The Kent Disability League is a small sided, pan disability league which caters for youth and adult players. The league currently operates 5 divisions: Under 11’s, Under 16’s Division 1, Under 16 Division 2, Adult League and Adult Championship. The youth divisions of the league accommodates players aged 8 to 16 years old with each division operating a four year age banding. The adult sections of the league are open aged and cater for players 16+.
This season the league has moved to a new central venue in Strood called Kicks Soccer Centre which boasts some of the best 3G playing facilities in the county. The league is now in its third season and is going from strength to strength with 14 new teams registering for the 2008/2009 season. This is largely due to the expansion of the league to include adult divisions for the forthcoming season.
This season also sees the formation of a female only skills area where girls and ladies of all ages are invited to take part in a series of skills drills and small sided games. Liz Symons, Football Development Officer for Women and Girls Football is keen to establish a girl’s only section of the league in the near future in response to the interest generated from the female skills events. In addition The FA has granted dispensation to allow girls to play in both the U11 and U16 divisions of the league in mixed gender teams.
League Dates 2008/2009
This season there will be five league dates where all teams will come together and play every other team in their division. All league dates run from 10am to 2pm and the results will be accumulated over the course of the 5 dates with the winners being decided at the final league event in April.
Round 1 – Sunday 8th October 2008
Round 2 – Sunday 9th November 2008
Round 3 – Sunday 8th February 2009
Round 4 – Sunday 8th March 2009
Round 5 – Sunday 5th April 2009
The teams competing in the five divisions for the 2008/2009 season are as follows:
Under 11’s Division
Swanscombe Tigers FC
Invicta Valiants FC
Charlton Athletic FC
Maidstone United Raiders FC
Thanet Galaxy FC
Under 16’s Division 1
Maidstone United Raiders FC
Invicta Valiants FC
Charlton Athletic A
Charlton Athletic B
Thanet Galaxy FC
Gillingham FC
Under 16’s Division 2
1066 Specials FC
St Margaret’s All Stars FC
Swanscombe Tigers A
Swanscombe Tigers B
Gillingham FC
Invicta Valiants A
Invicta Valiants B
Maidstone United Raiders A FC
Maidstone United Raiders B FC
Adult League Competition
Larkfield FC
St Margaret’s FC
Maidstone United Raiders FC
Thanet Galaxy FC
Headway FC
Shepway Wanderers DFC
Adult Championship Competition
Thanet Galaxy A
Thanet Galaxy B
Maidstone United Raiders FC
Canterbury City FC
Shepway Wanderers DFC
For more information on the Kent Disability League or on other disability football initiatives in Kent, please contact Stephanie Gadd on 01634 812 032 or email Stephanie.gadd@kentfa.com.
To read the press release for the final round of The Kent Disability League please click here.