What a year! Everywhere you looked in 2022 sporting drama was easy to find. Whether on the international stage at the Winter Paralympics, the Women's Euros or the Commonwealth Games, or at Priestfield Stadium, St Lawrence or Brands Hatch, hopes were realised and dreams were dashed during an amazing 12 months...

January

One of the topics among the small talk around the dinner table for Gillingham fans on Christmas Day would surely have been the future of manager Steve Evans.

Supporters didn’t have to wait long to find out - nine days into the new year, to be precise - with Evans departing by mutual consent after a 4-0 defeat at home to Ipswich left them seven points adrift of safety.

The loss was Gillingham’s sixth in seven League 1 games, with Evans’ final victory as boss coming in October, so the Scot’s departure after two-and-a-half years in charge, along with assistant Paul Raynor, was hardly a surprise.

“I’m not one to offer excuses,” he said. “At the end of the day, I wasn’t happy, the chairman (Paul Scally) wasn’t happy, we’ve been speaking for the last couple of weeks.

“One thing I am, I’m honest. Sometimes my opinion’s misguided but I said to him we need to sit down and he called me Sunday and said let’s have that chat, and it was very amicable.

“We’ll see but it was very amicable in terms of it’s not working, he needs to change direction. When you’ve not won for that long, it’s right.”

Club legend and former manager Steve Lovell took temporary charge with the likes of Neil Smith, Michael Flynn, Luke Garrard and even Steve Bruce touted as possible replacements.

In the end it was another former Gills player, striker Neil Harris, who got the call from Mr Scally and his appointment on a two-and-a-half-year deal was confirmed on January 31.

Anyone wanting to escape the dramas at Priestfield could do worse than jet off Down Under, where Kent’s Zak Crawley top scored with 77 in England’s second innings of the fourth Ashes Test.

With the urn already lost, Crawley, along with Jonny Bairstow’s first-innings 113, dug in to secure a draw - the only highlight of another disappointing campaign.

The series will, however, be looked back on fondly by Crawley’s skipper at Kent, Sam Billings.

Billings, a one-day specialist with England, finally made his Test debut aged 30, scoring 29 and 1 in the fifth Test at Hobart.

Staying in Oz, there was plenty of hype for Orpington tennis star Emma Raducanu, who was back in grand slam action at the Australian Open after her incredible US Open triumph in September.

The 19-year-old made a good start, too, beating fellow Flushing Meadows champion Sloane Stephens in three sets, before a second-round defeat at the hands of Danka Kovinic.

In snooker, Ditton’s Barry Hawkins reached the Masters final at Alexandra Palace, losing 10-4 to former world champion Neil Robertson.

February

What a difference three days - and a change of manager - makes.

New Gillingham boss Neil Harris made the perfect start to his tenure with a 1-0 win over Crewe, just 72 hours after Gills were thrashed 7-2 at home by Oxford United.

The Oxford humiliation was caretaker Steve Lovell’s final game in charge. The Welshman was unable to end the club’s three-month winless run, taking just one point from a possible 12, but Harris enjoyed an immediate impact thanks to a Danny Lloyd penalty.

“All you can do when you walk through the door of a football club is galvanise the players and my delight is that I have been able to reward the people that care, in the stadium,” he said.

The win moved Gills within eight points of safety but Harris remained under no illusions.

“It [survival] is a huge task,” he added. “You cannot get away from the league table, that is why I choose not to look at it too often!

“All I can focus on is what I can control. That is making sure I pick the right team and the right tactics and get the team prepared as best I can for each game and we will see where it takes us.”

Promotion-chasing Maidstone United rewarded boss Hakan Hayrettin for all his hard work with a new 18-month contract.

An 11-game unbeaten run in National League South left Stones second in the standings so it was a no-brainer for owners Oliver Ash and Terry Casey to tie Hayrettin down.

“The owners and the chief exec have shown faith in me with the new contract and I’ll be trying my best to take the club to the next level,” he said.

“I’m pleased and proud that the club want me and I’m honoured to be here working for such a good club, with fantastic people at the helm.

“It’s important to me that we continue the good work but it also means a lot that the owners have acknowledged the hard work I’ve put in along with my staff, who are vitally important to me.”

There was a different No.10 than usual at Maidstone Road when prime minister Boris Johnson visited the club as part of National Apprenticeship Week.

Chats have big plans under chairman Kevin Hake - with the Football League their ultimate goal - and their youth development programme is crucial to their future.

Mr Johnson said: “The defining mission of this government is to level up this country, to break the link between geography and destiny so that no matter where you live, you have the same opportunities.

“It is schemes like those I have seen at Chatham Town that are giving our young people the skills they need to really get on in life.

