After returning the club to a more even keel financially, the early Nineties proved to be a disappointment on the field. Managers Dennis Moore and Bob Glozier departed in 1990 to be replaced by successful former Enfield boss Eddie McCluskey. But even with his track record, the new manager couldn’t halt the slide down the Southern League Premier table – Fleet finished in a relegation place in 1990/91 but were saved due to ground issues at Rushden Town. But the following season was no better, McCluskey departing after 9-0 and 8-1 defeats in quick succession, plus a damaging FA Cup defeat at Harlow Town, to be replaced by former player Gary Aldous.

Aldous couldn’t prevent relegation in 1991/92 but came close to immediate promotion the following season before the team ended up finishing fourth after leading the pack for a duration of the campaign. Steve Portway was signed from Barking in 1992 and across the next two seasons, he smashed all sorts of goalscoring records, managing 61 in his first season and 52 in his second. That second season coincided with Fleet dominating the 1993/94 Southern Division, winning the title with 92 points to regain our place in the Premier Division.

Something of a yo-yo-club over the previous decade, the Fleet consolidated at that level over the rest of the decade, switching to the Isthmian League in 1997 to end a near-half-century association with the Southern League. Former youth team boss Andy Ford replaced player-manager Steve Lovell that same year and with a new board under the chairmanship of Brian Kilcullen, the club set about gradually crafting an improving squad from a tight budget, although the Fleet never rose above mid-table during the late Nineties.

Ford brought back goalscoring hero Portway for another two seasons and in the process, the striker broke the club record set by Bert Hawkins more than 40 years earlier.

In cup competition, there were memorable moments. The Fleet took on Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road in Round One of the FA Cup in 1993, taking the lead before bravely bowing out to a side four tiers above us. Two years later, the club embarked on an FA Cup journey to rival the great 1962/63 run, making it all the way to Round Three. The Fleet saw off Football League opposition in Colchester United before memorably overcoming fellow non-leaguers Cinderford Town in a Second Round replay. That took caretaker boss Chris Weller’s side to Villa Park to face Premier League giants Aston Villa where, despite conceding early, the Fleet held out for large parts of the game before losing 3-0 – but the club won plenty of admirers along the way.

Two Kent Senior Cup finals were reached, in 1991 and 1998, but both ended in defeat – to Dover Athletic and Margate respectively.