Kent Invicta
Encyclopedia
Kent Invicta is a defunct rugby league
team that were based in Maidstone
, Kent
and later Southend in Essex
.
. The club colours consisted of a black shirt with a gold V, black shorts and black socks. They played their first game at London Road, Maidstone
, a ground they shared with Maidstone United FC
and a greyhound company. Their first game was against Cardiff City Blue Dragons
, they lost 31-12 before a crowd of 1,815.
The record attendance was 2,107 against St. Helens on 6 November 1983, by which time the club was bankrupt and the reins were taken over by Jim Thompson, the chairman of the soccer club. The last game at Maidstone was on 12 May 1984 against Rochdale Hornets
, which they won 32-12 before 412 spectators. Problems with ground sharing and wear of the soccer pitch resulted in the club having to move away from London Road, which today is an MFI superstore.
football club then approached Invicta and in late 1984 the team became Southend Invicta, and they started playing games at the Roots Hall
Stadium. The club colours were white shirts with a blue V, white shorts and white socks. Their season was unremarkable, and after the final home game against Huddersfield where there were a mere 85 fans, the club director Matt Wheatcroft admitted the club was in an extremely precarious position. Invicta were struck from the 1985-86 fixtures by the Rugby Football League
only days before the commencement of the new season because they were considered not to have formed a team. They went into liquidation soon afterwards.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
team that were based in Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
and later Southend in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
.
Kent Invicta RLFC
Kent Invicta RLFC were formed by Paul Faires and were admitted to the Rugby League on 6 April 1983. The moniker "Invicta" (unvanquished) being the motto of KentInvicta (motto)
Invicta was used in Roma invicta meaning "Unconquered Rome" and is the motto of the county of Kent, England.-Theories of origin:...
. The club colours consisted of a black shirt with a gold V, black shorts and black socks. They played their first game at London Road, Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
, a ground they shared with Maidstone United FC
Maidstone United F.C. (1897)
The original Maidstone United was an English football club that existed from 1897 to 1992. The club played in the Football League Fourth Division from 1989 until their demise in 1992. During their time in the Football League Maidstone played their games at Dartford's Watling Street Ground...
and a greyhound company. Their first game was against Cardiff City Blue Dragons
Cardiff City Blue Dragons
The Cardiff City Blue Dragons were a rugby league team formed in 1981. Their home ground was Ninian Park which was also used by Cardiff City FC. The club spent three seasons in Cardiff before relocating to Bridgend in 1984 as the Bridgend Blue Dragons, who were finally wound up in 1986. The team...
, they lost 31-12 before a crowd of 1,815.
The record attendance was 2,107 against St. Helens on 6 November 1983, by which time the club was bankrupt and the reins were taken over by Jim Thompson, the chairman of the soccer club. The last game at Maidstone was on 12 May 1984 against Rochdale Hornets
Rochdale Hornets
Rochdale Hornets RLFC is an English professional rugby league club from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England. They currently play in Championship One...
, which they won 32-12 before 412 spectators. Problems with ground sharing and wear of the soccer pitch resulted in the club having to move away from London Road, which today is an MFI superstore.
Southend Invicta RLFC
Southend UnitedSouthend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
football club then approached Invicta and in late 1984 the team became Southend Invicta, and they started playing games at the Roots Hall
Roots Hall
Roots Hall is a multi-use sports stadium in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England, primarily used for football games and is the home of the Football League Two club Southend United. With a capacity of 12,392 Roots Hall is the largest football stadium in Essex, and is the current venue for the final of...
Stadium. The club colours were white shirts with a blue V, white shorts and white socks. Their season was unremarkable, and after the final home game against Huddersfield where there were a mere 85 fans, the club director Matt Wheatcroft admitted the club was in an extremely precarious position. Invicta were struck from the 1985-86 fixtures by the Rugby Football League
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
only days before the commencement of the new season because they were considered not to have formed a team. They went into liquidation soon afterwards.