“It was great to meet apprentices and scholars at Chatham Town, and I wish Kevin and his team all the very best for the rest of the season.”

Three female match officials took charge of a Southern Counties East League game for the first time.

History was made when Sutton Athletic hosted Tower Hamlets in the Challenge Cup Third Round tie. The all-female officiating team were referee Beth Archer with assistants Alison Wade and Esther Perry.

Archer said: “It was an honour to lead out the first all-female referees team in SCEFL history and I hope that it helps to inspire more women to take up the whistle.”

March

Millie Knight was back on a slippery slope at the Winter Paralympics in Beijing - and delivered a daring downhill display to win bronze

The visually-impaired alpine skiing star from Canterbury banked the fourth Paralympic medal of her career - and ParalympicsGB’s first of the 2022 Games - alongside guide Brett Wild. Her achievement was even more impressive after a series of concussions over the previous 12 months had affected her confidence.

“A medal was certainly something we weren’t aiming for because we genuinely didn’t believe we were at the level that would get us a medal,” she said.

“To be standing here now as bronze medallists is the most unbelievable thing.”

Kent’s Zak Crawley scored his second Test century for England with 121 against West Indies in Antigua. The match was drawn, as was the second Test, before Windies won the decider by 10 wickets.

Gillingham's 2-1 win at Accrington made it 18 points from 12 matches as the new-manager bounce under Neil Harris continued, taking the club four points clear of the League 1 drop zone with six games to go.

However relegation for Dover Athletic, under former Gillingham manager Andy Hessenthaler, was confirmed after a 2-0 defeat at home to Yeovil. Whites, who began the season with a 12-point deduction after failing to fulfil fixtures during the Covid-interrupted 2020/21 season, went down with 11 games still to play.

It was the end of an era for Sheppey Rugby Club after chairman Gerry Lawson announced he would be standing down in July after a 50-year association, while over at Medway there was double cause for celebration.

The under-18 girls beat Hove to clinch the London and South East Regional Cup - just a week after being crowned Kent champions - while the men’s team won promotion from London 1 South into the new Regional 1 South East.

Men’s head coach Taff Gwilliam said: “All of the promotions have been significant in their own way, because each time we jump a level we have to adjust and we have to improve what we do, but now we can officially say we are a national league club.”

April

The only way was up for Maidstone United, who were promoted to the National League as champions.

Jack Barham, Hady Ghandour and Roarie Deacon gave Maidstone a 3-1 win over Chelmsford - their 21st victory in their past 25 matches

That result, and defeat for rivals Dorking, wrapped up the National South title with two games to spare.

Manager Hakan Hayrettin said: “I’m so, so pleased for everyone connected, I think the team were unbelievable, to a man.

“I’m not an easy manager to play for, I push and pull and I probe to get the best out of them, and I’ve done that. That’s all I’m worried about.

“I’ve done my job and these players, for me, are truly unbelievable.

“For the club it’s a stepping stone, I think the National League is where they should be. I don’t want to stand still, I want to push again and this group, with some additions, could possibly do that.”

Gillingham’s nine-season stay in League 1 ended on the final day of the campaign with a 2-0 defeat at home to Rotherham.

Gills, who were relegated on goal difference, were left to rue dropped points throughout the month with an injury-time defeat at Sunderland and a 2-2 draw at Cheltenham, which was coat of paint from victory after hitting the woodwork in time added on, proving particularly costly.

“We were 10 points adrift and about 3,000 goals behind everybody else [when I took over] and ultimately the goal difference has cost us,” said boss Neil Harris.

“We have got a lot more points than the teams around us since I took over but we have just given ourselves too much to do.

“I like to think had I been here for a couple more weeks we would have got another point, yes, and I think the points-per-game ratio shows that.”

The Southern Counties East League season had been a two-horse race between Sheppey United and Chatham Town. Such was the two teams’ domination, they finished 21 and 19 points clear of third-place Glebe. In the end the Ites pipped Chats by two points, 102-100, but both sides were promoted to Isthmian South East. The title was Sheppey’s third trophy of the year after winning the 2019/20 and 2021/22 Kent Senior Trophy finals.

The cricket season began with new Kent signing Ben Compton scoring three successive centuries in Division 1 of the County Championship.

The opener scored 129 in the opening-game draw against Essex and followed up with 104 and 115 in a defeat to Lancashire.

Compton went close to a fourth century in the next match, an innings defeat to Hampshire, scoring 89.

Platts Heath’s Jake Hill opened his British Touring Car Championship campaign with a win in race three at Donington Park, but after excellent runs at the UK Championship and the Masters, Ditton’s Barry Hawkins lost in the First Round of the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible. Hawkins, the 2013 runner-up, was beaten 10-7 by Jackson Page.

