Date / Year of birth: 25th August 1936

Position: Centre-back

Season of first appearance: 1961/62

Season of last appearance: 1977/78

Also played for: Manchester United (11,0), Tranmere Rovers (46,2), Ashford Town, Canterbury City and Ramsgate

Classy, Manchester-born rugged defender who joined Manchester United on leaving school aged 15 and made his debut for the first team against WBA in an FA Cup replay following the Munich disaster in 1958. Bob went on to play 11 first team games as a 'Busby Babe' before being transferred to Tranmere for a fee of £4,000 in November 1959 in a joint deal that also involved United keeper Gordon Clayton. Bob went on to become Tranmere's captain.

In the summer of 1961 he joined Margate and made his debut in a 1-0 defeat against Wisbech in the Southern League at Hartsdown Park on 19.8.61. Bob quickly impressed with his crunching tackling, aerial power and excellent distribution. Early on the local paper summed Bob up by saying that "everything he does has the hallmark of class about it". He made 63 appearances during 1961/62 and scored once with a remarkable 25 yard lob in a 2-1 win over Dover at Hartsdown Park on 9.10.61. On 4.11.61 Bob was part of the Margate side that pulled off a famous 3-0 win at Bournemouth & Boscombe in the 1st Round of the FA Cup and he also featured in the 2nd Round tie against Notts County at Hartsdown Park on 25.11.61 which ended in a 1-1 draw. He then played in the replay at Notts County on 30.11.61 which the home side won 3-1. On 12.5.62 Bob was in the Margate side that beat visitors Folkestone 4-0 to win the Kent Senior Shield.

After rumours of a move to Bournemouth in the summer of 1962 Bob was given the Margate captaincy for the 1962/63 season, taking over from Bill Parry. He enjoyed another excellent campaign as Margate won the Southern League Division One title and made 60 appearances. Following the arrival of Tommy Marshall in September 1962 Bob played a few games in midfield but he soon switched back to defence and on 3.11.62 he was in the Margate side that lost 3-1 at Millwall in the FA Cup 1st Round. Bob scored five goals during the season and two of them came in a 3-1 win over Dover at Hartsdown Park on 10.12.62 when he was playing on the right wing having been injured early on.

On 7.5.63 Bob played as Margate won 2-0 at Maidstone in the 1st Leg of the Kent Floodlight Cup Final and he also featured in the 2nd Leg at Hartsdown Park on 13.5.63 which Margate won 3-0 to claim the trophy. On 1.6.63 he was in the team that beat visitors Bexleyheath & Welling 1-0 in the Kent Senior Shield Final. During the course of the campaign Bob gave up his job and helped out with groundsman duties and odd jobs around Hartsdown Park. In April 1963 there were rumours that he was going to become player-manager of Ramsgate but there was no truth in the stories.

Bob continued to impress during the 1963/64 season and made a further 59 appearances, scoring twice. He also started a window-cleaning business in partnership with Alan Blackburn. On 16.11.63 Bob played as Margate drew 2-2 at Brentford in the FA Cup 1st Round and then on 20.11.63 he featured in the replay at Hartsdown Park that the Bees won 2-0.

During the 1964/65 season Bob made a total of 68 appearances to go past 200 for the club. He also scored three times and one of his goals was a thumping volley in a 5-2 win over Cambridge City at Hartsdown Park on 28.11.64. He was his usual cool, efficient self throughout the campaign and the local press felt that it was his best season yet for Margate.

Bob was outstanding once again during the 1965/66 campaign although Margate were relegated from the Southern League Premier Division and he made 62 appearances, to go past 300 for the club, scoring twice. He was referred to as "mighty" by the local press and played a few games in midfield once more during the season. Bob also suffered a scare on 1.1.66 when he partially swallowed his chewing gum in a match against Chelmsford at Hartsdown Park. He had to be assisted by both club's trainers to stop him from choking. Another notable match for Bob was a home game against Cheltenham on 25.4.66 when he gave away two penalties for deliberate handball.

In June 1966 Bob captained the Margate squad that travelled to West Germany for a three match tour but new signing Peter Gillott then took over as skipper.

Despite losing the captaincy the 1966/67 season was a memorable one for Bob. He made 71 appearances, missing only one match, as Margate won promotion from the Southern League Division One by finishing as runners-up and on 10.4.67 he had a testimonial in recognition of his service to the club. The match concerned was a Southern League game at home to Gravesend & Northfleet and Margate won 5-0 with Bob fittingly scoring one of the goals. He earned a total of £56-8-1 from the match, an impressive sum at the time. Bob was as effective as ever during the season and his display in a 1-0 win over Stevenage at Hartsdown Park on 25.2.67 was described by the local paper as "the performance of a master craftsman". He also scored six goals, several from the penalty spot. The best of Bob's other strikes was a direct free-kick from just outside the area in a 2-1 home win over Chatham in the FA Cup on 3.9.66.

During the 1967/68 season Bob played in 80 of Margate's 82 matches and his performances were regularly described as being "immaculate" by the local press. On 13.12.67 he was in the side that won 3-1 at Yeovil in the FA Cup 1st Round and Bob also played in the 2nd Round as Margate lost 4-0 at home to Peterborough on 6.1.68.

