*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Arthur Bridger
Appearances: 31 Goals: 1
Date / Year of birth: 23rd March 1939
Position: Midfielder
Season of first appearance: 1960/61
Season of last appearance: 1962/63
Also played for: Deal Town, Sittingbourne and Ramsgate Athletic
Talented midfielder born in Blaydon, County Durham who moved to London with his family aged ten and played for the City of Westminster boys team.
Arthur moved to Margate with his family as a teenager and joined Cliftonville in the Thanet League. At that time he worked for a local engineering firm but when he was 16 Arthur joined the Merchant Navy and spent two years travelling all round the world. He left the service in 1958 and returned to London to work as a sorter at Paddington Station.
In February 1960 Arthur returned to the Thanet area and joined Margate. He played exclusively for the reserves up to the end of the 1959/60 season and found work as an interior decorator.
Arthur then broke into the first team during the 1960/61 season, making his senior debut on 29.9.60 in a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Rugby in the Southern League. He went on to make a total of 11 appearances and impressed with his distribution and solid tackling. A Margate supporter's letter to the Isle of Thanet Gazette described him as "the best local find Margate has had for years". Arthur also played 31 reserve team games during the season and scored four goals for them.
In the summer of 1961 Arthur had his bicycle stolen from outside Hartsdown Park when he left it there whilst training and during the 1961/62 season he made a further 13 first team appearances and more than twice that amount for the reserves. Arthur scored once for the senior side during the campaign - in a 4-1 win over Burton at Hartsdown Park on 23.4.62 - and on 12.5.62 he played as Margate beat visitors Folkestone 4-0 to win the Kent Senior Shield. Arthur's performances towards the end of the season were described as "very encouraging" by the local press and his hard work was a particular feature of his game.
The 1962/63 season turned out to be Arthur's last at Margate and he only played seven times for the first team during the campaign, despite often impressing. He spent the majority of the season in the reserves and made a further 29 appearances for them, scoring four times. On 13.3.63 Arthur played 85 minutes in goal for the reserves after John Prodger was injured. In the summer of 1963 he was released and joined Deal.
Arthur then moved to Sittingbourne where he spent three seasons (1964/65-1966/67) and he scored against Margate in a 5-5 draw on 19.11.66. He then joined Ramsgate and spent the 1967/68 season there before retiring.
Arthur was still living locally in 2002.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KSS |
|
|
1960/61 (MFC) |
11 (50) |
N/A |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (15TH OF 21) |
4QR |
2R |
2R |
1R |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KSS |
|
|
1961/62 (MFC) |
13 (66) |
N/A |
1 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (5TH OF 20) |
2R |
RU |
SF |
W |
|
| Played in Southern
League Cup Final 2nd Leg (14.04.62 - lost 2-1 to Cambridge United at
home). Played in Kent Senior Shield Final (12.05.62 - beat Folkestone 4-0). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KSS |
KFC | |
|
1962/63 (MFC) |
7 (66) |
N/A |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (1ST OF 20) |
1R |
SF |
RU |
W |
W |
| Margate won Southern League Division One title and promoted to Premier Division. | |||||||||