135-527: Ebbsfleet United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Northfleet , Kent , England. The club compete in the National League , the fifth level of English football league system . Founded in 1946 from the merger between Gravesend United and Northfleet United , they were known as Gravesend & Northfleet until changing to their current name in 2007. Between 2008 and 2013,
270-601: A stele of c. 375–400 BCE in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens appears on the UEFA European Championship trophy. Athenaeus , writing in 228 CE, mentions the Roman ball game harpastum . Phaininda, episkyros and harpastum were played involving hands and violence. They all appear to have resembled rugby football , wrestling , and volleyball more than what
405-540: A 48-hour period to ratify any proposed player signing or sale; both the manager and the club secretary opposed the change. Manager Daish rebuilt the squad following the previous season's relegation and on 15 May 2011, after what was only one season in the Conference South, Ebbsfleet United won the 2010–11 season play-off final beating Farnborough 4–2 and were thus promoted back to the Conference Premier . During
540-488: A French XI team in 1920, and also made up most of the England team against a Scottish Ladies XI in the same year, winning 22–0. Despite being more popular than some men's football events, with one match seeing a 53,000 strong crowd in 1920, women's football in England suffered a blow in 1921 when The Football Association outlawed the playing of the game on association members' pitches, stating that "the game of football
675-442: A caution ( yellow card ) or dismissal ( red card ). A second yellow card in the same game leads to a red card, which results in a dismissal. A player given a yellow card is said to have been "booked", the referee writing the player's name in their official notebook. If a player has been dismissed, no substitute can be brought on in their place and the player may not participate in further play. Misconduct may occur at any time, and while
810-564: A competitive game, and involved the kicking of a mari , a ball made of animal skin. In North America, pasuckuakohowog was a ball game played by the Algonquians ; it was described as "almost identical to the kind of folk football being played in Europe at the same time, in which the ball was kicked through goals". Phaininda and episkyros were Greek ball games. An image of an episkyros player depicted in low relief on
945-497: A deadlock; some competitions may invoke replays . A game tied at the end of regulation time may go into extra time, which consists of two further 15-minute periods. If the score is still tied after extra time, some competitions allow the use of penalty shoot-outs (known officially in the Laws of the Game as "kicks from the penalty mark") to determine which team will progress to the next stage of
1080-478: A delayed final played on 26 July 2008, they won the 2007–08 Kent Senior Cup with a 4–0 victory over Cray Wanderers . During the following 2008–09 FA Cup competition the club featured once again in the first round, losing 1–0 away at EFL League One club Crewe Alexandra After the first year of the MyFC ownership of the club a majority of its members failed to renew their annual subscription and membership dropped from
1215-535: A free transfer following the pay dispute. The 2019–20 season started with the Fleet losing all of their first five matches. In October 2019, Garry Hill left the club after just two wins in the opening 16 games of the season. Assistant Kevin Watson was appointed to the role on an interim basis before signing a seven-month contract to the end of the season. In February 2020 the ownership, KEH sports, appointed Damian Irvine to lead
1350-400: A goal has been scored or not; this was brought in to prevent controversy. Video assistant referees (VAR) have also been increasingly introduced in high-level matches to assist officials through video replays to correct clear and obvious mistakes. There are four types of calls that can be reviewed: mistaken identity in awarding a red or yellow card, goals and whether there was a violation during
1485-520: A group of Kuwaiti investors. On-field there was a first round FA Cup defeat at Carlisle United of League One, but the greater setback was the relegation suffered by 'the Fleet' at the end of the 2012–13 season , back to the Conference South. KEH Sports Ltd, a group of Kuwaiti investors completed a take-over of Ebbsfleet United in May 2013 with 96.24% of voting MyFC members in favour of the transaction. The new investors reportedly paid MyFC £7,500 for their 75% of
SECTION 10
#17331062866981620-628: A latex bladder for pressurisation, but modern balls at all levels of the game are now synthetic. As the Laws were formulated in England, and were initially administered solely by the four British football associations within IFAB , the standard dimensions of a football pitch were originally expressed in imperial units . The Laws now express dimensions with approximate metric equivalents (followed by traditional units in brackets), though use of imperial units remains popular in English-speaking countries with
1755-519: A meeting attended by representatives from Eton , Harrow , Rugby , Winchester and Shrewsbury schools. They were not universally adopted. During the 1850s, many clubs unconnected to schools or universities were formed throughout the English-speaking world to play various forms of football. Some came up with their own distinct codes of rules, most notably the Sheffield Football Club , formed by former public school pupils in 1857, which led to
1890-762: A new 8,000 seater stadium in Northfleet as part of a wider regeneration of the area. Work is scheduled to begin in September 2024 with completion aimed for August 2026. The relocation will see the demolition of Stonebridge Road. Source: Ebbsfleet United F.C. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Source: League Cup 51°26′58″N 0°19′21″E / 51.44943°N 0.322369°E / 51.44943; 0.322369 Association football Association football , more commonly known as football or soccer ,
2025-467: A peak of 32,000 at the time of the takeover to just over 9,000 on deadline day 2009; the club had previously stated that 15,000 members was the minimum needed. As a result of budget cuts, in June 2009, the club parted company after four years with assistant manager Alan Kimble. Owing to the effect of the reduced budget on playing strength the club finished the 2009–10 Football Conference in penultimate position in
2160-426: A penalty kick. Other markings define the position of the ball or players at kick-offs , goal kicks, penalty kicks and corner kicks. A standard adult football match consists of two halves of 45 minutes each. Each half runs continuously, meaning that the clock is not stopped when the ball is out of play. There is usually a 15-minute half-time break between halves. The end of the match is known as full-time. The referee
2295-416: A relatively recent history of metrication (or only partial metrication), such as Britain. The length of the pitch, or field, for international adult matches is in the range of 100–110 m (110–120 yd) and the width is in the range of 64–75 m (70–80 yd). Fields for non-international matches may be 90–120 m (100–130 yd) in length and 45–90 m (50–100 yd) in width, provided