In January 1968 he regained the captaincy after Bryan Snowdon's departure and on 6.4.68 Bob featured in the 1st Leg of the Southern League Cup Final - a 1-1 draw with Ramsgate at Hartsdown Park. He then took part in the 2nd Leg at Southwood on 13.4.68 which finished 0-0 and on 16.5.68 Bob lifted the Southern League Cup as Margate beat Ramsgate 3-1 in the replay at Hartsdown Park. By the end of the campaign he'd played over 450 matches for Margate and Bob scored two goals during the season, both from the penalty spot.

During the 1968/69 season he made 70 appearances (one as sub) as captain to take his career tally for Margate past the 500 mark and when Bob missed a game through injury early in the season it was only the fourth match he'd been forced to miss out of the last 467. On 28.9.68 Bob was described by the press as a "real hero" for his performance during a 2-0 defeat at Weymouth and his display during an FA Cup tie against visitors Walton & Hersham on 2.11.68 was referred to as "brilliant". Bob was the inspiration behind a 1-0 win achieved despite Margate being reduced to nine men. On 16.11.68 he was in the side that lost 3-1 at Northampton in the FA Cup 1st Round.

Bob scored four goals during the campaign and the best of them was a fine 15 yard volley in a 5-0 home win over Deal in the Kent Floodlight Cup on 10.3.69. On 20.5.69 he played as Margate drew 1-1 at Maidstone in the 1st Leg of the Kent Floodlight Cup Final and Bob also featured in the 2nd Leg at Hartsdown Park on 24.5.69 as Margate won 3-1 to claim the trophy. That turned out to be his final appearance as Bob then asked for a transfer because at the age of 32 he hoped to find a position as player-manager at another club.

In the summer of 1969 he missed out on a player-manager job at Hastings which went to former Margate player Cyril Jeans instead and Bob ended up signing for Ashford as a player ahead of the 1969/70 season. No fee was involved as Margate had decided to release him from his contract.

Bob went on to spend three seasons at Ashford and won their 'Player of the Year' award for the 1969/70 campaign as they won promotion to the Southern Premier League in his first season. He made a total of 106 Southern League appearances for the Nuts & Bolts and scored nine goals.

In June 1972 he joined Canterbury as player-coach and captain. Bob became player-manager at Kingsmead during the summer of 1975 and continued in that role until he was sacked in April 1977. By that time he'd made 177 Southern League appearances for City, scoring five goals.

He then had a brief spell back at Ashford as a player before making an emotional return to Margate in August 1977, over eight years after leaving the club. The Thanet Times referred to Bob as being "the senior statesman of soccer professionals in East Kent".

Bob made the first appearance of his comeback in a 1-0 defeat at Taunton on 27.8.77, two days after he turned 41. He went on to put in numerous impressive displays at centre-back and Bob's experience was a major factor in Margate winning the Southern League 1st Division (South) title.

The Thanet Times said he was "outstanding" in a 6-0 home win over Romford on 22.10.77 and on 14.1.78 Bob scored in a 3-0 win over Taunton at Hartsdown Park. On 24.3.78 he made what turned out to be his last appearance for Margate in a 2-1 win over visitors Andover and Bob then missed the last six games of the season to finish the 1977/78 campaign having scored once from 31 outings. The Thanet Times described Bob as being "evergreen" and said he had "proved beyond all doubt that there is still no substitute for experience when it is backed by fitness".

In July 1978 Bob was offered the job of managing Margate's reserves but the club then changed their mind and appointed Terry Morris instead. Bob said at the time "I am very disappointed because I understood the job was mine." As a result he left Hartsdown Park once again having set an all-time record of 564 appearances for Margate.

Bob then joined Ramsgate for the 1978/79 campaign and played a few games for the first team as well as acting as player-manager for the Rams' reserves. In March 1979 he was appointed as first team manager at Southwood.

However the 1979/80 season was a disaster for the Rams and Bob resigned in May 1980.

He spent the early part of the 1980/81 season playing for Nottingham Castle in the Thanet Premier Sunday League and then returned to Hartsdown once more early in 1981. Bob played a few games for Margate's reserves and then played for Thanet United reserves during the 1981/82 season aged 45. Bob performed so well that he earned their 'Player of the Year' award.

However in the summer of 1982 he returned to Ramsgate, taking over from Dai Yorath as reserve team manager. He gave up the job in March 1983 due to a shortage of players.

Bob then became Dover's reserve team manager for the 1983/84 season.

In later years he became a well-respected referee in Thanet local football and Bob returned to Hartsdown once again for the 2001/02 season. He helped out with Margate's reserves, assisting his son Mark, and continued in that role during the 2002/03 campaign.

In January 2003 Bob refereed a friendly between Margate and Tonbridge at Hartsdown Park with Mark as one of the linesmen.

In June 2005 he was elected president of the Thanet and District Football League and Bob was still refereeing during the early part of the 2007/08 season before sadly dying on 8.11.07 aged 71.

During the early 1990's a Manchester United away shirt featuring the surnames of former players on the fabric included Bob's name.

Bob completed a questionnaire for this site which you can see here.