Kentish Cup 2024: UKAF prepare to defend their crown against the French and Dutch
The UK Armed Forces men's football team are preparing to defend their Kentish Cup trophy against the French Armed Forces and the Dutch Armed Forces in the Netherlands.
Both UKAF matches will be shown live on the BFBS Forces News YouTube channel and on BFBS TV (for serving personnel only) – find out more here.
But what are the champions expecting from the tournament?
What the Kentish Cup means to the players
The Kentish Cup is the premier competition in men's forces football.
It's Europe's oldest football cup tournament and was created in 1921 pitting the UK, French and Dutch armed forces teams against each other.
Last year, UKAF reclaimed their trophy in France and don't plan on letting it go.
"Really looking forward to getting out there and being with the lads. Obviously, retaining the Kentish Cup being the main effort," said Corporal Mark Drysdale, who captained the team against the Irish Defence Forces last month.
RAF defender Corporal Phil Bright said: "It's my first one in the Netherlands but it's always the one in the UKAF calendar that you look forward to.
"We play international fixtures against the Irish Defence Forces and the German Bundeswehr, but the Kentish Cup is really the main one."
The French test
Up first for UKAF is a battle against the 2022 champions, the French armed forces.
Jake Gosling's goal in a 1-1 draw last year was a major part in helping UKAF retain their trophy but it does make it a fixture they've failed to win since 2019 with the 2020 and 2021 competitions cancelled.
"For all the teams that I've played, they're probably the toughest," said Royal Navy centre-back Air Engineering Technician Jack Wright.
"That game last year we probably deserved to win, but we drew 1-1. That's testament to how good the French were so we expect a tough game."
Cpl Drysdale is one of the most experienced players in the UKAF team and also praised the French team.
"Technically a very, very good team. Obviously, we need to match them technically and be better than them physically," he said.
The expectations of champions
The UKAF team have a rich recent history in the competition.
Before the French triumph in 2022, they had won four Kentish Cups in a row from 2016 to 2019 and, now they've reclaimed the trophy, head coach Corporal Daryl White has high standards.
"For us, it's always to go and win it," he said.
"Retaining it, there's obviously different challenges to that but, again, the demand is to go and win both games."
Cpl Bright's first taste of Kentish Cup success was last year's success but he believes it's more difficult for UKAF in 2024.
He said: "To retain it is probably even harder than winning it back initially. To retain it would mean everything."
How to watch
Both UKAF matches will be shown live on the BFBS Forces News YouTube channel and on BFBS TV (for serving personnel only) – find out more here.
- UK Armed Forces v French Armed Forces - 13:15 UK time - 11 December - LIVE on the BFBS Forces News YouTube channel and on BFBS TV (for serving personnel only)
- UK Armed Forces v Dutch Armed Forces - 13:15 UK time - 13 December - LIVE on the BFBS Forces News YouTube channel and on BFBS TV (for serving personnel only)
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