2430-448: A replay in the midweek fixture, with Swansea winning the tie. The four quarter-final ties were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 29 February 1964. The Manchester United–Sunderland match went to two replays before the tie was settled, in United's favour. The semi-final matches were played on Saturday, 14 March 1964 with no replays required. Preston North End and West Ham United came through
2565-615: A second-placed finish in the South-East Division the club earned a position in the league's newly formed Premier Division for the 1959–60 season . For three seasons the club recorded lowly finishing positions in the division before, after the fourth season of 1962–63 , being relegated to the Southern League Division One. Whilst still members of the Premier Division, in 1961 and 1962, the club applied for election to
2700-567: A similar ancient game ( cuju , or tsu chu ) was played by women during the Han dynasty (25–220 CE), as female figures are depicted in frescoes of the period playing tsu chu . There are also reports of annual football matches played by women in Midlothian , Scotland, during the 1790s. Association football, the modern game, has documented early involvement of women. In 1863, football governing bodies introduced standardised rules to prohibit violence on
2835-523: A total match time of 90 minutes. With an estimated 250 million players active in over 200 countries and territories, it is the world's most popular sport. The game of association football is played in accordance with the Laws of the Game , a set of rules that has been in effect since 1863 and maintained by the IFAB since 1886. The game is played with a football that is 68–70 cm (27–28 in) in circumference . The two teams compete to score goals by getting
SECTION 20
#17331062866982970-507: A truce to the nation's civil war in 2006 and it helped further reduce tensions between government and rebel forces in 2007 by playing a match in the rebel capital of Bouaké , an occasion that brought both armies together peacefully for the first time. By contrast, football is widely considered to have been the final proximate cause for the Football War in June 1969 between El Salvador and Honduras . The sport also exacerbated tensions at
3105-432: A variety of positions in which the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are strategically placed by a coach, these positions are not defined or required by the Laws. The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards . An athletic supporter and protective cup is highly recommended for male players by medical experts and professionals. Headgear
3240-617: A year when they replaced player-manager Steve Lovell with their former youth team and assistant manager and ex-Gillingham forward Andy Ford . Under him 'the Fleet' played in the Isthmian League until 2001–02 , the season in which they won the league championship and earned promotion into the Football Conference (formerly named the Alliance Premier League). That promotion season was the third of consecutive season wins in
3375-415: Is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players each, who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a ball around a rectangular field called a pitch . The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team by moving the ball beyond the goal line into a rectangular-framed goal defended by the opposing team. Traditionally, the game has been played over two 45-minute halves, for
3510-463: Is governed by FIFA . Under FIFA, there are six continental confederations: AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA . Of these confederations, CONMEBOL is the oldest one, being founded in 1916. National associations (e.g. The FA in England) are responsible for managing the game in their own countries both professionally and at an amateur level, and coordinating competitions in accordance with
3645-410: Is marked by the goal line, two lines starting on the goal line 16.5 m (18 yd) from the goalposts and extending 16.5 m (18 yd) into the pitch perpendicular to the goal line, and a line joining them. This area has a number of functions, the most prominent being to mark where the goalkeeper may handle the ball and where a penalty foul by a member of the defending team becomes punishable by
3780-438: Is not a required piece of basic equipment, but players today may choose to wear it to protect themselves from head injury. Players are forbidden to wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or another player, such as jewellery or watches. The goalkeeper must wear clothing that is easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials. A number of players may be replaced by substitutes during
3915-405: Is positioned on each goal line, midway between the two touchlines. The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be 7.32 m (24 ft) apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported by the goal posts must be 2.44 m (8 ft) above the ground. Nets are usually placed behind the goal, but are not required by the Laws. In front of the goal is the penalty area. This area
4050-800: Is quite unsuitable for females and should not be encouraged." Players and football writers have argued that this ban was, in fact, due to envy of the large crowds that women's matches attracted, and because the FA had no control over the money made from the women's game. The FA ban led to the formation of the short-lived English Ladies Football Association and play moved to rugby grounds. Women's football also faced bans in several other countries , notably in Brazil from 1941 to 1979, in France from 1941 to 1970, and in Germany from 1955 to 1970. Restrictions began to be reduced in
4185-506: Is recognisable as modern football. As with pre-codified mob football , the antecedent of all modern football codes , these three games involved more handling the ball than kicking it. Association football in itself does not have a classical history. Notwithstanding any similarities to other ball games played around the world, FIFA has described that no historical connection exists with any game played in antiquity outside Europe. The history of football in England dates back to at least
Ebbsfleet United F.C. - Misplaced Pages Continue
4320-579: Is the dominant region in women's football, with the United States winning the most FIFA Women's World Cups and Olympic tournaments. Europe and Asia come second and third in terms of international success, and the women's game has been improving in South America. Association football is played in accordance with a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game . The game is played using a spherical ball of 68–70 cm (27–28 in) circumference, known as
4455-451: Is the official timekeeper for the match, and may make an allowance for time lost through substitutions, injured players requiring attention, or other stoppages. This added time is called "additional time" in FIFA documents, but is most commonly referred to as stoppage time or injury time , while lost time can also be used as a synonym. The duration of stoppage time is at the sole discretion of
4590-435: Is thought to have been borrowed from the slang of Rugby School . Initially spelt assoccer (a shortening of "association"), it was later reduced to the modern spelling. This form of slang also gave rise to rugger for rugby football, fiver and tenner for five pound and ten pound notes , and the now-archaic footer that was also a name for association football. The word soccer arrived at its current form in 1895 and