May

Ebbsfleet United were seconds away from joining Maidstone in the National League - but their hopes were dashed in a dramatic 3-2 play-off final defeat at Dorking.

The Fleet thought they had won when Craig Tanner put them 2-1 ahead in the 92nd-minute, but Dorking levelled in the 99th - when Fleet fans thought the final whistle should have long been blown by referee Jason Richardson - and won it in extra-time thanks to Alfie Rutherford’s 36th goal of the season.

“It would have been better for me to get battered 5-0 or 5-1 than have a lead until the 99th minute, that’s really tough to take,” said Fleet boss Dennis Kutrieb.

“I would take a penalty shoot-out defeat all day long, it’s much easier for me to take as then you can say your goalkeeper wasn’t good enough or one player missed and that wasn’t good enough. But here the referee put more minutes on and just waited for another chance.

“I would say [we were] unlucky but everything happens in life for a reason. We don’t know the reason why yet but we will find out.”

A season that promised so much ended in disappointment for Dartford. Steve King’s side spent the first two months of the campaign at the top of the table but were beaten in their National League South play-off eliminator by Chippenham on penalties. King was sacked two weeks later with former Woking boss Alan Dowson taking over.

There was yet more silverware for the Sheppey United trophy cabinet. The Ites won the Southern Counties East Challenge Cup with a 5-2 victory over Crowborough to add to their league title and Kent Senior Trophy double.

But Canterbury & District League Littlebourne were denied their sixth trophy of the season after a 5-4 defeat to Medway City in the Kent Junior Cup A final at the Gallagher Stadium. Lewis Taylor broke Littlebourne hearts with an injury-time winner.

Kent had ended a 14-year wait for T20 Blast glory in 2021, but the defending champions - winless in six County Championship matches - made a poor start to the competition with three successive defeats.

Lydd’s Bradley Ray confirmed his status as a title contender with his first British Superbike Championship wins of the season after victory in races one and two at Oulton Park, but Orpington’s Emma Raducanu continued to struggle on the women’s tennis tour, losing in three sets to Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the round two of the French Open at Roland Garros.

June

Bearsted golfer Matt Ford topped the leaderboard at Prince’s Golf Club to qualify for at the 150th Open at St Andrews - his first major championship.

Ford finished two shots clear at final qualifying ahead of Jamie Rutherford and Irishman Ronan Mullarney.

“I eagled 8 to get five-under early in the second round and then I hit a couple of poor drives which ended up costing me four shots, so [went from] five-under to one-under middle of the round,” he said.

“To finish as I did, I’m obviously very happy and to make eagle and a couple of birdies as I did coming home was great.

“I showed some good mental strength and golf in the end.”

But Canterbury professional Richard Wallis didn’t make it, ending one-over-par.

“It is disappointing to miss out knowing you have made two silly mistakes for doubles at two of the par 3s,” he told Steve Acteson.

“I could easily have been four-under this morning and then I got off to a sloppy start in the afternoon which stunts you a bit.”

Emma Raducanu hoped to take a leaf out of 22-time grand slam champion Rafa Nadal’s book as she began her quest for a second major with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Alison Van Uytvanck at Wimbledon.

She said: “I think Rafa embodies fight and that sort of energy. That is what I’m bringing in energy-wise, I think I have had a tough year, it’s no secret. But it is all worth it to go out on Centre Court and get a win like that.”

However disappointment was looming and Raducanu crashed out at the Second-Round stage of a slam once again - this time to France’s Caroline Garcia - following early defeats in Melbourne and Paris.

In cricket, Kent finally got their first win of the summer with a Joe Denly century.

Denly struck a 58-ball 110 as Spitfires beat Middlesex by 55 runs in the T20 Blast. The 36-year-old shared a record second-wicket stand of 157 with Jordan Cox along the way.

It was a rare high point for the 2021 champions, who failed to qualify for the knockout stages after eight defeats in 10 games - a statistic head coach Matt Walker described as “feeble”.

“It’s been a pretty feeble defence of our title,” Walker admitted.

“That’s pretty hard to take when you’ve been pretty good at this format for the last three or four years. We’ve always been in and around the knockout stages and we’re nowhere near.

“You like to think you’ve got the tools in the camp to be able to play the cricket we want to play and we just haven’t done it this year and that’s been extremely frustrating.”

It was the end of an era at Loose Cricket Club. The Kent Village League outfit were forced to fold in their centenary year due to a lack of players.

Loose stalwart Cyril Davey, a former chairman and president, blamed the decline in youngsters joining the club.

