SPORTING Bengal United have become the first Asian football club to join the Go Travel Kent League.

Bengal, who play at a multi-purpose sports stadium in Mile End, East London, were voted into the premier division by a 12-4 majority during the league's annual meeting at Chatham.

They are a representative side of the Bangladesh Football Association (BFA) UK, which was set up in 1996 by the Bangladeshi teams in London to develop football for the community. There are 29 member teams of the BFA and Bengal comprises the best players from all of them.

They are one of only two Asian teams in the UK with senior status and chairman Suroth Miah believes they will be able to hold their own in the Kent League.

"We are considered as the best Asian football team in the UK having recently won the UK Asian football championships at Ibrox Stadium," he said. "We feel we have the potential and talent, the infrastructure and the funds to compete at this level."