4725-404: Is to score goals; defenders , who specialise in preventing their opponents from scoring; and midfielders , who dispossess the opposition and keep possession of the ball to pass it to the forwards on their team. Players in these positions are referred to as outfield players, to distinguish them from the goalkeeper. These positions are further subdivided according to the area of the field in which
4860-421: The football (or soccer ball ). Two teams of eleven players each compete to get the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts and under the bar), thereby scoring a goal. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw. Each team is led by a captain who has only one official responsibility as mandated by
4995-515: The Caribbean and Oceania regions (except Australia ) have yet to make a mark in international football. When it comes to men's national teams, Europeans and South Americans continue to dominate the FIFA World Cup, as no team from any other region has managed to even reach the final. These regional trends do not hold true for the women's game, as the United States women's national team has won
5130-484: The FA Cup . West Ham United won the competition for the first time (despite having reached the 1923 final ), beating Preston North End 3–2 in the final at Wembley . Matches were scheduled to be played at the stadium of the team named first on the date specified for each round, which was always a Saturday. Some matches, however, might be rescheduled for other days if there were clashes with games for other competitions or
5265-509: The Football League Fourth Division but failed on each occasion to receive a single vote In the relegation season 'the Fleet' had achieved their furthest ever FA Cup run in the 1962–63 season competition : after beating League Division Four strugglers Exeter City and then mid-table Isthmian League club Wycombe Wanderers at Stonebridge Road in the first two rounds, in the third round the club won away at Carlisle United of
5400-620: The Football League Third Division before they were knocked-out in a fourth round replay at leading Football League Second Division club Sunderland – that was the first of a sequence of four seasons of appearing in the proper rounds of the FA cup, the subsequent three were: in 1963–64 losing in the second round to Brentford of the Third Division; the following season losing in the first round to another Third Division club Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic ; and beaten in
5535-590: The Football League Third Division South . For eight seasons the club recorded mid-table finishes in the single division Southern League (a highest of fifth in 1947 and a lowest of twenty-first in 1952) until finishing bottom of the division over the 1954–55 season . During this period 'the Fleet' twice won the Kent Senior Cup : in 1949 they defeated Gillingham 2–0 in a twice replayed final; and in 1953 were victors 2–1 over Dartford . Following
Ebbsfleet United F.C. - Misplaced Pages Continue
5670-598: The first round by Wimbledon of the Southern League. Shortly after the relegation the club was rocked by a financial crisis which saw an exodus of key players in October 1963; in April 1964 the supporters club made key donations to avert the threat of the club folding. 'The Fleet' slumped to twentieth position (from twenty-two clubs) of the Southern League Division One in the 1963–64 season and recorded similar lowly finishes over
5805-620: The 1960s and 1970s. The Italian women's football league was established in 1968. In December 1969, the Women's Football Association was formed in England, with the sport eventually becoming the most prominent team sport for women in the United Kingdom. Two unofficial women's World Cups were organised by the FIEFF in 1970 and in 1971 . Also in 1971, UEFA members voted to officially recognise women's football, while The Football Association rescinded
5940-487: The 1981 Kent Senior Cup defeating Ashford Town 2–0 in the final. However, after the following 1981–82 campaign , in which Galvin resigned mid-season they were relegated back into the Southern League Premier Division In the autumn of 1982 the club again reported financial losses and made cutbacks, the club manager of nine months Stan Harland and the chairman of the board both resigned. In 1988 there
6075-753: The FA Cup facing Football League Second Division clubs: on two occasions the club were defeated by Notts County , in round one in the 2000–01 season and in round two in the 2002–03 competition; in the intervening 2001–02 season they were defeated by Huddersfield Town in a round one tie. In 2005, there was a change of manager: Andy Ford resigned in January 2005 and was replaced the following month by former Cambridge United , Birmingham City and Coventry City defender Liam Daish . A club player milestone occurred on 28 September 2005 when veteran Jimmy Jackson, who first played for 'the Fleet' in 1994, recorded his 500th game for
6210-570: The FIFA Women's World Cup four times, more than any other women's team. Football is played at a professional level all over the world. Millions of people regularly go to football stadiums to follow their favourite teams, while billions more watch the game on television or on the internet. A very large number of people also play football at an amateur level. According to a survey conducted by FIFA published in 2001, over 240 million people from more than 200 countries regularly play football. Football has
6345-476: The Fleet Trust, and the remaining third to one of the club's major shareholders (believed to be former club chairman Phil Sonsara). It was further disclosed that the club needed to additionally raise £100,000 by the end of the month in order to avoid entering administration . This deal was not completed: the MyFC and other shareholders subsequently accepted an offer for all the shares of the club from KEH Sports Ltd,
6480-539: The Fleet missed out on the play-offs following a winless April. In the spring of 2019, it was reported that there was an ongoing pay dispute between Ebbsfleet United and its players. On 1 February, the Ebbsfleet players released a joint statement claiming they had only been paid on time once in the preceding 12 months, that they had unknowingly played matches earlier in the season without the right medical insurance in place, and that pension payments had not been met. In response,
6615-861: The Football Association, the Scottish Football Association , the Football Association of Wales , and the Irish Football Association . FIFA , the international football body, was formed in Paris in 1904 and declared that they would adhere to the Laws of the Game of the Football Association. The growing popularity of the international game led to the admittance of FIFA representatives to the IFAB in 1913. The board consists of four representatives from FIFA and one representative from each of
6750-464: The Game while the ball is in play. The offences that constitute a foul are listed in Law 12. Handling the ball deliberately, tripping an opponent, or pushing an opponent, are examples of "penal fouls", punishable by a direct free kick or penalty kick depending on where the offence occurred. Other fouls are punishable by an indirect free kick . The referee may punish a player's or substitute's misconduct by
6885-470: The IFAB Laws. Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes ), one of whom must be the goalkeeper . Competition rules may state a minimum number of players required to constitute a team, which is usually seven. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to play the ball with their hands or arms, provided they do so within the penalty area in front of their own goal. Though there are