“I wrote to the members in 2016 when I finished as chairman and said the club would fall apart if it didn’t get youngsters involved,” Davey said.

“For a club to survive, you’ve got to get youngsters involved and run a junior section. You rely on them coming through. If you don’t have youngsters, you’ve had it.”

Lydd’s Bradley Ray took another BSB win in the sprint race at Knockhill.

July

Lionesses fever engulfed the country in July and Maidstone-born Alessia Russo was at the heart of it.

The Manchester United Women’s Super League forward became a household name after helping England’s women to European Championship glory, scoring four times coming off the bench and winning the goal-of-the-tournament award for an outrageous backheel in the semi-final against Sweden after her initial shot was saved.

“Well to be fair, I could have made it a lot easier for myself if I had just scored the first one,” Russo said, speaking to Sky Sports.

“But yeah, it fell nicely. I don’t really remember too much about it.

“I just thought it was the quickest route to get it into the back of the net without having to turn and so I was fortunate enough that it went in.”

A crowd of 87,192 packed into Wembley for the final against Germany, with Russo, who played at Bearsted as a youngster, a second-half substitute in England’s 2-1 win.

“It’s my first major trophy and it makes me so much hungrier for more,” she added.

“I hope we see more fans in the stadiums at WSL games. That’s what we want, we want to fill out the stadiums, week in, week out.”

The League 2 season began the day before England’s triumph, and it was a losing start for Gillingham who were beaten 2-0 at AFC Wimbledon.

There was some sad news with the death of Sheppey Sunday League secretary Mark Rogers after a battle with cancer aged just 60.

Mr Rogers was an integral part of grassroots football on the Island and had been secretary since 2006. He was instrumental in setting up meetings with Swale Borough Council to secure the future of football in the area by ensuring that there were enough pitches in good condition to play on.

He was also the driving force behind the league embracing the Football Association’s Respect campaign, which led to several awards, including best adult grassroots league in 2010, and under his leadership the Sheppey Sunday League enjoyed county cup success.

Bearsted golfer Matt Ford made memories for life - if not the cut at St Andrews - during his Open Championship debut.

Rounds of 71 and 76 left Ford three over par for an early departure from the Old Course, but he still finished ahead of major winners Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and, most notably, Tiger Woods.

“It was an amazing week and some memories that I’ll take with me for the rest of my life,” conceded Ford. “You can’t buy that, there were so many parts to it that add up to an amazing week.

“I still feel a little disappointed with how I played on the Friday, but that seems to be slowly fading away and the bigger picture is becoming stronger.”

Despite beating Woods the 15-time major winner held no grudge and posed for a photo with Ford’s daughter, Teagan.

“Teagan had her photo and signature with Tiger Woods, my boy was with me on the chipping green at the time,” Ford said. “She must have waited for an hour and half but he didn’t have the patience to stay there!”

A busy schedule for the world’s top athletes began in Oregon with the World Championships - and there were mixed results for Blackheath & Bromley AC duo Dina Asher-Smith and Adam Gemili.

Asher-Smith won bronze in the 200m and was fourth in the 100m, before a hamstring injury ended her 4x100m hopes and forced her to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games.

Gemili, meanwhile, failed to qualify for the 200m semi-final, missing out on the top-three qualifying spots by a tenth of a second.

Four days after the closing ceremony in Eugene attention switched to Birmingham and there were early Commonwealth golds for Kent’s gymnasts to celebrate.

Maidstone’s James Hall and Courtney Tulloch, along with Gravesend’s Giarnni Regini-Moran, won team gold for England, with Gravesend’s Georgia-Mae Fenton doing the same with England’s women. There was gold for Gravesend wheelchair racer Johnboy Smith and team triathlon gold for Sophie Coldwell, also from Gravesend.

Former Kent skipper Sam Northeast made national headlines - and the record books - after a historic 410 not out for Glamorgan in the County Championship.

His quadruple ton was the third-highest in history, the highest since Brian Lara’s 501 not out for Warwickshire in 1994 and the best of the 21st century.

Platts Heath’s Jake Hill returned to the top step of the BTCC podium with victory at Knockhill.

August

After 27 years in charge at Priestfield, chairman Paul Scally announced he was taking an extended break from Gillingham, with Medway businessman Paul Fisher appointed co-chairman and chief executive.

The latter years of Mr Scally’s ownership had seen his relationship with some sections of the fans turn toxic and in a statement he hinted he may not return.

He said: “I have decided to take an extended break away from football and this great club, a period whereby I can reflect on what my priorities are, a period whereby I can establish how damaged my love for this club and football generally has become, and a period whereby I can rest and focus on my own life, family and other important matters.

