*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.
Cyril Watkins
Appearances: 91 Goals: 3
Date / Year of birth: 25th January 1933
Position: Midfielder / Utility
Season of first appearance: 1955/56
Season of last appearance: 1958/59
Also played for: Ramsgate Athletic, Sittingbourne, Snowdown Colliery Welfare, Dover and Deal Town
Versatile left-sided player who started his career with Ramsgate, playing for Ramsgate Colts as a 14 year-old and for the Rams' reserves as a 15 year-old during the 1948/49 season.
Cyril then signed professional forms aged 17. He spent around five years at Southwood before being released in September 1955.
Cyril then had a brief spell with Sittingbourne before joining Margate in October 1955. He made his debut on 29.10.55 in a 1-1 draw with Gillingham Reserves at Hartsdown and impressed with his accurate passing. In his first three appearances he played in three different positions and thus rapidly gained a reputation as being a utility man. In total Cyril made 16 first team appearances and scored twice during the 1955/56 campaign and he also played regularly for the reserves in between his stints in the senior side. His first goal came in a 4-2 Kent League Cup win at Sittingbourne on 2.5.56.
His other goal came in the Final of the same competition on 10.5.56 as Margate went down 2-1 to Gillingham Reserves. Towards the end of the season Coventry watched him but Cyril unfortunately had an 'off' day and they didn't pursue their interest.
During the 1956/57 season he was in and out of the first team but made a total of 31 appearances without scoring. On 17.11.56 Cyril was part of the Margate side that beat Dunstable 3-1 at Hartsdown Park in the FA Cup 1st Round and he had several extended spells in the first team but only really established himself in the last couple of months of the season.
The 1957/58 campaign saw Cyril make a total of 34 appearances and it was an eventful season for him. On 31.8.57 he played the last few minutes of a match against Ramsgate in goal after Peter Peters was carried off and then on 7.9.57 Cyril was sent off in a 1-1 draw at Faversham. He clashed with former Margate legend Peter Vandepeer (who scored the Faversham goal) and was dismissed at a time when such events were still very unusual. However the Kent FA let Cyril off with a severe caution due to his previous good conduct.
A week later Cyril got married and then on 16.11.57 he played as Margate lost 3-2 to visitors Crystal Palace in the FA Cup 1st Round. On 14.12.57 Cyril had to play an entire match for the reserves in goal when Peter Peters was taken ill shortly before kick off. The game was against Dover Reserves and Margate won 4-2. On Boxing Day 1957 Cyril scored his only goal of the season with a 25 yard strike into the top corner in a 6-1 home win over Sheppey.
The 1958/59 campaign turned out to be Cyril's last at Margate and he spent most of the season in the reserves, only making ten first team appearances. On 27.12.58 he had another stint in goal after Stan Earl was injured during a 5-1 Kent League defeat at Bexleyheath & Welling but it was only for half an hour or so as Earl returned after treatment. On 13.4.59 Cyril played the first ten minutes of a game against Ashford at Hartsdown in goal as Earl was late arriving.
However at the end of the season Cyril left the club and joined Snowdown.
He then joined Dover for the 1960/61 campaign and went on to spend several seasons at Crabble. On 1.9.62 he was stretchered off with concussion after seven minutes of a game against Margate at Hartsdown.
Cyril joined Deal for the 1963/64 season and he was still playing for their reserves during the 1967/68 campaign.
He later turned out for Christchurch in the Thanet Premier Sunday League, playing alongside his old Margate team-mate Joe Haywood during the 1969/70 season.
Cyril owned a central heating installation company for many years and lived at Pegwell. He was living in Ramsgate during 2013.
As a youngster Cyril was also a very successful amateur boxer.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1955/56 (MFC) |
16 (45) |
N/A |
2 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (2ND OF 17) |
1R |
1R |
RU |
1R |
|
Played and
scored in Kent League Cup Final (10.05.56 - lost 2-1 to
Gillingham Reserves). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1956/57 (MFC) |
31 (47) |
N/A |
0 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (8TH OF 17) |
2R |
1R |
SF |
SF |
|
Played in FA Cup
1st Round (17.11.56 - beat Dunstable 3-1 at home). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1957/58 (MFC) |
34 (48) |
N/A |
1 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (2ND OF 18) |
1R |
SF |
RU |
SF |
|
Played in FA Cup
1st Round (16.11.57 - lost 3-2 to Crystal Palace at
home). Played in Kent League Cup Final (10.05.58 - lost 3-0 to Deal Town). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
TMC |
|
1958/59 (MFC) |
10 (51) |
N/A |
0 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (5TH OF 18) |
1R |
3R |
RU |
1R |
GR |