Address

Stonebridge Road
Northfleet, Kent
DA11 9GN

Ebbsfleet United were Vics first opponents of the 2007/08 season but we had always known
them as Gravesend and Northfleet! The name change went ahead over the summer of 2007,
but do you know why?
The club is situated in the Thames Gateway and in the largest European
regeneration area of its kind. Thousands of new homes and jobs are planned and
all parties involved are looking for a name that will be associated with the
'new' area. A lot of the development is based on the Ebbsfleet Valley - thus the
new name. It has attracted its fair share of criticism from some fans but has
been well received by the various official bodies and politicians.

Gravesend and Northfleet F.C was formed in 1946 following the amalgamation of
Northfleet United and Gravesend United, two clubs which had a proud history
themselves having been formed in 1890 and 1893 respectively.

In fact Northfleet had produced many famous players during its history, players
such as Charlie Buchan, Bill Nicolson and Ron Burgess. The Spurs Championship
winning side of 1950 included five players who had begun their careers at
Northfleet.

The new club played its first game in the Southern League wearing the red shirts
of Northfleet. Their first game was at home to Hereford united in front of
around 5,000 spectators. The match ended in a 3-0 win for the home side.

For the 1952-53 season Gravesend and Northfleet signed several players on
full-time terms. Success did not follow and the costly experiment was
discontinued after two costly seasons.

In 1954 Gravesend and Northfleet became the first club in Kent to install
floodlights.

Under the managership of Lionel smith Gravesend's fortunes on the pitch improved
and the 1957-58 season brought the clubs first League title.

In those days the application of the maximum wage meant that non-league clubs
could successfully compete for the signature of players leaving major clubs.
Thus the club built up a strong Arsenal connection with players such as Jimmy
Logie becoming vital components of the team. The Championship winning season saw
the club score 135 League and cup goals.

In the early sixties the club enjoyed their best ever F. A. Cup run when they
won through to a fourth Round tie with Sunderland in 1962-63 season. The fleet
took the tie to a replay before losing 2-5 in a replay at Roker Park. Fleets
first match was played on the 8th September 1962 and the final one against
Sunderland on the 18th February 1963 making a cup run that lasted 5 months and
10 days - the longest (chronologically) ever run in the F. A. Cup.

Relegation and promotion seasons came and went before Gravesend won their next
title, winning the Southern Division title in 1974-75. In 1979 Gravesend were
founder members of the Alliance Premier League, finishing 5th in the inaugural
season, their highest ever finish.

However fortunes slumped after this and in 1981 the club were relegated as
financial problems off the field almost saw the club go to the wall.

The continued decline at the club resulted in a further relegation in 1985-86 to
the Southern League Division Two. Promotions, in 1989 and 1993/94, when they
finished as Southern Division Champions meant the team were back in the Southern
Premiership.

The highlight of recent seasons was the 1995-96 F. A. Cup run through to a home
3rd round ties against Aston Villa which was switched to Villa Park, where the
'Fleet put on a battling show before going down 0-3 to Villa.

In May 1997 Gravesend transferred from the Dr. Martens Premier Division to the
Ryman's Premier Division in an effort to cut travelling distances and reduce
costs. They finally regained their place in Conference National in 2004.