“There is no question that right now, I am physically and mentally exhausted from the efforts, stress, strain and worries of the past couple of years, coupled with the personal abuse effects, and need a break to recharge my batteries.

“This is not quite a farewell from me, albeit that may well be the ultimate conclusion of the next few months.”

It was a mixed month on the pitch, with only one win in five league games - a 1-0 success over Rochdale - but there was progress in the Carabao Cup. Mikael Mandron and Jordan Greene scored late goals in a 2-0 First Round win over AFC Wimbledon and David Tutonda was spot on in round two after a 0-0 draw with Exeter went to penalties, Gills winning 6-5.

Maidstone United’s return to non-league’s top flight saw victories over York, Torquay and Aldershot while Ebbsfleet United, who were moments from joining the Stones in the National League back in May, began their National League South promotion quest with six wins out of six.

It was all change at Holm Park as Ernie Batten stood down as Sheppey United boss after seven years at the helm. Striker Jack Midson stepped up to take the reins as player-manager.

Team England’s medal tally continued to grow at the Commonwealth Games with successful title defences from gymnasts Courtney Tulloch and Georgia-Mae Fenton a highlight.

Former Pegasus Gymnastics Club member Tulloch retained the rings crown he won in Australia in 2018 while Fenton proved queen of the uneven bars once more.

“To come away with gold and be a double Commonwealth champion on the rings is something I’m very proud of,” said Tulloch.

“I’ve always believed in myself, I know what I’m capable of. They always said to me rings is a bit of an older man’s game and I feel I’m coming into my ‘man strength’.”

Gravesend’s Fenton, meanwhile, said the grander the stage the more she thrives.

“I love these big occasions; it’s why you do all the hard work to compete when the lights are on you and the pressure is on,” she said.

“It’s the work and preparation at home that leads to this, the main thing for any competition is to trust yourself. I’m trying to do that more and it’s really working.”

Para table tennis star Ross Wilson from Minster had to settle for bronze in the men’s singles 8-10 class while Tonbridge AC’s Tom Bosworth called time a 13-year, record-laden career with seventh place in the 10,000m race walk.

The Games ended with golds for Whitstable’s Sian Honnor in the women’s triples bowls final, Canterbury’s Grace Balsdon in the women’s hockey and Sidcup’s Marfa Ekimova in the women’s individual all-round rhythmic gymnastics.

One name absent from the list of medal winners was Adam Gemili. The Dartford sprinter failed to qualify for the 200m final and days later pulled out of the European Championships, which took place in Munich in mid-August. The multi-sport event included gymnastics, where there was another team gold for Hall, Tulloch and Regini-Moran, this time representing GB, while Pembury rower Emily Craig won gold in the double sculls with Imogen Grant.

The big news at Kent Cricket was the decision not to renew all-rounder Darren Stevens’ contract. The 46-year-old spent 17 seasons at St Lawrence, winning two T20 Blast titles, the Royal London One-Day Cup and multiple player-of-the-season awards.

“It’s bitter-sweet that my time at Kent has finally come to an end after such a long run where I’m so proud to have lived out my boyhood dream with such a phenomenal club,” said Stevens. “The memories will stay with me forever.

“I have been fortunate to have played with some of the greats of the game and created lifelong friendships.

“I’m so grateful for being able to do what I love for so long and, during that time, achieve so many success stories - for both myself and the club.”

On the field, a season of disappointment took a turn for the better as Kent racked up six wins to reach the Royal London One-Day Cup final. Stevens, unsurprisingly, played a key role with a brilliant 84 not out from just 65 balls for a three-wicket win against one-day specialists Hampshire.

Emma Raducanu’s return to New York ended at the first hurdle as the defending US Open champion lost 6-3, 6-3 to Alize Cornet of France, and in motorsport Lydd’s BSB racer Bradley Ray picked up a win and two second places at Oulton Park.

September

Kent Spitfires won their second trophy in as many seasons with a 21-run win over Lancashire in the Royal London One-Day Cup final.

After a 14-year wait for their second T20 success, Kent ended 44 years of hurt at Trent Bridge with a first longer one-day knockout format win since 1978.

Joey Evison starred with bat and ball, hitting 97 and taking 2-34, as Lancashire failed to chase down Kent’s total of 306-6 in 50 overs, while stand-in captain Joe Denly scored 78 and Darren Stevens, in his last Kent appearance, was fittingly unbeaten on 33.

“To get over the line in a final is awesome,” said Denly.

“I’m very proud, the overriding emotion is a proud one of the group of players that we have together, playing pretty much knockout cricket for the back-end of the competition and getting through [to win it] is very special.”

There were more celebrations for Kent as they avoided relegation from Division 1 of the County Championship and paid tribute to Stevens on day two of the final game of the season against Somerset.

