home 1-0   Brignall
26/10/1988 Faversham Town KLD1 Home 0-2 400+  
29/10/1988 Thames Polytechnic KLD1 Home 4-0   Stanton, Hyham, Cugley, Ovard
05/11/1988 Hastings Town FAV1 Home 4-3aet 350 Cugley, Hulme 2, Carey
12/11/1988 Beckenham Town KLD1 Home 4-2   Brignall, Ovard 3, 1 pen
19/11/1988 Kent Police KLC2 Home 3-0   Ovard 2, Stanton
23/11/1988 Chatham Town KLD1 Away 2-0   Ovard, Carey
26/11/1988 Romsey Town FAV2 Away 0-1aet 114  
03/12/1988 Whitstable Town KLD1 Away 3-0   Carey 2, Stanton
10/12/1988 Alma Swanley KST2 Home 4-2   Hulme, Carr 2, Ovard
17/12/1988 Chatham Town KLD1 Home 9-0   OG 2, Hulme, Stanton 3, Carr, Ovard 2
21/12/1988 Whitstable Town KLD1 Home 2-2   Cugley, Stanton
27/12/1988 Kent Police KLD1 Away 5-2   Stanton 4, Hulme
31/12/1988 Cray Wanderers KLD1 Away 1-0   Ovard
02/01/1989 Deal Town KLD1 Away 0-1    
07/01/1989 Sittingbourne KLD1 Home 1-3   Stanton
14/01/1989 Metropolitan Police (Area 4) KLD1 Away 6-3   Stanton 2, Hulme, Carey, Ovard, Carr
21/01/1989 Cray Wanderers KSTQF Away 1-2aet   Peter Heritage
28/01/1989 Thames Polytechnic KLD1 Away 7-1   Ovard 3, Stanton 2, Heritage, Cugley
01/02/1989 Gillingham XI F Home 3-2   Hulme 2, Stanton
04/02/1989 Whitstable Town KLCQF Away 1-3   Heritage
08/02/1989 Gillingham XI F Away 1-0   Heritage
11/02/1989 Sittingbourne KLD1 Away 1-2   Heritage
24/03/1989 Darenth Heathside KLD1 Home 4-4 500+ Carr, Hulme, Jason Wheeler, Heritage
30/03/1989 Danson KLD1 Home 3-1   Stanton, Hulme, Heritage
01/04/1989 Slade Green KLD1 Away 4-0   Hulme 3, Heritage
08/04/1989 Ramsgate KLD1 Home 3-1   Carey 2, Wheeler
12/04/1989 Crockenhill KLD1 Home 4-1   Hulme 2, Carr, Stanton
20/04/1989 Beckenham Town KLD1 Away 4-0   Stanton 2, Heritage, Carey
23/04/1989 Alma Swanley KLD1 Away 1-0   Stanton
27/04/1989 Slade Green KLD1 Home 4-1 300 Heritage, Carr, Carey, Stanton
29/04/1989 Crockenhill KLD1 Away 1-0   OG
01/05/1989 Greenwich Borough KLD1 Away 0-0    

1989-1990.....

Once again it was a busy summer with comings and goings. Ricky Fusco retired at the age of 35, Frank Ovard signed for Folkestone and Timmy Hulme would soon be transferred to Premier Division Ashford for £2,000. The boss of the disbanded reserve side, Dave Williams, moved to Folkestone as assistant to manager Carl Gilbert. Forward Simon Bryant was the first signing, from Deal Town, followed by midfielder Grant Gallacher from Crawley Town and Terry White, from Hastings Town, for £4,000. July saw the arrival of Mark Weatherly from Gillingham, where he had made over 500 Football League appearances. It suited him to go part-time, and he soon became mine-host of Carriages Wine Bar in Hythe. Jason Wheeler and Malcolm Smith impressed in the friendlies, where Hythe were unbeaten in seven tough games, as did goalkeeper Steve O’Brien, a former Eire youth international. Pat Hilton, another local man with League experience, also signed. Season tickets were £30/£20 with match admission £1.50/80p.

 

The season did not quite start as planned. A late arrival at Buckingham Town for the first game, due to traffic gridlock for the nearby Bon Jovi concert, saw the side do well to draw 0-0. Frank Ovard had returned from Folkestone in time for the first home game, which was also 0-0, followed by a single goal defeat at home to Andover. Hythe’s first goal, and first win, came on Bank Holiday Monday when Simon Bryant’s goal earned a 1-0 win at Margate.

