[1][2] The club was formed in 1882 as Chatham United, when Rochester Invicta merged with the Royal Engineers Band football team.

[3] Chatham played their home games at the Army owned pitches called "The Lines", where they were to remain until 1889 when they moved to the Maidstone Road Ground.

[4] The move to the new ground was prompted when the club reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in 1888–89, and admission fees could not be charged at "The Lines" because of Army regulations.

This cup run was also instrumental in the Football Association's ruling that all future matches in the competition must be played on fully enclosed grounds, where the visiting club would receive a share of the gate money.

On 7 January 1947 they merged with Shorts F.C., with the amalgamated club taking the name Chatham Town at the request of the local council.

They experienced crowds, as had other poorly supported clubs, in double figures; Kent League days had healthier attendance with more local competition.

In 1997 the club was forced to briefly return to Great Lines when a new drainage system saw parts of the Maidstone Road pitch collapse.

The Kent League allowed them to use the Garrison Ground in Kings Bastian for several matches, before they could arrange a brief ground-share with Gillingham at Priestfield Stadium.

The club returned home for the 1998–99 season under new manager Carl Laraman, with results improving immediately; however he left in January of that year to take up a coaching position at Charlton Athletic.

At the end of the first season in the league Steve Hearn resigned due to poor results and was replaced by his assistant Peter Coupland.

During this campaign Clive Walker return to his old club Dover Athletic and his assistant Steve Binks was appointed manager.

[7] Since that season the club has moved between the Isthmian League North and South Divisions with regular mid table positions.

The following season, the club achieved back-to-back promotions when they were crowned Champions of the Isthmian League South East Division.