Dubbed ‘Stevo Day’, the county presented Stevens with a framed No.3 shirt and announced the retirement of his number. Kent’s players formed a guard of honour ahead of the presentation and a celebratory book had been placed inside the Kent shop for members and supporters to write down their favourite Stevens memories.

Earlier in September Zak Crawley helped steer England to victory against South Africa in the third Test.

The Kent opener made 69 not out in the second innings, hitting the winning runs with a boundary, as England won by nine wickets to clinch the series 2-1.

The statistics made grim reading for Gillingham boss Neil Harris.

September ended with a goalless draw against fellow strugglers Hartlepool making it one goal and three points from four games - and just four goals so far in 2022/23 with 13 matches played.

Harris felt the players got themselves into the right areas at Hartlepool during the first half, but lacked end product.

“We got into so many good areas [and] put together some good passes,” he said. “Movement was good at times and the amount of times we got in and around the corner of their penalty area, but we just didn’t have that moment to unlock it.

“It is belief, and confidence, but there is only so much you can do on the training pitch. When it comes to three o’clock on a Saturday, whatever players I put over the white line and whatever formation I play, then it is down to them.”

Fast-starting Ebbsfleet narrowly failed to make it 10 National South wins in a row after a 1-1 draw with Oxford City, while Dartford, under new boss Alan Dowson, moved into the play-off places after a patchy start with a third successive victory - a 2-1 success over Eastbourne Borough.

Bradley Ray stayed on track for championship glory after his best weekend so far in British Superbikes, winning all three races at Snetterton.

“To take my first BSB treble is a real career highlight and to do it with the RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha team is something special,” Ray said.

“We’ve had a really good year so far and these results set us up nicely for the next nine races.”

On four wheels Jake Hill continued to impress with a victory in the penultimate round of the BTCC at Silverstone. The result guaranteed him a shot of the title in the final meeting at Brands Hatch in October.

In speedway, Kent Royals missed out on a place in the National Development League play-offs.

They needed to win their rearranged final match of the season at Oxford Chargers to stand any chance of pipping Belle Vue to fourth place, but lost 60-29.

In the World Rowing Championships at Racice, Bexleyheath’s Sam Nunn won gold in the men’s four while Pembury’s Emily Craig both took gold in the lightweight women’s double sculls.

October

Lydd’s Bradley Ray clinched his first British Superbikes title on home soil in the final round at Brands Hatch.

Needing just seventh place and nine points, Ray finished the sprint race, won by Honda’s Glenn Irwin, in fifth.

“It’s been an unbelievable season,” he said. "We knew coming into the championship that we had a great package with the Yamaha R1 and great structure around me but I never thought I’d be stood here at Brands Hatch as Bennetts British Superbike champion.

“We’ve all grafted - the whole team, my family and myself - and we’ve been in a good place all year.

“We’ve taken the opportunities when we needed to, we did enough in the regular season and again in the Showdown so I’m super proud of myself and the team and everyone around us to lift my first Bennetts British Superbike title.”

There was title disappointment, however, for Platts Heath’s Jake Hill who was beaten to the British Touring Car crown in the season finale at Brands. He did, however, have the consolation of the Goodyear Wingfoot award as the year’s best qualifier.

Hill got the better of title rival Ash Sutton to claim third in Sunday’s first race before chasing Tom Ingram to the flag in the second encounter. But a seventh-place finish in race three meant he ended the season one point shy of Sutton, driving for Wrotham’s Motorbase Performance NAPA Racing, with new champion Ingram 13 points ahead.

“I am extremely proud of what we’ve achieved, especially in the second half of the season,” Hill said

“We have got a lot to be thankful for and proud of and I think we’ll come back next year and smash it.”

It was the end of an era at Folkestone with boss Neil Cugley moving upstairs after 25 years in the hotseat.

Cugley, in his 26th season as the club’s boss, was the longest-serving manager in English football since Arsene Wenger left Arsenal in 2018.

The 65-year-old had intended for this to be his final season at Cheriton Road but, with assistant Roland Edge and player-coach Micheal Everitt agreeing to take charge for the rest of the campaign, Cugley left his managerial role six months early.

Chairman Paul Morgan stepped down and Cugley felt - having become involved in those off-the-field talks about how the club move forward - it was becoming tougher for him to concentrate on matters on the pitch.

“As we all know, the circumstances have changed during the latter couple of weeks and I have been involved with supporting the remaining members of the board in trying to get the investment required to maintain and meet the financial shortfall we now need,” he said.

“Due to this, I feel that, with the meetings and numerous phone calls, it is difficult to concentrate on all aspects of the club and - being honest - this may have reflected on the players and disappointing results.”

