YEAR FORMED

Jake returned to Margate towards the end of the 2010/11 as 1st Team Coach, seven years after playing for the side under Chris Kinnear.

After starting off with Crewe Alexandra, Jake became a stalwart in defence for Dover Athletic in the Conference, before moving to Margate in 2002. Jake spent two seasons with the at Hartsdown Park before signing for Dagenham & Redbridge and was part of their Conference winning squad in 2006-07.

Whilst the Daggers took their place in the Football League, Jake chose to remain in non-league, signing for AFC Wimbledon and enjoyed back-to-back promotions with the Dons. He returned to Crabble in June 2009 before moving to Faversham Town at the start of the season, playing alongside other ex-‘Gate players Tom Hickman, Alex Waugh and Dean Grant.

Richard, formerly with Dartford, Chatham Town and Thamesmead Town, has put in some resolute performances in a defensive midfield role during Gate’s pre-season campaign. He spent much of his early career as a central defender and so also provides additional cover at the back for the Blues.
 
As with a number of Chris Kinnear’s signings, Richard is still only 25.

More detail to follow.

Defender who signed from Dover Athletic in the summer of 2010.

Started off as a youth with Gilingham, even playing taking over in goal when the 'keeper was injured in an FA Youth Cup tie against Manchester City.

First Joined Dover in 2003 but then went to University and played for several clubs in the north of England, including Altrincham.

Returned to Crabble in 2007 and starred in central defence for the reserves. Went on loan to Ramsgate before breaking into the first team in January 2008, securing a regular place in Whites' defence during their promotion winning campaign before scoring 4 goals as Dover took the Ryman Premier title the following season.

He rejoined Ramsgate in the summer of 2009 but as he was studying for Masters degree at Oxford his appearances were limited.

Also played for Oxford University during last season, scoring in a penalty shoot out after 1-1 draw to help Oxford win the 126th Varsity match in May.

Was virtually ever-present in his first season with Margate until injury forced him to miss the final 9 games of the season. Signed a new one-year deal in July 2011.

John was a product of the Angels youth system and spent six years at Longmead. He then went on to play for Dartford – where he was part of the Ryman League Championship winning side – and Hastings United, before returning to Tonbridge towards the end of the 2010/11 season.

Signed for Margate in October 2011 after spending some time training with the Blues. 

Chatham born defender who started his career off as a trainee at Nottingham Forest before joining Gillingahm in August 2004.

He made three appearances for the Gills before joining Welling United in August 2005. His perfomances at the Park View Road club saw Gillingham give him an invitation to move back to for pre-season training just a year after relasing him, but a move back to Priestfield never materialised and he stayed at Welling until December 2006 when he moved to FA Trophy holders Grays Athletic who were struggling in the Conference.

In three seasons at Grays, Matt only made 14 appearances for his home club but spent spells at Thurrock (twice), Dartford and Eastleigh before moving to Dover in February 2009. Despite being a regular as Dover took the Ryman League title, he was not offered a new and in the summer joined Thurrock for a third time, but this time permanently.

After 16 goals in 79 appearances for the Conference South side he joined Margate in July 2010, despite being rumoured to be wanted by Welling United.

After signing a one-year deal, he signed an extension four days later that will keep him at the club until 2013.

Striker who started his senior career with Dartford, joining the club for the 07/08 season having previously been prolific in Sunday League football in the Sevenoaks area of Kent. 

Tom was part of the Darts squad that won the Ryman League Division One North and he was chosen as the club’s ‘Young Player of the Year’ having scored six goals in all competitions. 

He moved on to Sittingbourne in the summer of 2008 and scored 13 goals during 08/09. 

Tom then found the net 14 times for the Brickies during 09/10 and his goals included one in a Ryman League Cup win over Margate and another in the Kent Senior Cup Final as Sittingbourne beat Folkestone to take the trophy. 

Tom was Sittingbourne’s captain during the first half of the 10/11 campaign and scored 15 goals before signing for Margate in January 2011 and went on to score 7 goals in 18 starts.

Adam impressed while on trial at Hartsdown Park during pre-season with his lively displays on the wing. He also weighed in with two goals; both against Folkestone Invicta.

Originally with Gillingham, he joined Dartford in March 2009 on work experience but signed permanently for the Darts following his release by the Gills in the summer of the same year.

He struggled to get a starting place in Tony Burman’s side and was loaned to Tonbridge Angels in 2010 and Maidstone United in March 2011.

The 21-year old was released by Dartford in May, and while he was interesting other clubs, has opted to join Chris Kinnear’s side.

A central defender who signed for Margate in summer 2010 after spending nine years with Dover Athletic

Started off in the youth programme at Crabble before captaining the reserves making his first team debut in 2001/02, winning all four of the club's player of the year awards in 2004-05.

