Ashford United Football Club, nicknamed “The Nuts & Bolts,” is a non-league football club based in Kingsnorth, Kent.
Established in 1891, they currently compete in the Pitching In Isthmian League South East Division, which is part of the eighth tier of English football. The team calls Homelands Stadium their home ground.
The club has undergone several name changes since its inception, initially known as Ashford United from 1891 to 1906-07. The club later became Ashford Railway Works (1909-1928) and Ashford Town (1930-2010), with brief periods where they were simply listed as Ashford in the Kent League. Their playing grounds have also changed over the years, including Essella Park (1930-1987) and a groundshare at Cheriton Road with Folkestone FC (1987-1989).
The club has witnessed impressive highs in terms of attendance, drawing 6,525 fans against Crystal Palace in the 1959 FA Cup and 3,363 against Fulham in 1994. Their top scorers over the years include Dave Arter with 197 goals for Ashford Town and Shaun Welford with 85 for Ashford United. Notable achievements include a record 48 goals in a single season by Welford in 2016-2017 and the highest fee received of £25,000 for players Jeff Ross and Dave Arter in 1990.
Ashford’s honours span numerous titles and cups, such as the Kent League Championship in 1948-49 and the Southern Counties East League title in 2016-17. They have also reached the FA Cup’s second round three times and the FA Trophy semi-finals in 1972-73. Several players have progressed to the Football League, including Tony Godden to West Bromwich Albion and Sam Saunders to Brentford, highlighting the club’s role in developing talent.
Ashford United Football Club Limited is a registered company in England and Wales under company number 07110886 .