SECTION 50
#17331062866987020-464: The Kent Senior Cup (the club's forerunner Northfleet United had achieved this and more, recording five consecutive wins in the 1920s): in the 1999–2000 final Folkestone Invicta were defeated 3–0; Dover Athletic were defeated 4–0 in the 2000–01 final; and beating Margate 5–0 in the 2001–02 final completed the trio of wins. There were too three consecutive seasons of appearing in the proper rounds of
7155-430: The Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" (Law 5), and whose decisions are final. The referee is assisted by two assistant referees . In many high-level games there is also a fourth official who assists the referee and may replace another official should the need arise. Goal line technology is used to measure if the whole ball has crossed the goal-line thereby determining whether
7290-713: The Laws of the Game. The most prestigious senior international competitions are the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women's World Cup . The men's World Cup is the most-viewed sporting event in the world, surpassing the Olympic Games . The two most prestigious competitions in club football are the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Women's Champions League , which attract an extensive television audience worldwide. The final of
7425-475: The Laws of the Game: to represent their team in the coin toss before kick-off or penalty kicks . The primary law is that players other than goalkeepers may not deliberately handle the ball with their hands or arms during play, though they must use both their hands during a throw-in restart. Although players usually use their feet to move the ball around, they may use any part of their body (notably, "heading" with
7560-644: The Southern League Premier Division who together with seven clubs from the Northern Premier League were founder members of the countrywide Alliance Premier League . After a disappointing first half of the 1980–81 season, with the club in lower mid-table, manager Sitford was sacked in December 1980 and replaced by former Gillingham and Wimbledon defender Dave Galvin . 'The Fleet' not only maintained their league status that season but also won
7695-530: The United States. A notable exception is New Zealand, where in the first two decades of the 21st century, under the influence of international television, "football" has been gaining prevalence, despite the dominance of other codes of football, namely rugby union and rugby league . The term soccer comes from Oxford "-er" slang, which was prevalent at the University of Oxford in England from about 1875, and
7830-405: The away colour in 2008–09, but a clash with the home colours of Woking and other clubs was not spotted until after the kit had been supplied, so a third shirt with green body and white sleeves was used with the white shorts and socks; for the 2010–11 season the members made the unusual choice of purple for the away kit. The club used specially designed 75th anniversary kits for the 2021–22 season:
7965-452: The ball into the other team's goal (between the posts, under the bar, and fully across the goal line). When the ball is in play, the players mainly use their feet, but may also use any other part of their body, such as their head, chest and thighs, except for their hands or arms, to control, strike, or pass the ball. Only the goalkeepers may use their hands and arms, and that only within the penalty area . The team that has scored more goals at
8100-456: The ban that prohibited women from playing on association members' pitches in England. Women's football still faces many struggles, but its worldwide growth has seen major competitions being launched at both the national and international levels, mirroring the men's competitions. The FIFA Women's World Cup was inaugurated in 1991: the first tournament was held in China, featuring 12 teams from
8235-410: The beginning of each playing period with a kick-off until the end of the playing period, the ball is in play at all times, except when either the ball leaves the field of play, or play is stopped by the referee. When the ball becomes out of play, play is restarted by one of eight restart methods depending on how it went out of play: A foul occurs when a player commits an offence listed in the Laws of
SECTION 60
#17331062866988370-479: The beginning of the Croatian War of Independence of the 1990s, when a match between Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade degenerated into rioting in May 1990. Women's association football has historically seen opposition, with national associations severely curbing its development and several outlawing it completely. Women may have been playing football for as long as the game has existed. Evidence shows that
8505-404: The buildup, direct red card decisions, and penalty decisions. The ball is spherical with a circumference of between 68 and 70 cm (27 and 28 in), a weight in the range of 410 to 450 g (14 to 16 oz), and a pressure between 0.6 and 1.1 standard atmospheres (8.5 and 15.6 pounds per square inch ) at sea level. In the past the ball was made up of leather panels sewn together, with
8640-732: The champions of these two club competitions would contest the Intercontinental Cup to prove which team was the best in the world. In the 21st century, South America has continued to produce some of the best footballers in the world, but its clubs have fallen behind the still dominant European clubs, which often sign the best players from Latin America and elsewhere. Meanwhile, football has improved in Africa , Asia and North America , and nowadays, these regions are at least on equal grounds with South America in club football, although countries in
8775-410: The change of name to Ebbsfleet United, on 13 November 2007 it was announced that the website-community MyFootballClub (MyFC) had agreed a deal in principle to take control of Ebbsfleet United. MyFC had 28,250 members (each paying a subscription of £35) and the organisation paid £625,000 to purchase a 75% stake in the club with each member owning an equal share in the club on which no profit nor dividend
8910-468: The club For the remaining seasons that the club was known as Gravesend & Northfleet it maintained its position in the Football Conference, the leading non-league competition. In May 2007 the club renamed itself Ebbsfleet United (cited as being for strategic reasons associated with the growth of the region and the establishment of Ebbsfleet Station as an international gateway). Shortly after
9045-473: The club and oversee the day-to-day operations and all football matters. It was announced on 18 May 2020 that Kevin Watson's short-term contract as Manager would not be renewed and he would leave the club. The 2019–20 season was cancelled in March due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic with Ebbsfleet in the relegation places; on 17 June 2020 using the criterion of points per game , the club were confirmed among
9180-463: The club needed to generate £50,000 by the end of the 2011–12 season and it appealed for investment; the club managed to complete the season, finishing in mid-table. Prior to the 2012–13 season the MyFC membership had reduced further to around 1,300; during the early part of that season, in November 2012, the independent Fleet Supporters Trust, who had continued over the years to make financial donations to
