Maidstone RFC
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| Full name | Maidstone Rugby Club |
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| Union | Kent RFU |
| Founded | 1880 |
| Location | Maidstone, Kent, England |
| Ground(s) | William Davey Memorial Ground - The Mote |
| President | Jim Tinsley |
| Coach(es) | Mike Hebden, Steve Milward, Ben Massey, Max Melville-Brown, Ben Smith |
| Captain(s) | Ben Williams |
| League(s) | London 1 South |
| Official website | |
| [[1] www |
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Maidstone Rugby Club is an English rugby union club based in Maidstone, Kent. The club plays in the London 1 South league, winning the London and South East 2 competition for the 2014–15 season. Maidstone finished a credible 6th in the league in their first season back at Level 6.
One of the oldest rugby clubs in the country, the club was formed in 1880, and originally played at a ground close to the centre of the town owned by a Dr. Monckton. The club faced many strong teams from 1886 onwards, such as Middlesex Wanderers, Harlequin F.C., Richmond, Eton House, London Scottish and Old Merchant Taylors' FC. Within this period they found a surge of numbers in players who had formerly been pupils of Maidstone Grammar School. The club moved to The Mote in the early 1950s and have played there ever since. During the 1970s and 80s, Maidstone had become one of the premier clubs in Kent and reached the finals of the county cup for seven years running between 1974 and 1980, winning twice and once again in 1987. During the 1970s, they reached the finals of the Middlesex Sevens at Twickenham three times in four years and in 1980 were the only junior club to be invited to play in the London Senior Clubs Rugby Festival at Twickenham. Alongside Scottish club Heriot’s FP, Lansdowne from Ireland and French Champions Bagneres, the club reached the semi-finals where they were beaten 6–0 by London Scottish.
At the formation of the leagues in 1987, Maidstone were unanimously voted by the seven counties of the London Division to go straight into National League Three, along with the Metropolitan Police. After six seasons in the national leagues until 1993, the club suffered four relegations in four seasons and arrived in London 1 in 1996. At this point the committee took the decision to appoint a Director of Rugby and new management and coaching structure, the slump was stopped. Promotion was achieved within three seasons and in 2000, the final of the Kent Cup was lost in the dying moments to National League side, Westcombe Park. In 2003, they were relegated to London 2, but were promoted back to London 2 as unbeaten champions in 2005.
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