*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.
Chris Hamshare
Appearances: 20 Goals: 3
Date / Year of birth: 10th April 1953
Position: Defender / Midfielder
Season of first appearance: 1986/87
Season of last appearance: 1986/87
Also played for: Gillingham (0), Dover, Hastings United, Folkestone Town, Ashford Town, Crawley Town, Hythe Town and Folkestone Invicta
5' 9" tall, tough tackling player born in Dover. After a spell with Gillingham as a youth Chris started his senior career with Dover during the 1971/72 season and he went on to spend over eight years at Crabble, scoring 48 goals. He won the club's 'Player of the Year' award for the 1974/75 campaign and during that season Chris was sent off in a 1-1 draw with Margate, a game played at Dover on 26.12.74.
In the summer of 1980 Chris moved on to Hastings and he was voted 'Player of the Year' for the 1981/82 season, his second with the club. He scored 26 goals during the campaign.
Chris then joined Folkestone during the early months of the 1982/83 term and he completed a hat-trick of 'Player of the Year' awards at different clubs when he won their honour for the season. Chris was also chosen as Folkestone's 'Player of the Year' for the 1984/85 campaign, a season in which he scored twice during a 6-2 win over Thanet United in an FA Trophy tie played at Cheriton on 20.10.84. During 1985/86 his team-mate Pat Hilton listed Chris as his favourite actor in an article for the Folkestone programme.
In the summer of 1986 Chris signed for Thanet aged 33 and made his debut in a 2-1 win at Andover on 16.8.86, the opening day of the 1986/87 season. He marked the occasion by being booked for dissent but had a solid game in the heart of United's defence. Chris continued to impress during the weeks that followed, turning in an excellent performance in a 2-1 win over Tonbridge on 23.8.86 and starring in a 1-0 win at Ruislip on 25.8.86. The Thanet Times said that he "never put a foot wrong". Shortly after that the Isle of Thanet Gazette said that Chris had been the most impressive of United's several new signings and that he was "clearly a major asset to the squad". On 18.10.86 Chris was sent off for dissent as Thanet went down 4-1 to Trowbridge at Hartsdown Park and later in the month the Gazette described him as being an "outstanding capture" and a "pillar of consistency". Chris was also referred to as being "evergreen" and "dogged". On 8.11.86 he scored his second goal for the club with a clever lob in a 4-1 defeat at Dorchester and that was one of several matches where Chris played in midfield. He also made one appearance at right-back. On 26.11.86 Chris scored an own goal that contributed to a 3-2 defeat at Woodford but on 6.12.86 he scored the Thanet goal in a 1-1 draw against the same opponents at Hartsdown. It turned out to be his final game for the club as after making 20 appearances and scoring three goals Chris decided to hang up his boots due to work commitments.
His retirement lasted until the summer of 1987 when he joined Ashford. After making 13 Southern League appearances in a season there Chris returned to Folkestone for the 1988/89 campaign and had a great game in a 1-0 win at Thanet on 2.1.89. The Thanet Times said he "never put a foot wrong at the back" and "had a calming influence". In the return game at Folkestone on 25.3.89 Chris scored with a header in a 1-1 draw. Around that time a Folkestone local paper praised his "will to win and midfield drive". He spent the 1989/90 season with Folkestone too before leaving the club in the summer of 1990. However just after the start of the 1990/91 campaign Chris rejoined the club, newly renamed Folkestone Town, having come out of retirement again.
Just before Folkestone Town went out of business early in January 1991 Chris joined Crawley where he scored 12 goals from 37 outings before having a brief spell at Hythe at the end of 1990/91.
He joined Folkestone Invicta for the start of the 1991/92 campaign and in September 1992 Chris was sent off in a match against Chatham. He played for Invicta up to the end of the 1993/94 season before finally retiring for good aged 41.
Chris later had a spell as Whitstable's manager and his son Shane played for Dover during the 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2005/06 seasons. Shane was with Faversham during the 2009/10 and 2010/11 campaigns.
In 2013 Chris was living in the USA.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
EFC | |
|
1986/87 (TUFC) |
20 (53) |
0 |
3 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (10TH OF 20) |
PR |
1QR |
GR |
1R |
GR |