MERIDIAN VP - CLUB HISTORY

The club was originally started as a five aside team which consisted of four Tamna brothers and colleagues playing for other teams learning their trade. Later officially the club was incorporated in 1995 to give it an identity and progression into the world of grassroots football.

At its forefront as always has been Chairman Dwinder Tamna, who has been involved in the club now for over twenty years being the driving force from day one with his vision of achieving the highest possible status slowly becoming a reality.

It’s a far cry from playing at Mayplace Playing Fields, Perry Street, Crayford, Kent. The clubs inception into the Dartford & District League in 1995 where the club achieved many successes winning the Bawcutt League Cup twice and were also losing finalists on three occasions and the club also finished League Runners up on two occasions.

The club has grown from strength to strength eventually becoming a member of the FA Football Pyramid in 2003 plying its trade in the Kent County Football League at Step 7. In 2010 the club were proud to achieve FA Charter Standard Status.

In 2011 the Club became a founder member of the Kent Invicta League at Step 6. In 2016 the League became the Southern Counties East League (SCEFL) where the club have remained to date. The long term ambition of Chairman Dwinder Tamna is for the club to progress to the Bostik League Step 4.

Season 2015-16 saw Meridian VP enter the FA Vase for the first time enjoying a magnificent 7-2 away win at St. Francis Rangers before bowing out in the First Round losing 1-4 at home to Lordswood. Two years later the club went one better reaching the Second Round proper after victories against Deportivo Galicia and Hollands & Blair however, the run came to an end following a 3-0 defeat at Horley Town. This season also see the club reach its highest ever points tally in a league season of 49 which unfortunately was not enough for the points per game ratio for entry into the FA CUP.

The Club also had a youth system which covered all age ranges and the highlight of this was our first ever FA Youth Cup entry with our U18’s where they achieved far beyond what was expected of them reaching the 3rd round after being beaten by Shoreham away. The U18’s were one match away from playing Millwall FC in the 1st round.

The club catered also not for just young players as the Veterans were not forgotten. Winners in the Southern Veterans Cup, Southern Veterans League runners up and featuring the oldest player in the UK Mr Derek May aged 76 for a few seasons. We think he might still be going..!

In order to excel and meet the aims of the club, ground improvements have been carried out with the investment from the chairman and the Football Foundation, the stadium now meets the Ground Grading criteria for Steps 6, 5 and 4.

Following the disappointment of the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons being abandoned due to the Coronavirus Pandemic the club installed a new Management team consisting of Owen Jones , Rupert Jones ,Darren St Ledger Alfie Glazebrook and George Jones. With a view to building a successful season in 2021/22. Unfortunately Team Manager Owen stepped down at the end of November and only Rupert Jones and Darren St Ledger saw out the season. Alongside the Chairman Dwinder who took charge of first team affairs.

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