Chatham Town Women: FA Cup Magic in My Backyard

I don’t usually say I’m from Chatham. I’d say Rochester, Kent, or nothing at all. Growing up, Chatham felt small, run-down, the kind of place people shrugged at or warned you about. But right now, I want to shout it: Chatham. My home. Up the road from the stadium, in the bedroom I grew up in, is where my love for football began.

Now, Chatham Town Women are making history, right here in my backyard. Formerly Gillingham Women, the club changed its name the season I moved out of Kent. Since then, they’ve quietly been building something special, and this season, they’ve taken it to another level, reaching the fifth round of the FA Cup. For a tier-four team in the FA Women’s National Premier Division South East, that’s no small feat. They are the lowest-ranked side left in the competition, and every result has been earned through grit, determination, and talent.

Making History, One Round At A Time

Photo Credit: Nathan Munday

The first two rounds went to penalties, nerve-wracking and tense. The third and fourth rounds were emphatic 3-0 victories, with their fourth-round win drawing a club record crowd of 1,671 fans. Local pride is tangible. 

The FA Cup is magic because it gives stories like this a stage. Amelia Woodgate has been electric, her goals turning heads and putting Chatham Town firmly on the map. The team has scored 61 league goals this season, smashed Kent United 6-0 in the Kent Plate semi-final, and most recently won 13-0 against Three Bridges Women in the Isthmian Cup semi-final. This isn’t just winning; it’s rewriting expectations and proving that Chatham can be part of the conversation in women’s football.

Bringing Elite Football Home

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Kent is crying out for more women’s football. The county produces amazing talent, Alessia Russo, Maisie Symonds, and so many others, yet the pathways to top-flight football have always required sacrifices. Growing up, girls around me were traveling far and wide for academy football: Charlton, Brighton, London clubs - the options were limited, and Medway was often left out of the map.

Now, things are starting to change. The introduction of the London City Lionesses academy, thanks to Michele Kang’s investment, is the next big step for young girls in Kent. And yes, you have to excuse the name, as ‘London City’ sounds far away, but the training ground is in Aylesford, just outside Medway. This means young players in and around Chatham, Rochester, and the surrounding areas can access top-flight academy football on their doorstep.

It’s still early days, still being built and established, but finally Kent has something to match the talent it produces. With Chatham Town Women making headlines in the FA Cup and London City Lionesses bringing elite opportunities closer to home, the next generation of female footballers from my town won’t have to leave to chase their dreams. The county’s game is growing, and the future is bright.

FA Cup: Financial Significance

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Money raised from the cup run is already significant: £107,000 in prize money so far, with another £80,000 on the line if they beat Birmingham City. For a tier-four club, that’s transformative, a chance to reinvest, grow, and inspire the next generation of girls from the town. 

But the impact goes beyond the financial gain, the FA Cup gives small clubs a stage to rewrite expectation, and to show that magic can come from the place people overlook. Chatham Town Women are doing exactly that, proving that passion and determination and outshine league ranking. 

A New Chapter

For Chatham Town Women, the FA Cup isn’t just a tournament; it’s a reminder that magic can come from anywhere, even from a high street people wrote off years ago. 

With talent like Amelia Woodgate shining, and local pathways like the London City Lionesses’ academy beginning to take shape, the future of women’s football in Kent has never looked brighter. 

Chatham Town are showing what’s possible when ambition meets determination, and their story is one that will resonate far beyond the high street of their hometown. If you want to witness history, cheer on the underdogs, and feel the pride of a small town coming alive, get your tickets - this is a story you don't want to miss.