Gillingham began October with their first League 2 win in two months - but a 1-0 victory over Sutton United was their only success in six league games.

Despite describing 2022 as “probably the worst summer I’ve ever had”, Kent’s Zak Crawley was handed a new England central contract.

Crawley scored 467 runs at an average of just 27.47 in nine County Championship games but former Kent skipper Rob Key, England’s managing director of men’s cricket, kept faith with the opener, who was called up for December’s tour to Pakistan.

Deal’s Ross Smith celebrated his first major darts title with victory at the Cazoo European Championship in Germany.

Smith defeated namesake Michael Smith 11-8 to win the crown and the £120,000 first prize.

“I think I’m dreaming, this isn’t real,” he said. “Honestly, it’s absolutely amazing. It hasn’t sunk in and probably won’t do for weeks.

“I had never even won a Euro tour [competition] before so no words can describe it.”

West Malling’s Rosie Galligan was among the tries for England’s women at the Rugby World Cup.

Galligan scored a hat-trick in a player-of-the-match display in the 75-0 win over South Africa, with Medway’s Shaunagh Brown also scoring.

November

Kent’s gymnasts capped an incredible year with yet more glittering moments - this time at the World Championships in Liverpool.

There was women's team silver for Georgia-Mae Fenton and men’s team bronze for Giarnni Regini-Moran, James Hall and Courtney Tulloch, while Tulloch claimed his first individual worlds medal on rings. But the star of the show was arguably Regini-Moran, who became the first Briton to win men’s floor gold on the world stage.

Regini-Moran executed the joint-most difficult routine in the final, sticking all of his landings for a superb 14.533 to beat Japan’s Daiki Hashimoto by 0.33 points.

“That’s only the third time I’ve ever hit that routine,” he said. “I didn’t make any in training.

“In training I was trying to push the difficulty and upgrade but it never clicked until I sat down with my coaches and made some changes.

“Anything can happen in a final, you’ve got to land on your feet and land well. I really don’t know how I feel, I’m lost for words.”

Gillingham fans hoping for a brighter future were cheered by the latest documents filed at Companies House.

Florida-based businessman Brad Galinson, rumoured to be interested in taking over at the club, had a ‘registration of a charge’ over Priestfield Stadium filed under his name with the UK’s registrar of companies.

The registration of a charge states that Gillingham FC - the borrower - will provide security to Mr Galinson over his investment ‘for all its present and future obligations and liabilities to the lender’.

The charge entitles Mr Galinson to the freehold of Priestfield Stadium in exchange for his investment.

On the field, the Gills needed an injury-time equaliser in their FA Cup Second Round tie at non-league Dagenham, Scott Kashket earning a replay in the 92nd minute. Gills were, however, on the right end of a cup upset with a 6-5 penalty shoot-out win over Brentford in the Carabao Cup.

Things looked ominous when Ivan Toney put the Premier League Bees ahead after just three minutes, but Mikael Mandron levelled it up with 15 minutes left. Gills scored all six of their penalties while Mikkel Damsgaard hit the bar to lose it for the hosts.

Ebbsfleet United reached the Second Round of the FA Cup for the first time in 19 years with a 2-1 win over FC Halifax. However there would be no fairytale Third-Round glamour tie after defeat at home to League 1 Fleetwood.

There was no World Cup fairytale for former Gravesend Grammar School pupil Fikayo Tomori after the AC Milan defender failed to make Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Qatar.

Table tennis star Will Bayley also reached the gold standard at the World Para Table Tennis Championships in Andalucia.

Bayley, competing in the men’s class 7 singles, beat European champion and world No.2 Jean-Paul Montanus from the Netherlands 3-0 - a result all the sweeter after losing to the Dutchman in the European Championship final in 2013 and 2015.

“I was so focused,” said Bayley, who regained the title he won in 2014. “I just knew that when you’re playing someone like JP you have to be on top form and at your very best, so I knew I had to be totally focused in every single point to win and that was probably one of my best performances.”

Medway boxer Louis Greene knocked out home favourite Dean Sutherland to claim the vacant Commonwealth super-welterweight title.

Scotsman Sutherland, undefeated in 14 bouts, was looking to put on a show in front of his own fans in Aberdeen in his biggest fight yet - only for the ‘Medway Mauler’ to ruin his night with an uppercut in the fifth.

Canterbury runner Matthew Stonier’s rise continued after a nomination to join UK Athletics’ Olympic World-Class Programme for the 2022/23 season.

Stonier, 21, was rewarded after a breakthrough summer which saw his rapid rise culminate in seventh in the 1,500m race at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and a fifth-placed finish at the European Athletics Championships. The former King’s School pupil was been nominated to get Olympic Confirmation Level funding.