 

The sixth league game, a defeat at Bury Town, was remembered for an ex-England international playing for Hythe. Mark Barham, ex-Norwich, Hull and Middlesbrough and brother of Clive Barham was ‘between clubs’ and played just the single game. After this game striker Peter Heritage signed for Gillingham for a fee of £30,000.

 

Hythe’s modest start of 11 points from 8 games was interrupted as the cup games began. FA Cup wins over Three Bridges, Molesey and Whitstable saw Vauxhall Opel Premier side Hayes come to Reachfields. On a day of gale force winds and torrential rain the game finished goalless, with Fusco making a return after unretiring. Hayes won the replay 3-0 and got to visit Peterborough United in the first round proper. Paul Hyde was the goalkeeper who kept Hythe at bay for the two games. Folkestone were the opponents in the Southern League Cup, the first leg at Cheriton Road finished 2-2 and the second leg was goalless, Folkestone winning 4-2 on penalties in front a new Hythe record attendance of 726. Two rounds were passed in the Vase, with wins over Malden Vale and Littlehampton – in the former game the coup-de-grace was delivered by Frank Ovard where he rounded the keeper, walked the ball to the goal line, stopped it and went down on all fours to head the ball over the line. There were two more signings in Chris Vidal, a striker who had impressed when playing for Molesey earlier, and Jed Nohilly, a midfielder from Dulwich and before that Northampton, Tonbridge and Gravesend.

 

After eight cup games Hythe returned to league duties at Dunstable. It was chairman Tony Walton’s stated intention to climb the leagues and promotion was the main, if not the only, aim. After a poor performance and a 2-0 defeat, manager Neil Cugley was relieved of his duties. Dave Carr moved up from the assistant’s position, Lee Smelt became assistant from his previous position of coach.

 

There was a reaction from the team and Hythe got to Christmas with only a single defeat in ten games, and two more Vase victories over Camberley and Deal.  On Boxing Day Folkestone came to Reachfields and a fine performance saw Hythe win 3-1 in front of another record attendance, this time 1,094. The late consolation goal for Folkestone was from Neil Cugley, now at Cheriton Road as just a player. Two more holiday wins saw Hythe move up to ninth place with a few games in hand.

 

But that saw the league winning run end, with four draws and a defeat in the next five league games that again had many cup games squeezed in as bad weather added to the fixture pile-up. Collier Row were beaten in the Vase, after a replay, as were Abingdon Town after a replay and a few postponements, in the next round. By now Tommy Warrilow had joined Hythe from Crawley for £15,000, to play at centre-half or centre-forward.

 

It was a trip to Rushden Town in the sixth round, a tough ask having had to play on the previous Monday and Wednesday. A lone Frank Ovard goal decided the tie but the hero was goalkeeper O’Brien who stopped everything that Rushden could fire at him and a place in the semi-finals was achieved. Before then it was back to league action but with the Vase an understandable distraction only five points were gained from five matches.

 

Hythe were at home to Yeading in the semi-final first leg and it was a thrilling game. Simon Bryant and Frank Ovard had put Hythe 2-0 up before the visitors rallied to equalise. A rare goal from Jason Wheeler won the tie 3-2 to send most of the new (and still existing) record crowd of 2,147 home happy. The ridiculous fixture schedule saw Hythe have to play a league game the very next day and another on the Wednesday before the vital second leg at Yeading’s Warren ground. Hythe went behind midway through the second half and lost the tie in the 89th minute when a cross took a big deflection away from keeper O’Brien’s reach.

 

With eleven league games left there was still the faintest chance of promotion, with eleven wins, and it was a brave attempt with nine wins and two defeats and Hythe ended up in sixth position, ten points behind champions Bashley but only five behind Poole Town in second place. So near and yet so far.

 

The club did end up with a piece of silverware, even if it wasn’t the major prize. Hythe had entered the Knight Floodlight Competition, the sponsored name for the Eastern Professional Floodlight Cup, a prestigious competition usually competed for by East Anglian clubs. Hythe won their mini-group with four wins out of four against Dover and Aveley and qualified for the quarter-finals. This saw a trip to Heybridge Swifts and victory thanks to a lone Frank Ovard goal. The semi-final saw Harlow Town visit Reachfields where a goal in each half by Terry White was enough for a 2-1 win. The final, and Hythe’s 72nd and final game of the season, involved another trip to Collier Row, who had been narrowly defeated in the Vase fourth round. Frank Ovard had put Hythe ahead in the first half, Row equalised with eight minutes remaining but there was still time for Mark Weatherly to head an 88th minute winner.

