Alma Swanley F.C was an English football club based in Swanley. They were originally known as Alma after the pub in Birchwood (lastly known as The Birchwood before being demolished in 2011) near the Bull Hotel. They originally played in the Dartford and District league, with ex Swanley Comprehensive School boys. They had to include "Swanley" within their name for senior status. They were founding members of the London Spartan League in 1975 and joined the Kent League in 1982. They won the title in 1986 but resigned from the league in 1994 and folded.
The club competed in the FA Cup six times, with the best performance coming in their final season in the competition, 1992–93, when they lost in the second qualifying round to Yeading. In the FA Vase, their longest run was to the Quarter Finals in 1980–81. They played Windsor & Eton and after a 2–2 draw AET at home on Swanley Rec, with goals from Colin Ball and player manager Johnny Kane in front of a record 1,100 crowd they were defeated 4–1 in the replay.
Alma ended their final season 1993–94 as winners of the Kent Senior Trophy. They defeated Folkestone Invicta 3–1 in the final. One of their goalscorers was Peter Smith who afterwards played first team professional football for Brighton & Hove Albion. He had played in a memorial match for the club's manager who had died at the end of the season played at Greenwich Borough and a scout spotted him.
The club colours were red and black.
League history League history is not complete
SeasonDivisionPositionSignificant eventsJoined newly formed London Spartan League Division One1975–76London Spartan League Division One3 –1976–77London Spartan League Division One2Promoted1977–78London Spartan League Premier Division3 –1978–79London Spartan League Premier Division12 –1979–80London Spartan League Premier Division12 –1980–81London Spartan League Premier Division9 –1981–82London Spartan League Premier Division7 –Joined Kent League Division One1982–83Kent League Division One11 –1983–84Kent League Division One13 –1984–85Kent League Division One11 –1985–86Kent League Division One1 Champions1986–87Kent League Division One3 –1987–88Kent League Division One12 –1988–89Kent League Division One6 –1989–90Kent League Division One5 –1990–91Kent League Division One8 –1991–92Kent League Division One5 –1992–93Kent League Division One5 –1993–94Kent League Division One5 –Left Kent League
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