Injuries forced him to miss much of 2008/09 and 2009/10 but made his return to action whilst on loan at Ashford Town in February 2010.

Craig made 37 appearances, three as substitute, in his first season and scored 4 goals before signing a new one-year deal in July 2011.

Mark signed on a two year contract in the summer of 2011 after impressing at righ-back in pre-season.

The 25 year old started his career at Gillingham for whom he debuted against Colchester United as a 20 year old.

He also featured on loan at Folkestone Invicta and Eastbourne Borough. At the end of the 2005/06 season he was released by the Gills and went on to sign for Bromley.

After five years at Hayes Lane Mark made the switch to Maidstone United but missed the 2010/11 season due to work commitments.

Signed leading up to the start of the 2011/12 season and can play in Midfield as well as Defence.

As a schoolboy he was at Chelsea, Gillingham Dover Athletic and Ramsgate, captaining the latter for three years, before being offered a scholarship at Woking.

Spent three years with the Kingfield club before signing for Ramsgate last season but had to move on due to work commitments. He signed for Godalming Town before the new management team accepted a 7 day approach from Fleet Town, where he finished the season.

Versatile defender, equally comfortable at left back or in the centre of the defence, who started his career with Dover Athletic.

Dean progressed through the club’s youth ranks up to the reserves before moving on to Ashford for the start of the 02/03 season. 
He joined Sittingbourne in February 2004 and then linked up with Ramsgate in the summer of 2005. 

Dean went on to make around 100 appearances for the Rams and helped them to win the Ryman League Division One title in his first season at Southwood. 

In June 2008 he rejoined Dover and gained a Ryman League Premier Division winners medal during 08/09 before featuring regularly in the Conference South during 09/10. 

Dean had a loan spell with Maidstone during November and December 2010 and had made a total of 89 appearances for Dover before being released from his contract in February 2011 to join Margate.

After scoring 2 goals in 10 starts, he signed a new one-year deal in summer 2011.

Young Goalkeeper signed in August 2010 after previously featuring at Ebbsfleet United.

Had a brief spell with Ramsgate at the beginning of the 2011/12 season before returning to Margate in November.

Tom Murphy signed  after a brief spell at Horsham in February 2012.

The 20 year old started is career at Gillingham from where he went on to play for Lewes, Thurrock and Farnborough in the Blue Square Bet South, before briefly playing for Horsham in the Ryman League Premier Division.

25 year old Simon Overland was with Millwall as a trainee and lists Ebbsfleet United, Dagenham & Redbridge, Hayes and Yeading among his former clubs.

He finished last season at Ryman League Division 1 Faversham Town.

Versatile 6’ 1” tall defender born in Sidcup who was on Charlton’s books as a youth before joining Millwall in 2003. Dean progressed through the Lions’ youth ranks to the senior squad and in October 2005 he had a short spell on loan at Walton & Hersham.

During the 2005/06 season Dean made one first team appearance for Millwall - as a substitute in a 1-0 home win over Burnley in the Championship on 22.4.06 - and in September 2006 he was loaned to Beckenham. At the end of December 2006 Dean left Millwall by mutual consent.

At the start of 2007 he joined Bohemian of Eire and made 19 appearances for the Bohs before being released in December 2007.

In January 2008 Dean signed a short-term deal with Northern Irish club Ballymena but left the club in March 2008 having made only two first team appearances.

He joined Conference outfit Ebbsfleet for the start of the 2008/09 campaign and played 78 times for the Fleet before being released in May 2011.

In June 2011 Dean signed for Margate and became manager Chris Kinnear’s first capture since his return to the club.

Signed for Margate in the summer of 2008 and gradually became a regular and reliable part of the defence with calmness that belied his young age. 

Started off with Ramsgate in their Youth and Reserve sides before leaving for Greenwich University and featured for Dover Athletic Reserves before moving to Hartsdown Park.

After three season at Margate, he is now one of the longest-standing players at the club and has been scouted by football league sides. 

Curtis also possesses a impressively long throw and younger brother Courteney made the first team in 2009/10. 

Aidan is a young midfielder also capable of playing at the back, who signed on a dual registration basis with Kent League Premier Division Sevenoaks Town in the summer of 2011. With Ebbsfleet United for the 2010/11 season, he was previously a member of the Fleet's successful youth side and also played at county level for Kent.

Featured on the Margate first team bench for the first time in Decenber 2011, against Met Police.

Dan started off his career as a member of Ebbsfleet United’s succesful Youth League scheme.

An exciting midfielder, Danny had a spell on loan at Ryman League Division One South Whitstable Town in 2007 but signed for the Gate in August 2008 and turned in a number of entusiastic and energetic performances.

Joined Maidstone United for the start of the 2009/10 season but returned to Hartsdown in late October. Dan played for KA Akureyri in Iceland's 2nd tier over the summer of 2010 and early part of last season but returned to Margate once their season there ended in October.

