For years, it was widely believed that Sandwich Town Football Club first took to the pitch sometime in the 1920s. Like many grassroots clubs, our early history was hazy, passed down through word of mouth, with few written records to confirm our true beginnings.

But all of that changed this year.

Following months of local archive research, club chairman Rob Edwards uncovered a historic newspaper report that changes everything. Buried in the dusty pages of a regional sports column was a match summary dated Wednesday 23rd November 1892, describing a 4–4 draw between Sandwich and a side known as "The Oaks".

And there it was — in black and white, the confirmation we never knew we needed:
Sandwich Town FC was formed in 1892.

“I couldn’t believe it at first,” said Edwards. “I kept thinking it had to be a different Sandwich or a different club. But the more I checked, the clearer it became – it was us. The players, the location, the names... everything lined up.”

Even more excitingly, the match report named the club’s first-ever goal scorer: W. Trevor, now immortalised as the player who kicked off over a century of Sandwich football.

The year 1892 wasn’t just any year in football, it also saw the birth of two titans of the English game: Liverpool FC and Newcastle United.

Now, Sandwich Town FC proudly joins them as part of football’s Class of ’92. Not the Premier League one… the original one.

“It’s incredible to think that while Liverpool were getting started, so were we, down here in Kent, playing on pitches like Boatman’s Hill,” said Edwards. “It’s a piece of history we never thought we’d uncover, and now we’re ready to own it.”

More Than Just a Date

As part of the club’s broader identity project, this discovery is helping shape a bold new chapter for Sandwich Town FC. From a refreshed club badge (to be revealed in August), to a growing youth section and newly launched women’s team, 1892 is more than a milestone, it’s a foundation.

“This isn’t just about looking back,” Edwards added. “It’s about carrying that legacy forward. We’ve always had heart, but now we’ve got history. And we want the whole town to be part of what comes next.”

What’s Next?

The new badge, which incorporates key elements of the town’s history, including the year of formation, will be revealed this week, and the first look at the new kit, live across all the club’s social channels.

With the new season kick off, and the community firmly behind the club, Sandwich Town FC is preparing to step into a future that honours its past.

Because it’s official: We’ve got history. Now we’re claiming it properly.