History

The first football club in the town of Dover was founded in the 1880s, but little record of the club exists today. Several clubs have taken their place over the years, Dover Football Club former as an amateur side in 1934 before reforming in 1947 as a semi-professional club. The club played in the Kent League until 1959 before moving to the Southern League. Promotion to the Premier division came in 1967 before relegation back to the First Division in 1978.

The club won the First Division South title the following season but was not promoted, remaining in the South Division until 1983 when it ceased to exist due to financial troubles. That lead to the formation of Dover Athletic, who took the old club’s place in the Southern League.

Athletic initially struggled until the appointment of Chris Kinnear in 1985. After finishing in the top 5 for 2 consecutive seasons, Dover won the division and promotion in 1988 to the Southern League Premier. A strong start to life at their new level saw them win the title in 1990 but they were denied promotion to the Football Conference due to Crabble not meeting the required standard. Promotion eventually came in 1993.

Dover were deprived from relegation in 1996 before the appointment of Bill Williams saw them reach the FA Trophy semi-finals in 1999 and a record 6th place finish in the Conference the following season.

The early years of the millennium saw Dover encounter financial difficulties that would eventually lead to their relegation back to the Southern League in 2002, where they would first encounter Folkestone Invicta. A restructure of the football pyramid saw both Invicta and Dover moved into the Isthmian League in 2004. Dover were facing extinction again in January 2005 before a takeover from a consortium headed by current Chairman Jim Parameter saved the club, but relegation followed that summer.

The club bounced straight back into the Isthmian Premier Division, followed by promotion to the Conference South the following season. Dover reached the Conference South playoffs on a number of occasions before their eventual return to the highest tier of non-league football in 2014, beating Ebbsfleet 1-0 in the playoff final.

Dover remained an established Conference, then National League, side until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. With a lack of funding, the club pulled out of the 2020/21 season, resulting in a heavy fine and points deduction the following campaign. After surviving a first season back in the National League South on the final day, beaten at home by Weymouth who climbed out of the bottom 4, but seeing Dulwich Hamlet relegated instead, Dover would finish bottom the following year to seal a return to the Isthmian League  

Recent Form

The post-COVID struggles appear to be over and a corner turned for Dover Athletic who have hit the ground running upon their return to the Isthmian League this season, currently sitting top after 11 games. The whites are unbeaten on the road so far this season, but have only travelled 6 times so far as opposed to their 11 home fixtures. That includes playing 7 of their last 8 games at Crabble and only 2 away fixtures since the end of August.

While Sittingbourne have knocked Dover out of both the FA Cup and FA Trophy, only Wingate & Finchley have beaten Jack Leberl’s team in the league since Invicta won at Crabble in August.

Last 6

08/10 – Bognor Regis Town (H) – Won 1-0
12/10 – Whitehawk (A) – Won 4-0
19/10 – Hashtag United (H) – Won 4-2
26/10 – Sittingbourne (H) – Lost 2-0 (FA Trophy)
29/10 – Cray Valley PM (H) – Won 3-1 (Kent Senior Cup)
02/11 – Potters Bar Town (H) – Won 3-0

Recent Meetings

While many older supporters will recall meetings between previous Folkestone and Dover clubs through the decades, Folkestone Invicta and Dover Athletic have only ever met 5 times in league fixtures.

The clubs first met in the Southern League in the 2002/03 season, with Dover having been relegated from the Conference couple with a promotion for Invicta. Dover took all 6 points, winning 2-1 home and away, as they finished 3rd while Invicta were relegated back to the Southern League Eastern Division.

Invicta returned to the Southern League Premier a year later, this time it was Neil Cugley’s side who took all 6 points with 1-0 victories at Cheriton Road on Boxing Day thanks to a goal from John Guest while Jimmy Dryden struck at Crabble on Easter Monday, a goal which cemented his place as Invicta’s all time leading goalscorer.

It was Dover who were then relegated at the end of the 2004/05, with the clubs never competing in the same division again until this summer as the Whites dropped out of the National League South. Scheduled to do battle on the first week of the season, Invicta travelled to Crabble and took the lead inside 2 minutes, Dan Smith writing his name into the history books the first goalscorer between the sides in nearly 2 decades. Tom Derry and George Nikaj then both struck before half time to see Invicta lead 2-1 at the break. Dover’s Harrison Pont was dismissed early in the 2nd half for a high tackle before Dan Smith retired Invicta’s 2-goal advantage. A late goal from Jaiden Drakes-Thomas set up a nervous finish but Invicta held on to send hundreds of travelling Invicta fans back home with the bragging rights.

Last 5

26/08/02 – Invicta 1-2 Dover (Southern League Premier Division)
26/12/02 – Dover 2-1 Invicta (Southern League Premier Division)
26/12/04 – Invicta 1-0 Dover (Isthmian Premier Division)
28/03/05 – Dover 0-1 Invicta (Isthmian Premier Division)
13/08/24 – Dover 2-3 Invicta (Isthmian Premier Division)

You can relive all the action from August’s trip to Crabble on Invicta TV

Familiar Faces

Dover’s squad will contain 2 faces that are familiar to Invicta supporters, although not that familiar. Wingers Ruben Soares-Junior and Francis Maypole both had short spells at the Alcaline Stadium last season.

Invicta’s squad contains a number of players who have previously pulled on a white shirt. Marvel Ekpiteta, Chris Sessegnon, Dean Rance Khale Da Costa and Joel Odeniran have all previously played for Dover.

The Manager

A former player, Jake Leberl took charge of Dover in December 2023, stepping up from his role as assistant manager following the departure of Mitch Brundle.

Leberl was unable to prevent Dover’s relegation last campaign, but has overseen a change in fortunes with a rebuild this summer that sees Dover sitting top of the Isthmian League.

Key Man

Dover top the Isthmian League and are also the Premier Division’s top scorers with 33 goals from 11 games. George Nikaj leads the goalscoring charts with 12 goals, followed by Ruben Soares-Junior on 8 and Luke Baptiste on 6.

Despite the goals, it may will be experienced goalkeeper and captain Mitch Walker who is Dover’s key man on Bonfire Night. The stopper missed recent cup ties with Sittingbourne and Cray Valley with an injury but returned between the sticks on Saturday for their win over Potters Bar Town.

Walker is in his second spell at Crabble, returning to the club from Whitehawk in the summer alongside central defenders Luca Cocoracchio and Joe Tennent to form the rock at the heart of Dover’s new-look defence.