Moved back to Maidstone in March 2011 but was resigned by Chris Kinnear prior to the 2011/12 season.

Signed for Margate in November 2011.

Tayler was a young professional at Gillingham who went on to play at Folkestone Invicta (on loan), Halesowen Town, Tilbury and Billericay Town. A versatile midfielder, he can play anywhere across the middle of the park but is particularly tricky down either flank.

Australian born midfielder who joined from Blue Square South side Bromley in the summer of 2008.

Originally with Sorrento under 18's, based in his home town of Perth he moved to England to join Charlton Athletic’s academy, playing for their youth side, in 2002/03.

Wayne went on the play for Bishop’s Stortford, Stevenage Borough, Thurrock and Basingstoke.

Played in all bar two of Margate's Ryman Premier games in his first season, finished the season as second top scorer and won the Supporters Player of Year but saw his second season hit by injuries.

Took temporary charge of the side, with John Keister, for two matches after Mark Butlers resignation in February 2010 and then again in February 2011 after Iain O'Connells departure.

In June 2011 Wayne was named as Head of Margate FC’s Football in the Community programme

Margate Football Club was founded in 1896/7 as an amateur club, playing friendly matches on school grounds, with the club colours being black & white. 

The Club moved around the Margate area and played at various grounds but in 1924/5 was reformed and moved to the Lower Pitch at Dreamland in Margate and competed in the Kent League Division One. 

In 1929 the Club once again reformed and moved to its present home at Hartsdown Park, Margate, and its playing colours changed to amber & black. 

1934 saw the club become the nursery side to Arsenal Football Club, with the Hartsdown Park pitch being reduced in size to match Highbury. The Club started its impressive FA Cup pedigree by reaching the 3rd round proper of the FA Cup, losing 3-1 to Blackpool, having defeated Q.P.R. and Crystal Palace in the earlier rounds. 

In 1949/50 the Club changed its playing colours to the present blue & white. On 23 September 1959 floodlights were used for the first time at Hartsdown Park. The Club reached the 1st round of the FA Cup before losing a replay at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace in front of a current record crowd to watch Margate of 29,300. The Club officially opened the Floodlights with a game against West Ham United in front of 4,216 spectators. 

1961/62 saw the players tunnel constructed at Hartsdown Park. The Club also purchased their own coach in September 1961 with the aim of being able to save money on travel expenses. In the FA Cup Margate defeated Third Division leaders Bournemouth away 3-0. 

1964/65 season saw the Club go full time professional with the team finishing 6th in the Premier Division.  In the following season the team failed to win a single away game, and finished bottom of the Premier Division being relegated to Division One. The full time policy was scrapped and the team returned to a semi professional status. 

1966/67 saw the Club as runners up in Division One, securing promotion back to the Premier Division. In the early part of the season the Clubhouse on the Hartsdown Road terrace was opened. 

1972/3 saw the mighty Tottenham Hotspur visit Hartsdown Park for a 3rd round FA Cup game, which Margate lost 6-0 in front of allegedly over 14,000 spectators being a home ground record. 

1981/2 saw the Club become a Limited Company and changed names to Thanet United, but this was reversed back to Margate Football Club in 1989/90 when the Club was taken over by Keith Piper & Gordon Wallis. 

In 1996/7 Chris Kinnear was appointed as manager. In November 1997 the Club were beaten 2- 1 in the 1st round of the FA Cup by Mohamed Al Fayed's Fulham, who were managed at that time by Kevin Keegan and Ray Wilkins in front of 'Sky TV' cameras for a live televised game at Hartsdown Park. By 1999 the Club had achieved promotion to The Dr Martens Premier Division. 

2000/01 saw the Club win The Dr Martens Premier Division title and promotion to the pinnacle of non-league football into the Nationwide Conference. 

The first day of the Nationwide Conference saw Margate Football Club highlighted as relegation candidates, but the players thought otherwise and secured an opening day away win at Boston United 1-0 and eventually finished the season in a highly credible 8th position. 

During that first season playing in the Nationwide Conference at our 'home' of Hartsdown Park, Margate, attendances climbed to see an average for the season of 1,700 per game, with the highest single attendance being just under 4,000 for the Boxing Day game against local rivals Dover Athletic. 

The Club set out a five-year plan to develop both on and off the field of play and this has led to the football club becoming tied down in negotiations to deliver a new stadium fully compliant to Football League 'Grade A Standard' to enable the Club to maintain its Nationwide Conference status. 

The second season of Nationwide Conference football saw the Club groundsharing at Dover Athletic FC, having secured planning permission for the redevelopment of Hartsdown Park. Despite playing all their games 'away from home' the Club finished the league in a respectable 10th position. The season also saw the Club defeat Leyton Orient in the 1st round of the FA Cup, they then went on to draw 2nd Division Cardiff City at 'home' for the 2nd Round, but eventually lost 3-1 after a brave battle. This game was featured on the BBC's Match of The Day. 