9315-486: The club was 75% owned by the web-based venture MyFootballClub whose members, by majority vote, decided on things that at many other clubs were decisions made by the club's management and staff. In May 2013 KEH Sports Ltd, a group of Kuwaiti investors took over full ownership of the club. Gravesend & Northfleet F.C. was formed in 1946 by a merger between Gravesend United (originally formed in 1893) and Northfleet United (originally formed in 1890). The new club retained
9450-415: The club, stated they were concerned about the viability and sustainability of the football club under its present ownership and called on the MyFC members to consider their continued ownership of the football club. Later that season on 23 April 2013 it was announced that MyFC's members had voted to relinquish their 75% ownership of the club and to pass two-thirds of their shares to the club's supporters' trust,
9585-560: The coming season and a minimum playing squad budget of £8,000 per week. Liam Daish subsequently departed as head coach after eight seasons in charge – the longest tenure of any manager of 'the Fleet'. The new ownership appointed the Dover Athletic coach and former Charlton Athletic defender Steve Brown as manager. A club record was broken just before Christmas as Brown's team achieved nine wins in succession. A 2–0 win over Sutton United , with both goals coming from Billy Bricknell, broke
9720-457: The competition at this stage. The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 4 January 1964. Nine matches were drawn and went to replays, though none of these then resulted in a second replay. The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 25 January 1964. Eight matches were drawn and went to replays. The replays were all played two, three or four days later. The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 15 February 1964. The Stoke City – Swansea Town match went to
9855-425: The course of the game. The maximum number of substitutions permitted in most competitive international and domestic league games is five in 90 minutes, with each team being allowed one more if the game should go into extra-time; the permitted number may vary in other competitions or in friendly matches . Common reasons for a substitution include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or timewasting at
9990-442: The dismal record over the previous season in the summer of 1955 the club appointed ex- Arsenal and England player Lionel Smith as manager, their seventh manager in ten seasons – he remained in charge for five seasons until resigning in 1960. Three seasons into Smith's tenure Gravesend & Northfleet were the 1957–58 Southern League Champions; the following season the league operated two parallel regional divisions and by achieving
10125-453: The eighth century. The modern rules of association football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played in the public schools of England. The Cambridge rules , first drawn up at the University of Cambridge in 1848, were particularly influential in the development of subsequent codes, including association football. The Cambridge rules were written at Trinity College, Cambridge , at
10260-420: The end of a finely poised game. In standard adult matches, a player who has been substituted may not take further part in a match. IFAB recommends "that a match should not continue if there are fewer than seven players in either team". Any decision regarding points awarded for abandoned games is left to the individual football associations. A game is officiated by a referee , who has "full authority to enforce
10395-405: The end of the game is the winner. There are situations where a goal can be disallowed, such as an offside call or a foul in the build-up to the goal. Depending on the format of the competition, an equal number of goals scored may result in a draw being declared with 1 point awarded to each team, or the game goes into extra time or a penalty shoot-out . Internationally, association football
10530-409: The final to rivals Maidstone United . In the 2016–17 season Ebbsfleet again missed out on first place, this time to National League South champions Maidenhead United . Yet gained promotion to the National League with a 2–1 win at Stonebridge Road in the play-off final over Chelmsford City . The following season the team achieved their highest ever league finish of 6th, beating Aldershot Town in
10665-472: The first round of the FA Cup, being defeated in the first two occasions by members of the Football League Fourth Division and previous cup conquerors: Wimbledon in an away replay in 1978 and in the following 1979–80 competition by Torquay United; and in 1980 defeated at home by non-league Isthmian League Division One St Albans City . There was a reorganisation of Non-league football in 1979 and Gravesend & Northfleet were one of thirteen clubs from
10800-632: The following six seasons. During this spell, in November 1968, the club appointed Alf Ackerman as manager. In the final season of the six season run, in 1970, the club won the Kent Floodlit Cup defeating Margate 2–1 in a final replay having sharing six goals over the initial two legged final tie. In 1971 the club achieved a third-placed finish in Division One and were promoted back to the Southern League Premier Division. During this period between 1969 and 1971, Roy Hodgson , who later became manager of
10935-420: The forehead) other than their hands or arms. Within normal play, all players are free to play the ball in any direction and move throughout the pitch, though players may not pass to teammates who are in an offside position. During gameplay, players attempt to create goal-scoring opportunities through individual control of the ball, such as by dribbling , passing the ball to a teammate, and by taking shots at
11070-514: The formation of a Sheffield FA in 1867. In 1862, John Charles Thring of Uppingham School also devised an influential set of rules. These ongoing efforts contributed to the formation of The Football Association (The FA) in 1863, which first met on the morning of 26 October 1863 at the Freemasons' Tavern in Great Queen Street , London. The only school to be represented on this occasion
11205-517: The four British associations. For most of the 20th century, Europe and South America were the dominant regions in association football. The FIFA World Cup , inaugurated in 1930 , became the main stage for players of both continents to show their worth and the strength of their national teams. In the second half of the century, the European Cup and the Copa Libertadores were created, and
11340-695: The game in a specific position, there are few restrictions on player movement, and players can switch positions at any time. The layout of a team's players is known as a formation . Defining the team's formation and tactics is usually the prerogative of the team's manager . There are 17 laws in the official Laws of the Game, each containing a collection of stipulations and guidelines. The same laws are designed to apply to all levels of football for both sexes, although certain modifications for groups such as juniors, seniors and people with physical disabilities are permitted. The laws are often framed in broad terms, which allow flexibility in their application depending on
11475-425: The goal, which is guarded by the opposing goalkeeper. Opposing players may try to regain control of the ball by intercepting a pass or through tackling the opponent in possession of the ball; however, physical contact between opponents is restricted. Football is generally a free-flowing game, with play stopping only when the ball has left the field of play or when play is stopped by the referee for an infringement of
