In 1891 the original Ashford United was formed when the South Eastern Rangers amalgamated with Kentish Express FC. The club became more commonly known as ‘Ashford’ upon the post-war resumption of the Kent League competition. However once more fate took a hand and in 1928 the club folded leaving the Town with no senior club. The decision to found Ashford Town was taken at a meeting in April 1930. They joined the Kent League after the Second World War. When Herne Bay moved into Winch’s Field in 1953/54 they joined the Kent League Division Two and played against Ashford Town Reserves for four seasons. Herne Bay moved up to the Kent League Division One for the 1957/58 season, finishing bottom, with Ashford two places above. 1958/59 saw Bay in 12th and Ashford 9th. From the four encounters Bay had won one, drawn one and lost two. At the end of this campaign the Kent League folded with Bay moving to the Aetolian League and Ashford beginning their 45-year tenure in the Southern League.

There was an Eddie Collins brace inspired home FA Cup first qualifying round 2-1 win in September 1970 and in October 1972 a 6-0 away defeat in the second qualifying round of the same competition, when keeper Malcolm Campbell was taken to hospital with a broken arm following an accidental collision with two Ashford players in the 24th minute. Brian Hughes took his place between the sticks with the game still goalless.

Ashford earned promotion to the Premier Division of the Southern League in the 1986/87 season, at a time when the new ground at The Homelands was being constructed. In 2004/05 they moved over to the Isthmian League but following a major falling out at Boardroom level, which reached the courts, and the club went into administration. A successful purchase came too late for them to compete in 2010/11 and the summer of 2010 therefore marked the end of Ashford Town FC after a history of 80 years.

The club was reformed as Ashford United. Under FA rules the 'new' Ashford United were not permitted to re-join the league where their predecessors had left-off; for their inaugural season of 2011/12 they were placed into the newly formed Kent Invicta League. After an indifferent start to their first season results improved over the second half and the team finished in fifth position. Their finishing position improved two places in the 2012/13 season to third. Although only the teams ending in the top two positions were eligible for automatic promotion to the Kent League, Ashford United were awarded promotion instead of the second placed club Hollands & Blair, as Ashford had the facilities and ground grading in place in order to take the promotion. During the close season the Kent League renamed itself as the Southern Counties East Football League. There were two successive runners-up places and as the 2014/15 season ended the club announced that the natural grass pitch at the Homelands was to be replaced during the close season with a synthetic 3G playing surface. In 2015/16 they were again runners-up but a ten point deduction dropped them down to third. In 2016/17 the Nuts and Bolts won the Southern Counties East Football League two points ahead of second place Crowborough Athletic.

Just two games into this season, manager Danny Lye left the club, with Jason Whitmore coming in as caretaker-manager. The Nuts and Bolts had lost their first two fixtures, had three players sent off, and shipped six goals without scoring. Whitmore was appointed in a permanent capacity and said “We want to build a team that will get us up the league this year but next year, when they grow, we’ll be even stronger. We’re looking to filter in quality youth with experience, good young lads. We want to bring a real professionalism to the club and take away what I call mercenary football – people who are there for the money. I know non-league is like that but if you get a lot more youth involved and get them enjoying their football, you can control it rather than letting them control you.”

We have already met twice this season, in August in the First Round of the Kent Senior Cup with Bradley Schafer and Jake Embery giving Bay a straightforward 2-0 victory. Then in the league, in September, an own goal, Junior Aikhionbare and a Nassim Dukali penalty gave Bay the 3-0 win at Winch’s Field. Since then the Nuts and Bolts have picked up just two points from 10 league matches. Paul Barnes has recently been installed as coach to assist Whitmore. With Shoreham having been deducted six points for fielding an ineligible player, Ashford are now seven points clear of the one relegation place with nine points from their two wins, three draws and 13 defeats. Herne Bay have played two games less and are 15 points and ten places above.

Ashford United play their home games at The Homelands Stadium, Ashford Road, Kingsnorth, Kent, TN26 1NJ. They have the best attendances of all the Kent clubs in the Kent League with an average of 252 (high 368, low 191).

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