 

 

Steve O’Brien played in virtually every game, full-backs were Kevin Smart, Malcolm Smith and Terry Collins, centre-backs Dave Carr and Mark Weatherly, midfielders Jason Wheeler, Jed Nohilly, Mark Stanton, Terry White and Mark Hyham. Strikers were Simon Bryant, Frank Ovard and Chris Vidal. Ovard top scored with 22 goals, White and Bryant both got 17 and Shaun Carey (12) and Stanton (11) also made double figures. Hythe played 72 games (and 8 friendlies!), winning 41, drawing 18 and losing 13, scoring 125 goals. Steve O’Brien was voted as Player of the Year, Pat Hilton won the Chairman’s award.

 

1989-1990 Southern League Southern Table.....

Pos Team Pld W D L F A GD Pts
1 Bashley 42 25 7 10 80 47 33 82
2 Poole Town 42 23 8 11 85 60 25 77
3 Buckingham Town 42 22 10 10 67 46 21 76
4 Dunstable 42 20 14 8 56 38 18 74
5 Salisbury 42 21 9 12 72 50 22 72
6 Hythe Town 42 20 12 10 69 48 21 72
7 Trowbridge Town 42 20 9 13 79 64 15 69
8 Hastings Town 42 20 9 13 64 54 10 69
9 Bury Town 42 18 12 12 76 62 14 66
10 Baldock Town 42 18 11 13 69 52 15 65
11 Burnham 42 17 11 14 77 52 25 62
12 Fareham Town 42 14 14 14 49 53 −4 56
13 Yate Town 42 16 6 20 53 52 1 54
14 Witney Town 42 16 6 20 54 56 −2 54
15 Canterbury City 42 14 10 18 52 52 0 52
16 Margate 42 12 15 15 46 45 1 51
17 Folkestone Town 42 14 9 19 61 83 −22 51
18 Andover 42 13 11 18 54 70 −16 50
19 Hounslow 42 11 5 26 39 82 −43 38
20 Erith & Belvedere 42 8 11 23 34 73 −39 35
21 Corinthian 42 6 10 26 44 93 −49 28
22 Sheppey United 42 6 7 29 35 83 −48 25

1989-1990 Knight Floodlight Cup Group 1 table....

Pos   P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Hythe Town 4 4 0 0 11 3 8 12
2 Dover Athletic 4 2 0 2 6 4 2 6
3 Aveley 4 0 0 4 2 12 -10 0

1989-1990 Results.....

