South East Counties Football League Division One side K Sports Football Club have announced plans to leave Cobdown Sports & Social Club after 105 years as they prepare to move to the Isle of Sheppey next season, renaming the club Sheppey Sports Football Club.
In a statement released by the club on Thursday 29th February, they said: “The Board can today provide a significant update on the future of the Football Club and how we shall proceed into the 2024/25 season and beyond.
“The end of the 2023/24 season will mark the end of a 105 year stay at Cobdown Sports & Social Club. This will see the club move to The Isle of Sheppey, ground sharing with Sheppey United FC at Holm Park.
“Due to the location change, currently being named after the company who owns Cobdown and as the football club is a separate entity to the ground, we will be changing the name of the club to Sheppey Sports Football Club.”
Recent news that Welling Town FC, who play in the SCEFL Premier, are taking over the site at Cobdown as it’s primary tenants and after confirming that the K Sports’ Youth and Sunday sections are joining them, has left K Sports with just one adult team. As a result of this, the club has struggled to attract supporters and sponsors this season, and with no pathway for players to join, they see no other option but to make the move to Sheppey.
In their statement they continued: “A move to The Isle of Sheppey along with a close working relationship with Sheppey United FC will see the pathway for young players in the area improve. Bridging the gap between the U23’s and Step 4 football by introducing a club at Step 6 to the area will allow young players to fully experience the men’s game who may not yet be ready to make the jump into the first team at Sheppey United FC.
“The club this season has prided itself on giving young players a chance. 86% of players who have featured for the club this season have been 23 or under and, on several occasions, has seen us field a team full of U23’s.
“To add to this, we have been lucky to be able to have some top players on duel registration with Sheppey United FC who the young lads have been able to play alongside and learn from at a good level of football.”
• West Kent Sport & Wellbeing and localsportsnews.co.uk are currently gathering more information on this story and will update accordingly.
More about K Sports FC’s history
Founded in 1919 and established as a senior club in 1946, the club has a very proud history. The present club reformed in 1974 as Reeds International and won the Western Premier in 1987/88 & again in 1990/91 after reverting to APM. In 2009 the contrast name was added following a large sponsorship deal. The club plays its football at K Sports Cobdown, where we have a long-lasting history. The football club has always had a senior section but in the 2013/14 season APM grew with a youth section and two teams in the Kent Youth League. The next season saw the club grow further, merging with Holtwood Rangers and a full youth section was introduced making the club force in Kent football. Now named K Sports FC we embark on an exciting new era for the club.
