Tonbridge Angels F.C.

Formation and early history

Tonbridge Football Club was formed in October 1947 following the suggestion of local businessman and founder chairman Herbert Portch and was one of four clubs to be elected to the Southern Football League for the 1948–49 season. The club took out a lease on the Angel Ground, formerly the home of Kent County Cricket Club and named after the nearby hotel, 'The Angel'. Hence Tonbridge FC became known as 'The Angels'. A crowd of around 5,000 turned up for the club's opening league fixture against fellow newcomers Hastings United but the match was lost 2–1, with Albert Robson scoring the club's first ever goal. Progress was slow in the early days, with the club rock bottom at Christmas and with Harold Hobbis taking over as manager from Dunoon and Marshall Raybould, but the club would improve their form in the second half of the season to finish third from last. Throughout the 1950s, the Angels (as they were nicknamed at the time, although it was not yet formally part of the club's name) would struggle to make any progress in the Southern League and a peak of 11th place was reached in 1949–50, the club's second season. However, Tonbridge would prove to be a strong side in cup competitions. In 1949–50, the club reached the semi-finals of the Southern League Cup, losing 3–2 to Colchester United. In three successive seasons, 1950–51, 1951–52 and 1952–53, Tonbridge reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup, only to lose each of the three after a…

League

Isthmian League (level 7) Play-off winners: 2011, 2019 National League Step 3 Super play-offs Play-off winners: 2019 Isthmian League Division One (level 8) Play-off winners: 2006 Kent Football League Champions: 1992–93 Metropolitan League Champions: 1952–53 Cup

Kent League Cup Winners: 1989–90, 1991–92 Kent League Charity Shield Winners: 1993–94 Kent Senior Cup Winners: 1964–65, 1974–75 Kent Senior Shield Winners: 1951–52, 1955–56, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1963–64 Kent Floodlit Cup Winners: 1963–64, 1966–67 Isthmian League Cup Runners-up: 2016–17 Courier Cup Winners: 2001 (shared), 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 (won by reserves), 2009, 2013 Metropolitan League Cup Winners: 1951–52, 1952–53 & 1956–57 Supporters Shield Winners: 2015