11610-404: The highest global television audience in sport. In many parts of the world, football evokes great passions and plays an important role in the life of individual fans , local communities, and even nations. Ryszard Kapuściński says that Europeans who are polite, modest, or humble fall easily into rage when playing or watching football games. The Ivory Coast national football team helped secure
11745-504: The home shirt was red and the away shirt green both with the Gravesend & Northfleet badge and lettering included on the shirts which additionally featured subtle design cues that paid homage to forerunner clubs Northfleet United and Gravesend United respectively The club has played its home matches at Stonebridge Road since the club's inception. It was formerly the home stadium, since 1905, of forerunner club Northfleet United. In 1953 it
11880-654: The instigation of Alcock. England is also home to the world's first football league , which was founded in Birmingham in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor . The original format contained 12 clubs from the Midlands and Northern England . Laws of the Game are determined by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The board was formed in 1886 after a meeting in Manchester of
12015-697: The lack of a crossbar, rules which made it remarkably similar to Victorian rules football being developed at that time in Australia. The Sheffield FA played by its own rules until the 1870s, with the FA absorbing some of its rules until there was little difference between the games. The world's oldest football competition is the FA Cup , which was founded by the footballer and cricketer Charles W. Alcock , and has been contested by English teams since 1872. The first official international football match also took place in 1872, between Scotland and England in Glasgow , again at
12150-586: The league, Dennis Kutrieb was sacked and later replaced by Danny Searle: under the new manager the club maintained the club's position by two points in the 2023–24 National League . Off the field that season, on 23 December 2023, on the same day that it was reported he was declared bankrupt Dr Al-Humaidi resigned as chairman and as a Director of Ebbsfleet United. He was replaced as chairman by his cousin Abdulla Al-Humaidi. On 9 September 2024 after seven straight National League match defeats manager Danny Searle
12285-461: The list of those relegated from the National League (by a difference of 0.002 points). On 2 June 2020, Tennis Borussia Berlin manager Dennis Kutrieb was appointed as the new manager. They achieved promotion back to the fifth tier in the 2022–23 season , clinching the title with four matches remaining, winning the league by a margin of twenty points. In January 2024 with the club struggling in
12420-411: The long-standing record which subsequently put them amongst the title contenders but poor runs of form were to follow. Ebbsfleet eventually reached the play-offs, helped by goalkeeper Preston Edwards keeping eleven clean sheets at Stonebridge Road over the course of the season. The play-off semi-final first leg against Bromley at Stonebridge Road ended in a 4–0 win for the Fleet. Despite Bromley winning
12555-607: The men's tournament is the most-watched annual sporting event in the world. Association football is one of a family of football codes that emerged from various ball games played worldwide since antiquity. Within the English-speaking world, the sport is now usually called "football" in Great Britain and most of Ulster in the north of Ireland, whereas people usually call it "soccer" in regions and countries where other codes of football are prevalent, such as Australia, Canada, South Africa, most of Ireland (excluding Ulster), and
12690-490: The national teams of Switzerland , United Arab Emirates , Finland and England , was a player at the club, making 59 appearances. The club's return to the Premier Division for the 1971–72 season was unsatisfactory: the club recorded all-time lows of five matches won and thirty goals scored; they finished at the foot of the table and were duly relegated into the now regional Southern League Division One South. In February 1974 Ackerman quit as manager (citing lack of funds) and
12825-549: The nature of MyFC, Liam Daish who had been titled manager since 2005 became instead the first team head coach – his backroom staff remained at the club. Success quickly followed when on 10 May 2008 Ebbsfleet United won the FA Trophy , defeating now non-league Torquay United 1–0 in the final , a match watched by 40,000 spectators on the club's first trip to Wembley – becoming the first Kentish team to win this trophy. A couple of months later 'the Fleet' added further silverware when, in
12960-525: The nature of the game. The Laws of the Game are published by FIFA, but are maintained by the IFAB. In addition to the seventeen laws, numerous IFAB decisions and other directives contribute to the regulation of association football. Within the United States, Major League Soccer used a distinct ruleset during the 1990s and the National Federation of State High School Associations and NCAA still use rulesets that are comparable to, but different from,
13095-516: The next stoppage of play. The referee's decision in all on-pitch matters is considered final. The score of a match cannot be altered after the game, even if later evidence shows that decisions (including awards/non-awards of goals) were incorrect. 1963%E2%80%9364 FA Cup The 1963–64 FA Cup was the 83rd staging of the world's oldest football cup competition , the Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as
13230-426: The offences that constitute misconduct are listed, the definitions are broad. In particular, the offence of "unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal with most events that violate the spirit of the game, even if they are not listed as specific offences. A referee can show a yellow or red card to a player, substitute, substituted player, and to non-players such as managers and support staff. Rather than stopping play,
13365-461: The original thirteen laws of the game. The sticking point was hacking, which a twelfth club at the meeting, Blackheath FC , had wanted to keep, resulting in them withdrawing from the FA. Other English rugby clubs followed this lead and did not join the FA, and instead in 1871, along with Blackheath, formed the Rugby Football Union . The FA rules included handling of the ball by "marks" and
13500-418: The period: in the 1993–94 season the club were defeated 2–1 at Football League Second Division club Leyton Orient ; two seasons later in the 1995–96 competition after triumphing at home over newly restored Division Three club Colchester United and then Southern League South Division members Cinderford Town in a replay, 'the Fleet' played their highest ever ranked FA Cup opponent when they were beaten in
13635-432: The pitch does not become square. In 2008, the IFAB initially approved a fixed size of 105 m (115 yd) long and 68 m (74 yd) wide as a standard pitch dimension for international matches; however, this decision was later put on hold and was never actually implemented. The longer boundary lines are touchlines , while the shorter boundaries (on which the goals are placed) are goal lines . A rectangular goal
