A charity football match is taking place this weekend to remember two of Kent’s recently departed football heroes.

The memorial match between Maidstone United Vets and VCD Athletic Vets takes place on Saturday, May 22, with a 1pm kick-off at the home of VCD.

Paul Foley died earlier this year at the age of 48 after a long battle with a brain tumour. He captained the double-winning Maidstone United side of 2001/02 and was a member of Cray Wanderers’ 2003/04 Kent League title-winning team.

He had been part of a double-winning side at Ramsgate and also played for Margate and Chatham. He went onto manage VCD and led them to the Kent League title.

In May the Kent footballing family were also saddened to learn of the passing of Martin Ford. He died after battling cancer and VCD described him as a legend and “undoubtedly the club’s most influential person in our history”.

Ford was manager at VCD from 1993 to 2007 and the club’s history credits him with having the “vision and enthusiasm” to take the club from being a Kent County League side to one that was battling at the top of the Kent League.

The game is being billed as one to “remember to big characters ‘Foes’ and ‘Fordy’ for their contributions to both clubs (VCD and Maidstone) and the local non-league community and the people they impacted.”

All proceeds will go to both of the family’s chosen charities. Taking over management duties on the day are Danny Ward, Nick Davis and Jim Ward.