2025/26 Mid-Season Review
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The 2025/26 NRG 24HR Gym Kent County Football League (KCFL) Division 1 West season has reached its traditional winter break, providing a perfect nexus to review how the season has gone so far. As we celebrate a landmark anniversary of the club, we find ourselves well-positioned to challenge for promotion to the Premier Division at the end of the season.
The current campaign has seen the Kent County League restructuring the divisions to increase/preserve the quality of the league. For us, this increased competition has coincided with a period of stability, maturity and resilience.
As of the final game of the year, there is a clear distance between the top six and the rest of the division. Even though we currently occupy 6th place, context is key.
The table suggests that while Equinoccial lead the pack, and AMG and Otford United currently dictate the pace of the division with 2.6 and 2.5 points per game respectively, we remain one of the best defences in the league - a significant improvement from the last 3 seasons where we have lingered near the bottom.
With only ten goals conceded across eleven games, scoring an average of 2 goals per game, our resilience has seen us put on a flawless two-month run through November and December.
Things started off well for us. Unbeaten in 5 games during the month of August, we tasted our first defeat at the hands of Premier Division side, Kings Hill. A slender 1-0 away loss in the Kent Intermediate Challenge Shield. Before then, we had kept three clean sheets and sat second in the league.
A setback occurred in the game against current league leaders Equinoccial, where we suffered a 2-1 defeat at home. The next match against Bermondsey Town saw us meet the same fate - a 2-1 defeat.
Since then, the squad has gone on an unbeaten run that spanning both league and cup competitions.
A key "highlight" of this season has been the keeping Peckham Town at bay three times. Peckham Town, a club that spent the many a season in the Premier Division before suffering relegation, represented a massive test of our mettle. The ability to shut out an opponent of Peckham’s pedigree indicates our intentions for this season.
The final fixture of the calendar year took place on December 20, 2025, away to Stansfeld O&B Reserves. Played on a heavy, deteriorating pitch, the match was a testament to the squad’s grit.
The 2025/26 campaign has also seen us progress in the Bill Manklow Inter-Regional Challenge Cup. This competition, which draws together clubs from across the Kent County's Premier, 1 West and 1 Central & East divisions has provided some of the season’s more dramatic moments with a 1-0 win against a much-improved Greenwich All Stars and a penalty shootout victory against - who else? Peckham Town. We take on AMG or Meridian VP in the next round.
The success of the first half of the season is down to the individual development of core players from the Marton and Pat regime and the integration of new arrivals. The squad has displayed a depth that has allowed it to grind out results even during periods of suspension or injury.
The 2025/26 season will forever be defined by a project that transcends footballing results. As we celebrate two decades of existence, we embraced our unusual story to build on an international relationship with La Liga side CA Osasuna.
To commemorate the anniversary, a group of volunteers, players, and coaches travelled to Pamplona from December 5 to December 9, 2025. The group were invited to watch an open session at Tajonar, attended a home match at El Sadar and met with club officials, solidifying a bond between a grassroots KCFL side and a Spanish top-flight institution.
Ste Daley highlighted the emotions of the trip, stating that it was a celebration of the people who turned a potentially difficult moment into a lasting friendship.
As we go into to 2026, the main challenge will be managing the forthcoming fixture backlog. Having played only eleven league games compared to Orpington’s sixteen or Langley Sports' eighteen, we will more than likely face a congested schedule in February and March.
The reverse fixture against Equinoccial is particularly significant. Having lost 2-1 in the previous encounter, we must secure a positive result to close the gap on the top three. Following this, the away trip to Otford United on January 31 will test our away form against one of the most efficient teams in the league.
As the weather impacts pitch quality, matches will become tests of endurance rather than talent. The "win ugly" mentality displayed against Stansfeld will need to be maintained. Discipline and behaviour on and off the pitch must be to a high standard so as not to disrupt the team's momentum to keep the possibility of a top two finish realistic.
We enter the mid-season break of the 2025/26 campaign in a comfortable position. We have demonstrated that we possesses both the quality to dominate games at this level and the resilience to overcome challenges. Our defensive record points to a squad that is difficult to beat, while the offensive contributions from players like Agbor and Hakeem mean that we remain a threat in any game.
Beyond the pitch, the 20th anniversary trip to Pamplona has cemented the club’s identity as a community - a Futbolaren Familia - with a unique and heartwarming story. This, combined with a quarter-final in the Bill Manklow Cup and a promotion challenge, makes this season a significant season for us.
As we look to January 2026, the focus is on not dropping points. The upcoming clashes against Equinoccial and Otford United might define the level of this squad. If we can maintain our momentum through the fixture pile up, we could secure a historic promotion and provide the perfect conclusion to our big year.
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