13770-437: The pitch, making it more socially acceptable for women to play. The first match recorded by the Scottish Football Association took place in 1892 in Glasgow . In England, the first recorded game of football between women took place in 1895. Women's football has traditionally been associated with charity games and physical exercise, particularly in the United Kingdom. Association football continued to be played by women since
13905-427: The play-off qualifying round 5–4 on penalties. A heavy 4–2 defeat in the next round to Tranmere Rovers consigned Ebbsfleet to another season in the National League. The 2018–19 campaign did not reach the heights of the previous campaign with Daryl McMahon leaving the club in November following a 1–0 win over Barrow . Former Woking manager Garry Hill was appointed manager of the club. Despite an initial renaissance,
14040-437: The player spends the most time. For example, there are central defenders and left and right midfielders. The ten outfield players may be arranged in any combination. The number of players in each position determines the style of the team's play; more forwards and fewer defenders creates a more aggressive and offensive-minded game, while the reverse creates a slower, more defensive style of play. While players typically spend most of
14175-400: The players and spectators by holding up a board showing this number. The signalled stoppage time may be further extended by the referee. Added time was introduced because of an incident which happened in 1891 during a match between Stoke and Aston Villa . Trailing 1–0 with two minutes remaining, Stoke were awarded a penalty kick. Villa's goalkeeper deliberately kicked the ball out of play; by
14310-401: The players refused to warm-up before a match against Wrexham . In an April 2019 statement, Ebbsfleet United claimed that the late payments were due to compliance procedures relating to transactions from Kuwait. In May 2019, Ebbsfleet United players and fans protested against unpaid wages at Stonebridge Road. At the end of the 2018-19 campaign, Ebbsfleet allowed many contracted players to leave on
14445-453: The qualifying rounds with Wimbledon and Sutton United , who given byes, complete this round. Matches were scheduled to be played on Saturday, 16 November 1963, although three games were not played until the midweek fixture. Eight were drawn and went to replays. The matches were scheduled for Saturday, 7 December 1963. Three matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week. The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered
14580-519: The red and white home colours and the Stonebridge Road stadium of Northfleet United. The club were elected to the Southern League for the 1946–47 season and in this inaugural season reached the first round proper of the FA Cup , losing to fellow Southern League club Gillingham ; the club reached the first round of the FA cup again in 1949–50 , before being defeated by Torquay United of
14715-416: The referee may allow play to continue if doing so will benefit the team against which an offence has been committed. This is known as "playing an advantage". The referee may "call back" play and penalise the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue within "a few seconds". Even if an offence is not penalised due to advantage being played, the offender may still be sanctioned for misconduct at
14850-419: The referee. Stoppage time does not fully compensate for the time in which the ball is out of play , and a 90-minute game typically involves about an hour of "effective playing time". The referee alone signals the end of the match. In matches where a fourth official is appointed, towards the end of the half, the referee signals how many minutes of stoppage time they intend to add. The fourth official then informs
14985-440: The respective six confederations. The World Cup has been held every four years since; by 2019 , it had expanded to 24 national teams, and 1.12 billion viewers watched the competition. Four years later , FIFA targeted the 32-team 2023 Women's World Cup at an audience of 2 billion, while about 1.4 million tickets were sold, setting a Women's World Cup record. Women's football has been an Olympic event since 1996 . North America
15120-534: The rules. After a stoppage, play recommences with a specified restart. At a professional level, most matches produce only a few goals. For example, the 2022–23 season of the English Premier League produced an average of 2.85 goals per match. The Laws of the Game do not specify any player positions other than goalkeeper, but a number of specialised roles have evolved. Broadly, these include three main categories: strikers , or forwards, whose main task
15255-465: The season failed to live up to expectations and Steve Brown was relieved of his duties the day after a 3–0 home defeat to Gosport Borough in November 2014. Jamie Day replaced Brown and, despite taking the club to the FA Trophy quarter-finals, where they lost to eventual winners North Ferriby United , he was relieved of his duties in April 2015. In the summer of 2015, former club captain Daryl McMahon
15390-430: The season, in the first round of the FA Cup , the club had been defeated 3–2 in a home replay by Conference Premier promotion contenders AFC Wimbledon (the spiritual heirs of the club that had beaten them twice previously in the proper rounds of the competition). Ebbsfleet United's financial difficulties, owing to shortage of funding by MyFC, were quantified in December 2011 when it was announced that in order to survive
15525-493: The second leg, Brown's side won 4–1 on aggregate. The play-off final was against Dover Athletic whom the club had just defeated 4–0 to win the Kent Senior Cup. In the play-off encounter at Stonebridge Road, in front of a 4,200 crowd, Dover dominated and defeated Ebbsfleet United 1–0 with a goal early in the second half from former Ebbsfleet striker Nathan Elder. The 2014–15 season started with much promise, with wins against Concord Rangers & Havant & Waterlooville. However,
15660-543: The sexes are so widely divided are all on the side of emancipation , and I look forward to the time when ladies may sit in Parliament and have a voice in the direction of affairs, especially those which concern them most." Honeyball and those like her paved the way for women's football. However, the women's game was frowned upon by the British football associations and continued without their support. It has been suggested that this
15795-427: The shares with a further £2,500 paid for the remainder to other shareholders. Further, £558,000 of loans (£139,000 to MyFC, the balance to directors, shareholders and other parties) were settled at 10% of their value and £100,000 made available for other creditors. The new owners appointed KEH Director Dr. Abdulla Al-Humaidi as the new chairman and it was announced that the club would have a transfer budget of £100,000 for
15930-472: The table and were relegated into the Conference South . The membership of MyFC continued to decline and in September 2010, two and a half years after the takeover, there were around 3,500 members. In an October 2010 vote among MyFC members the previous decision to allow the team manager autonomy in transfer dealings was rescinded, by a majority of 35 on a total vote of 132 in favour of the membership having
16065-426: The third round 3–0 by Premier League members Aston Villa , a tie in which the club ceded home advantage to maximise its revenue. For the 1997–98 season , Gravesend & Northfleet left the Southern League and switched to what they believed to be the more geographically suitable Isthmian League Premier Division . After a poor start to the season, in September 1997 the club appointed their third manager in just over
