*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.
Bob Walter
Appearances: 223+13 Goals: 19
Date / Year of birth: 25th October 1953
Position: Centre-back / Midfielder
Season of first appearance: 1977/78
Season of last appearance: 1985/86
Also played for: Gillingham (0), Canterbury City, Dover and Crawley Town
5' 10" tall versatile, tough-tackling player born in Dartford who started his career at Gillingham as a junior, appearing in their youth team as early as the 1970/71 campaign.
Bob then moved to Canterbury during the 1971/72 season and he went on to make 160 Southern League appearances (seven as sub) for City, scoring 11 goals, during a six year spell at Kingsmead.
In the summer of 1977 Bob joined Margate in an exchange deal that took Greg Wood to Canterbury and he made his debut in a 3-3 draw with Ashford in a Kent Senior Shield tie at Hartsdown Park on 9.8.77. Bob went on to make 46 appearances during the 1977/78 campaign, playing as a centre-back or in midfield, and was a model of consistency as Margate won the Southern League 1st Division (South) title. He scored five goals during the season, including two in a 6-3 win at Tonbridge on 26.12.77.
During the 1978/79 campaign Bob made a further 53 appearances (three as a substitute), once again in midfield or defence, and scored eight goals. They included what the Thanet Times called a "magnificent running header" in 2-0 win at Hastings on 14.4.79. The local press described Bob as being "a tremendous battler" during the season. His efforts secured him the club's 'Player of the Year' award but just before the start of the 1979/80 campaign Bob left the club after being involved in a dispute. He then joined Dover.
Bob spent two and a half seasons at Crabble but found himself in Dover's reserves for most of the 1979/80 and 1980/81 campaigns. During 1980/81 he played ten games on loan at Crawley but scored twice for Dover in a 3-0 win over Margate on 14.2.81. Bob then became a regular in the Dover side during the 1981/82 season, up until he returned to Hartsdown Park in March 1982 to join Thanet United.
The first game of Bob's comeback was a 2-0 defeat at Ashford on 6.3.82 and he quickly showed that he was as uncompromising as ever. He went on to make 14 appearances before the end of the season as United finished bottom of the Southern League Southern Division and usually played as a centre-back.
Bob stayed with Thanet for the 1982/83 season and he was virtually ever-present, playing 40 times and scoring three goals. He usually played in midfield during the campaign but also turned out at centre-back and even had a few games as a striker. His best goal was a clever chip in a 2-1 win over Erith & Belvedere at Hartsdown Park on 26.3.83.
Bob began the 1983/84 season as a fixture in the side once more. The Thanet Times described him as being "a tower of strength" and a "midfield dynamo". On 21.9.83 Bob had to be carried off during an FA Cup replay against Pagham after he was kicked in the face and he lost several teeth as a result.
In October 1983 Bob fell off some scaffolding at work and injured his back. That forced him to miss two months of the season but Bob went on to turn in some outstanding performances, mostly in central defence, after his return to action in December 1983. He'd made 30 appearances (one as sub) when he failed to turn up for a game at Crawley on 7.4.84. That resulted in Bob being released by the club and manager John Wickens said "it is a sad blow to lose a player of his calibre."
Bob's period of exile lasted until November 1984 when he rejoined United and he made his first appearance of the 1984/85 campaign when he came on as a substitute in a 1-1 draw at Chatham on 20.11.84. Bob then became a fixture in the Thanet side for the remainder of the season, initially playing in midfield before settling down at centre-back once again. He was as dependable as ever and the Thanet Times said that Bob "reigned supreme in the middle" as Thanet beat Dunstable 2-0 at home in the club's last Southern League game of the campaign. During the season Bob made a total of 35 appearances (four as sub) and in doing so he took his career tally for the club past 200 matches.
Work commitments led to Bob leaving the club once more in the summer of 1985 but in January 1986 he rejoined United for his fourth spell at Hartsdown Park.
He made his first appearance of the 1985/86 season when he came on as a substitute in a 3-1 home win over Waterlooville on 11.1.86 and Bob then played regularly, although often as sub, during the remainder of the campaign. He usually featured in a midfield role and made a total of 18 appearances (five as sub) before leaving United in May 1986. Bob's final game had been a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Salisbury at Hartsdown on 24.4.86, more than eight years after he'd made his debut for Margate.
Bob later played in the North Kent Sunday League and was turning out for Hollisters during the 1988/89 campaign. He was still with the club during 1991/92 aged 38.
In a 1978/79 season Margate programme Bob revealed that his favourite player was Nobby Stiles and at that time he worked as a glazier.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
KSS | |
|
1977/78 (MFC) |
46 (47) |
0 |
5 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE FIRST DIVISION (S) (1ST OF 20) |
1QR |
1R |
1R |
1R |
GR |
| Margate promoted to Southern League Premier Division. | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1978/79 (MFC) |
50 (58) |
3 |
8 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (19TH OF 22) |
4QR |
3R |
1R |
2R |
|
| Margate moved to new Southern League Southern Division following reorganisation of Southern League. | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1981/82 (TUFC) |
14 (53) |
0 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (24TH OF 24) |
1QR |
1QR |
1R |
1R |
|
| Finished bottom but not relegated. | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1982/83 (TUFC) |
40 (44) |
0 |
3 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (14TH OF 18) |
3QR |
1QR |
1R |
2R |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1983/84 (TUFC) |
29 (49) |
1 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (18TH OF 20) |
2QR |
1QR |
3R |
2R |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
EFC | |
|
1984/85 (TUFC) |
31 (62) |
4 |
3 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (5TH OF 20) |
1QR |
1QR |
GR |
SF |
RU |
| Played in Eastern
Floodlight Cup Final 1st Leg (06.05.85 - lost 2-1 at Bishop's
Stortford). Played in Eastern Floodlight Cup Final 2nd Leg (09.05.85 - lost 2-0 at home to Bishop's Stortford). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
EFC | |
|
1985/86 (TUFC) |
13 (59) |
0 |
5 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (15TH OF 21) |
1QR |
PR |
GR |
1R |
GR |