There was bad news for Adam Gemili, though. The Dartford sprinter was only nominated for Olympic Relays funding.

Shaunagh Brown came off the bench for the last six minutes but couldn’t stop England from losing a dramatic Women’s Rugby World Cup final 34-31 to hosts New Zealand. England, a player down after 18 minutes when Lydia Thompson was sent off, led for most of the final but conceded a late try.

In cricket, Kent signed Michael Hogan, the veteran seamer, 41, reversing his decision to retire to join on a one-year deal. Skipper Sam Billings, meanwhile, confimed he would skip the 2023 IPL season to play in the County Championship.

Bradley Ray opted against defending his BSB title in 2023 to try his luck in World Superbikes with Motoxracing Yamaha while in snooker Ditton cueman Barry Hawkins was beaten in the First Round at the UK Championship, losing 6-3 to Ding Junhui.

December

Christmas came two days early for Gillingham fans with the news on December 23 that Florida-based businessman Brad Galinson had completed his takeover of the Priestfield club - ending Paul Scally’s 27-year reign as owner. Mr Scally did, however, retain a minority shareholding.

In a statement, Gillingham FC said: “After a long, collaborative due diligence process, we can today confirm that Brad Galinson has acquired a majority shareholding in GFC Holdings and Gillingham Football Club Ltd.

The new owner said: “Myself and my family are absolutely delighted to have completed the acquisition of Gillingham Football Club. It is a club with a rich heritage and a passionate, loyal fan base.

“Paul Scally has done an excellent job over the last 27 years and we hope with our involvement the club will move forward.

“A bright future with, hopefully, more goals and a lucrative transfer window are on the horizon.”

Gills hit a new low - literally - in League 2 when fellow strugglers Hartlepool won at Crawley to send Neil Harris’ side bottom of the table.

The elements then denied Gills, who parted company with head of recruitment Nicky Shorey earlier in the month, the opportunity to move out of the basement after their game at home to Bradford was postponed due to a frozen pitch. The trip to Stockport a week later also fell foul of the weather.

Those who braved the cold for the FA Cup Second Round Replay at home to Dagenham were rewarded with a 3-2 win, Hakeeb Adelakun’s stoppage-time goal setting up a Third-Round match at home to Premier League Leicester..

“I am pleased that the supporters had some excitement,” Harris said. “I thought the conditions helped the game, in the sense that there was a lot of turnovers [of possession].

“The ball was freezing because of the grass and when you tried to control it the ball would slip, we realised that in the warm-up. I said to the boys it might be the team that makes the least mistakes [wins].”

Like Gills, Maidstone United were finding life on the pitch difficult losing their first three fixtures of the month. Off the field, chief executive Bill Williams slammed Stones supporters involved “in vile chanting” during the club’s home game with Dorking in August.

The FA’s regulatory commission ordered the club to pay £2,500 plus costs after fans ‘participated in misogynistic abuse’. In a letter to the FA, Williams said: “As a father and grandfather, it sickens me that this generation has such a flippant attitude towards right and wrong.

“A tiny minority are spoiling it for the vast majority and we will do everything we can to root out that tiny minority and continue to be a place where everyone is welcome.”

Kent’s Zak Crawley made history with the fastest-ever Test match hundred by an England opener in a thrilling first-Test win against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.

The 24-year-old hit his third ton for England in just 86 balls on his way to 122. The previous-quickest ton by an England opener was in 95 balls by Graham Gooch in 1990.

Crawley told Sky Sports: “It was a good deck and I thought like I played well. I got lucky on a few occasions but I rode my luck and I felt in good touch leading into this game.

“I was disappointed when I got out as I wanted a few more.”

Crawley’s fellow Kent batsman Ben Compton, meanwhile, extended his contract by a year to keep him at St Lawrence until the end of the 2024 campaign.

Joe Coyd was the toast of the Medway Towns after winning the big prize as the Medway Sports Awards returned after a four-year absence.

The wheelchair rugby league player was named Sportsperson of the Year at the awards ceremony, which covered achievements between October 2018 and October 2022 after it was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

The 25-year-old played a key role in England’s win over world champions France in 2019 and produced a man-of-the-match display during the subsequent whitewash win in Australia.

Coyd won ahead of another rugby star, Medway's England women’s rugby union player Shaunagh Brown, who announced her retirement from the sport days later.

Brown, who won 30 caps, said: “I couldn’t think of a better way to have spent the last seven years of my life than dedicating it to rugby and women and, although I will stop playing the game, I will still be pushing the boundaries for rugby and women alike.”