16200-447: The time it was recovered, the clock had run out and the game was over, leaving Stoke unable to attempt the penalty. The same law also states that the duration of either half is extended until a penalty kick to be taken or retaken is completed; thus, no game can end with an uncompleted penalty. In league competitions, games may end in a draw. In knockout competitions where a winner is required, various methods may be employed to break such
16335-531: The time of the first recorded women's games in the late 19th century. The best-documented early European team was founded by activist Nettie Honeyball in England in 1894. It was named the British Ladies' Football Club . Honeyball is quoted as, "I founded the association late last year [1894], with the fixed resolve of proving to the world that women are not the 'ornamental and useless' creatures men have pictured. I must confess, my convictions on all matters where
16470-422: The tournament or be the champion. Goals scored during extra time periods count towards the final score of the game, but kicks from the penalty mark are only used to decide the team that progresses to the next part of the tournament, with goals scored in a penalty shoot-out not making up part of the final score. In competitions using two-legged matches , each team competes at home once, with an aggregate score from
16605-597: The transmission of cuju outside of China, especially the form of the game popular in the Tang dynasty , the period when the inflatable ball was invented and replaced the stuffed ball. Other East Asian games include kemari in Japan and chuk-guk in Korea, both influenced by cuju . Kemari originated after the year 600 during the Asuka period . It was a ceremonial rather than
16740-439: The two matches deciding which team progresses. Where aggregates are equal, the away goals rule may be used to determine the winners, in which case the winner is the team that scored the most goals in the leg they played away from home. If the result is still equal, extra time and potentially a penalty shoot-out are required. Under the Laws, the two basic states of play during a game are ball in play and ball out of play . From
16875-478: The weather was inclement. If scores were level after 90 minutes had been played, a replay would take place at the stadium of the second-named team later the same week. If scores were level after 90 minutes had been played in a replay, a 30-minute period of extra time would be played. At this stage clubs from the Football League Third and Fourth Divisions joined 30 non-league clubs having come through
17010-510: Was Charterhouse . The Freemasons' Tavern was the setting for five more meetings of The FA between October and December 1863; the English FA eventually issued the first comprehensive set of rules named Laws of the Game , forming modern football. The laws included bans on running with the ball in hand and hacking (kicking an opponent in the shins), tripping and holding. Eleven clubs, under the charge of FA secretary Ebenezer Cobb Morley , ratified
17145-832: Was a further crisis: the club was £58,000 in debt and close to financial collapse; the situation was alleviated when club landlords and local employer Blue Circle Industries intervened with a five-year deal worth £90,000. During the fifteen seasons between 1982 and 1997 Gravesend & Northfleet bounced between the Premier and South Divisions of the Southern League: there were relegations in both 1986 and 1992 (the club should have been relegated in 1991 however they were spared as Rushden Town were demoted owing to ground problems); these were followed by two promotions, firstly in 1989 under manager Denis Moore and then in 1994 led by manager Garry Aldous. There were two notable FA Cup runs during
17280-488: Was earned. Between 16 and 23 January 2008 there was an overwhelmingly majority of the MyFC members who voted to both proceed with the takeover (95.89% voting "Yes") and to allow Liam Daish to continue with his plans for the January transfer window (95.86% voting "Yes"). The deal was ratified at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the club's board on 19 February 2008. Members had a vote on all major club decisions which included inter alia transfers and player selection. Because of
17415-527: Was first recorded as in exercise in the Zhan Guo Ce , a military history from the Han dynasty . Cuju players would pass the ball around, having to avoid it touching the ground at any point. It was then passed to a designated player, who attempted to kick it through the fengliu yan , a circular goal atop 10–11 meter poles. During the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), cuju games were standardised and rules were established. The Silk Road facilitated
17550-419: Was first recorded in 1889 in the earlier form of socca . Kicking ball games arose independently multiple times across multiple cultures. The Chinese competitive game cuju ( 蹴鞠 , literally "kickball"; also known as tsu chu ) resembles modern association football as well as a mix of basketball, and volleyball. This is the earliest form of a kicking game for which there is historical evidence. The game
17685-497: Was motivated by a perceived threat to the "masculinity" of the game. Women's football became popular on a large scale at the time of the First World War , when female employment in heavy industry spurred the growth of the game, much as it had done for men 50 years earlier. The most successful team of the era was Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. of Preston, England . The team played in one of the first women's international matches against
17820-424: Was named as permanent manager. The 2015–16 season was far more fruitful for the Fleet, as they led the league for almost the whole season. However, title rivals Sutton United went on a 26-game unbeaten run and clinched the league title by beating the Fleet 2–0 at Gander Green Lane. In the play-off semi-finals the Fleet edged past Whitehawk via a penalty shootout after a 3–3 draw on aggregate but lost on penalties in
17955-425: Was relieved of his duties and replaced by Harry Watling . Ebbsfleet's traditional home colours (adopted from forerunner club Northfleet United) are red shirt with white detailing, white shorts and red socks. Away colours have varied, with blue and white stripes favoured in the late eighties before colour combinations such as white/black and yellow/navy or black were used. MyFC members chose white with red detailing as
18090-466: Was replaced as manager by former player Tony Sitford . Fifteen months later, under Sitford, Gravesend & Northfleet were the 1974–75 Division One South champions and again promoted to the Premier Division. Three seasons later in 1978 'the Fleet' won the Southern League Cup defeating Weymouth 2–0 over a two legged final. For each of the three seasons between 1978 and 1980 the club appeared in
18225-574: Was the first football stadium in Kent to have floodlights installed. In July 2012 the Stonebridge Road terrace was named the Liam Daish Stand in recognition of the then manager. The stand was demolished in 2016 and replaced with a new main stand in 2017. In October 2017, Stonebridge Road became known as Kuflink Stadium as part of a five-year sponsorship deal. In April 2024 plans were approved for
#697302