August 2003 and the commencement of the 2003-2004 season saw the Club once again ground-sharing due to the delays on the redevelopment project, highlighting the fact that whilst the Club has performed 'on the pitch', delays and problems 'off the pitch' have meant that the Club's goals have not as yet been achieved. 

In June 2004 the club despite finishing 16th in The Nationwide Conference were demoted one division due to the ongoing delays and problems with the redevelopment plans for the club’s home at Hartsdown Park, Margate and played the 2004/5 season in the Nationwide South division, ground-sharing at Ashford Town FC. Finishing the season inside the relegation zone, Margate were relegated to the Ryman League Premier Division.

Margate Football Club started the Ryman League Premier Division on 20th August 2005 back at Hartsdown Park with a temporary stadium. Another indifferent season saw Margate, at times, flirting with relegation and with a handful of games remaining Chris Kinnear was relieved of duties after ten years in charge.

Defender Robin Trott was put in temporary charge and with the team remaining unbeaten for the remainder of the campaign he secured the job full-time. An impressive array of signings were brought in but despite some of the most entertaining football played by a Margate side in a long time they fell away at the death and just missed out on the play-offs.

Over the summer a number of players, including some long-standing members of the squad, left the club as Trott started his second full term in charge. But, despite threatening in patches during the season, the club fell short of the play-offs and Trott was released with two games to go.

In summer 2008, in the biggest overhaul the club has seen in years, former Gillingham defender Barry Ashby became Margate's new manager with his former Gills team-mate Paul Smith joining him as player-coach.  A comprehensive restructuring plan also saw locally-based ex-Everton and Wales goalkeeper Neville Southall became the club's Football Development Officer whilst former Wales manager Terry Yorath was announced as Margate's Director of Football at the start of June 2008. The emphasis was now to be on development and the club were to field a young side made up of former reserve and youth players for the 2008/09 Ryman League Premier Division campaign.

The campaign started badly and Ashby departed in October; Terry Yorath taking charge temporarily, with Neville Southall assisting. Improved performances looked as though they may pull the side out of the relegation zone but a final day defeat at Staines Town saw Margate finish in the final relegation slot.

Talk of clubs being demoted and resigning from various Leagues led to a nervous summer as Margate waited to see if they would be reprieved thanks to another club's misfortune. The good news came in June as it was announced that Margate would remain in the Ryman League Premier Division for the 2009/10 season and with the best of last season's squad remaining under Yorath's leadership, hopes were higher for the new season.

Early silverware came in the form of the re-launched 'Isle of Thanet Gazette Cup', a two legged battle with rivals Ramsgate. A 1-0 win at Hartsdown and a 1-1 draw at Southwood was enough to win the cup, being contested for the first time since 1992, and move clear of the Rams on outright wins.

An indifferent start to the campaign saw the side once again battling for points at the wrong end of the table and in October Yorath resigned. Southall took over as caretaker but failed to seal the job on a permanent basis.

In the weeks that followed three new board members were appointed; former Chairman Gordon Wallis, former Commercial Manager Cliff Egan and veteran supporter and club helper Richard Piper. Their first task was to appoint former Ashford Town (MX) manager Mark Butler as Manager with Steve Beeks as his assistant.

In February 2010 Mark Butler resigned after only 2 wins in 16 games, although performances on the pitch had vastly improved.  John Keister and Wayne Wilson took charge for two games before former Margate legend Iain O'Connell was appointed manager at the end of February.

O'Connell signed former Margate legends Jay Saunders and James Pinnock as well as bringing several other players in and a run of nine games without defeat started giving hope of avoiding relegation but despite beating play-off chasing Hastings United in the last match of the season Margate finished fourth from bottom and another agonising wait until a reprieved was confirmed in May.

In the summer, O’Connell strengthened his squad further including some experience that had been seriously lacking over recent seasons and after impressive performances in the pre-season friendlies, hopes were again high for the coming season.

Although the league position O'Connell attained was a vast improvement of that of the previous couple of seasons, a mid-table position fell short of expectations and he left the club a year after taking over the post.

Following a spell of, firstly, players Craig Cloke and Wayne Wilson and then former Assistant Manager Kevin Raine, in a caretaker role, Chris Kinnear was appointed for a second time and took the reigns for the last three games of the season. The final game saw a spirited Margate side fight back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 at home to Kingstonian, costing their opponents a place in the play-offs.

A large rebuild operation on the playing side has gone on over the summer and another former Hartsdown favourite, Jake Leberl, has taken the role of First-Team Coach and a impressive pre-season, that has seen the side score 25 goals in 7 games, has once again led to high expectation for the season.