Date Opponents Competition Venue Score Att Scorers
31/07/1989 Tunbridge Wells F Away 1-1   Weatherly
01/08/1989 Redbridge Forest F Home 2-0   Weatherly, White
03/08/1989 Gillingham F Home 2-1   Bryant, White pen
07/08/1989 Cray Wanderers F Away 2-0   Heritage, Wheeler
08/08/1989 Ashford Town F Home 1-0   Stanton
12/08/1989 Crawley Town F Home 1-1   Heritage
15/08/1989 Tonbridge F Away 2-0   Weatherly, White pen
19/08/1989 Buckingham Town SLSD Away 0-0 110  
23/08/1989 Baldock Town SLSD Home 0-0 560  
26/08/1989 Andover SLSD Home 0-1 375  
28/08/1989 Margate SLSD Away 1-0 402 Bryant
02/09/1989 Bashley SLSD Home 1-1 452 White
09/09/1989 Bury Town SLSD Away 1-3 356 Ovard
13/09/1989 Sheppey United SLSD Home 4-1 367 Carr, White, Ovard, Gallacher
16/09/1989 Three Bridges FAC1Q Away 2-0 114 Ovard 2
19/09/1989 Ashford Town F Home 3-1   ???
23/09/1989 Yate Town SLSD Away 2-1 221 Weatherly, Ovard
30/09/1989 Molesey FAC2Q Home 2-1 246 Smart, Ovard
07/10/1989 Malden Vale FAVP Home 3-1 288 Ovard 2, Cugley
10/10/1989 Erith & Belvedere SLSD Away 1-1 219 Carey
14/10/1989 Whitstable Town FAC3Q Home 2-0 336 Ovard, Smart
18/10/1989 Folkestone Town WIC1R1L Away 2-2 *678 Carey, Ovard
21/10/1989 Slade Green KST1 Home 3-0 170 G Smith, Stanton, White pen
24/10/1989 Aveley KFC Away 2-1 50 Carr, Wilson
28/10/1989 Hayes FAC4Q Home 0-0 489  
31/10/1989 Hayes FAC4QR Away 0-3 767  
04/11/1989 Littlehampton Town FAV1 Home 3-1 207 G Smith, Weatherly, Stanton
08/11/1989 Folkestone Town WIC1R2L Home 0-0aet 726 Lost 4-2 on pens
11/11/1989 Dunstable Town SLSD Away 0-2 140  
18/11/1989 Margate SLSD Home 1-1 286 Wilson
21/11/1989 Baldock Town SLSD Away 3-2 147 Stanton, Carey pen,  Vidal
25/11/1989 Camberley Town FAV2 Away 1-0 86 White
27/11/1989 Hounslow  SLSD Away 2-0 82 Nohilly, Vidal
02/12/1989 Corinthian SLSD Home 2-1 179 Hyham, Ovard
05/12/1989 Sheppey United SLSD Away 0-1 125  
09/12/1989 Faversham Town KST2 Away 2-1 88 Wilson, Stanton
12/12/1989 Fareham Town SLSD Away 1-1 122 Weatherly
16/12/1989 Deal Town FAV3 Away 1-0 278 White
21/12/1989 Aveley KFC Home 5-1 97 Bryant, Vidal, Smart, Nohilly, Weatherly
26/12/1989 Folkestone Town SLSD Home 3-1 1094 Carr, Stanton, Wheeler
30/12/1989 Canterbury City SLSD Home 4-1 424 Vidal 2, Bryant, Stanton
01/01/1990 Hastings Town SLSD Away 1-0 639 Vidal
06/01/1990 Hounslow SLSD Home 1-1 276 Bryant
13/01/1990 Trowbridge Town SLSD Away 1-1 450 Bryant
16/01/1990 Dover Athletic KFC Away 3-1 1109 Bryant, Ovard, White pen
20/01/1990 Collier Row FAV4 Home 1-1aet 445 Ovard
24/01/1990 Collier Row FAV4R Away 3-1 391 Ovard, Bryant 2
27/01/1990 Alma Swanley KSTQF Away 2-2aet   White pen, Bryant
29/01/1990 Dover Athletic KFC Home 1-0 674 White
05/02/1990 Alma Swanley KSTQFR Home 5-2 282 Stanton, Weatherly, Bryant, White 2, 1 pen
17/02/1990 Corinthian SLSD Away 2-2 102 Ovard, Bryant
21/02/1990 Abingdon Town FAV5 Away 1-1aet 702 Bryant
24/02/1990 Poole Town SLSD Home 1-1 335 Nohilly
26/02/1990 Abingdon Town FAV5R Home 3-1aet 533 White, Bryant, Stanton
28/02/1990 Buckingham Town SLSD Home 1-2 275 Carr
03/03/1990 Rushden Town FAVQF Away 1-0 1439 Ovard
06/03/1990 Andover SLSD Away 3-1 133 Nohilly, Bryant, White
10/03/1990 Burnham SLSD Away 0-0 105  
12/03/1990 Salisbury SLSD Away 0-2 381  
14/03/1990 Bashley SLSD Away 2-6 310 Weatherly, Allon
17/03/1990 Sittingbourne KSTSF Away 0-1 254  
19/03/1990 Fareham Town SLSD Home 1-1 346 Weatherly
24/03/1990 Yeading FAVSF1L Home 3-2 2147 Bryant, Ovard, Wheeler
25/03/1990 Trowbridge Town SLSD Home 3-1 307 Stanton, Nohilly, Bryant
28/03/1990 Witney Town SLSD Away 1-2 150 Smith
31/03/1990 Yeading FAVSF2L Away 0-2 1546  
02/04/1990 Salisbury SLSD Home 5-1 260 Weatherly, White, Carey 2, Ovard
04/04/1990 Burnham SLSD Home 4-3 232 Carey 2, Carr, Wheeler
07/04/1990 Canterbury City SLSD Away 2-0 187 Carey 2
11/04/1990 Witney Town SLSD Home 2-0 187 Ovard 2
12/04/1990 Heybridge Swifts KFCQF Away 1-0 167 Ovard
14/04/1990 Hastings Town SLSD Home 0-1 418  
16/04/1990 Folkestone Town SLSD Away 3-0 762 Carey, Stanton, Wheeler
18/04/1990 Erith & Belvedere SLSD Home 4-0 247 Stanton, Nohilly, Carey 2
21/04/1990 Dunstable Town SLSD Home 0-2 313  
28/04/1990 Bury Town SLSD Home 4-3 224 Bryant, White, Allon 2
29/04/1990 Yate Town SLSD Home 1-0 201 Allon
02/05/1990 Harlow Town KFCSF Home 2-1   White 2
05/05/1990 Poole Town SLSD Away 1-0 349 White pen
09/05/1990 Collier Row KFCF Away 2-1 270 Ovard, Weatherly