*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.
Dai Yorath
Appearances: 281+3 Goals: 39
Date / Year of birth: 27th February 1948
Position: Full-back / Midfielder
Season of first appearance: 1967/68
Season of last appearance: 1980/81
Also played for: Cardiff City (Wales) (1,0), Crystal Palace (0), Tonbridge, Romford, Dover, Ashford Town and Ramsgate
6' 0" tall Welsh schoolboy international who started his career with his hometown club Cardiff, joining them straight from school in 1963. Although Dai didn't make a league appearance he did play for Cardiff in the Football League Cup as a 17 year-old during 1965/66.
In 1966 he was transferred to Crystal Palace where he made 19 appearances for the reserves in the London Combination before signing for Margate in January 1968 at the same time as his good friend and team-mate Davie Houston.
Dai made his debut in a 3-1 win over Cheltenham in the Southern League at Hartsdown Park on 20.1.68 and had an excellent game at right-back. He took the eye with his solid tackling and intelligent positioning. He went on to make a total of 32 appearances (one as substitute), sometimes as a left-back, before the end of the 1967/68 season and was described as "utterly resolute" by the local paper. On 6.4.68 Dai featured in the 1st Leg of the Southern League Cup Final - a 1-1 draw with Ramsgate at Hartsdown Park - and his willingness to get forward prompted the local press to say he "ploughed up the left flank like a train" in a 9-2 home win over Gravesend & Northfleet on 3.5.68. On 16.5.68 Dai was in the Margate team that secured the Southern League Cup by beating Ramsgate 3-1 in a replay at Hartsdown Park.
During the 1968/69 season he cemented his place in the first team and made 60 appearances, scoring eight goals. Dai usually played at right-back but also featured on the right wing and in midfield on occasions. His goals included numerous penalties and several long-range strikes. Dai scored from 20 yards in a 3-2 defeat at Chelmsford on 9.9.68 and thumped in a drive from the edge of the area in a 4-4 draw at Nuneaton on 26.10.68.
On 2.11.68 he was sent off for kicking out at an opponent during an FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round tie against Walton & Hersham at Hartsdown Park that Margate won 1-0 and on 16.11.68 Dai was in the side that lost 3-1 at Northampton in the FA Cup 1st Round. On 2.12.68 he found the net from fully 25 yards in a 6-0 home win over Sheppey in the Kent Floodlight Cup but later in December Dai had to serve a suspension due to his dismissal in the Walton & Hersham game. On 20.5.69 he played as Margate drew 1-1 at Maidstone in the 1st Leg of the Kent Floodlight Cup Final and Dai also featured in the 2nd Leg at Hartsdown Park on 24.5.69 as Margate won 3-1 to claim the trophy.
The 1969/70 season was an excellent one for Dai, he made 62 appearances and scored 14 goals, 11 of them from the penalty spot. He played at right-back throughout the campaign and was superbly consistent. Dai's forward runs led to him being described as "a brilliant overlapper" in the local press and he was also said to have displayed "a subtle blend of resolution and elegance" during the season. On 15.11.69 Dai was in the Margate side that were thrashed 7-2 by visitors Aldershot in the FA Cup 1st Round.
His performance during a 4-1 home win over Telford on 17.1.70 led to the Thanet Times describing Dai as "the epitome of modern full-back play" and on 25.3.70 he scored a hat-trick, including two penalties, in a 6-0 win over Folkestone at Hartsdown Park. However Dai finished the season on a low note when former Margate keeper Brian Hughes saved his penalty in the Kent Floodlight Cup Replay at Gravesend & Northfleet on 15.5.70, a match that Margate lost 2-1.
During the 1970/71 season Dai featured in 70 of Margate's 72 matches to take his overall tally for the club past 200. He began the season at right-back but also made a one-off appearance on the left wing before moving into midfield later in the campaign. He scored seven goals, four of them from the penalty spot, and the best of Dai's efforts from open play was a scorching volley in a 3-0 win at Telford on 15.8.70, the opening day of the season. On 21.11.70 he played as Margate lost 2-0 at Dagenham in the FA Cup 1st Round.
Dai began the 1971/72 season as the first team's regular right-back once more and in its report on a 3-2 home defeat against Wimbledon on 11.9.71 the Thanet Times praised his energetic over-lapping, referring to Dai "steaming up the right flank like a cavalryman to support his infantry". On 20.11.71 he featured in Margate's infamous 11-0 defeat at Bournemouth & Boscombe in the FA Cup 1st Round.
Towards the end of 1971 Dai fell out of favour and spent some time in the reserves before regaining his first team place during January 1972. He often played in midfield from then until the end of the season and finished the campaign having made 51 appearances (two as sub). Dai scored nine goals, four of them from the penalty spot. He was released at the end of the season and the Thanet Times said that he was "unfortunate".
Dai joined Tonbridge for the 1972/73 campaign and scored 14 goals in 47 games there before moving to Romford in July 1973 for a fee of £500, despite still living in Margate.
Towards the end of the 1974/75 season he signed for Dover.
In September 1975 Dai had a short trial spell with Ashford and played twice in the Southern League for them before leaving the club.
He later returned to Thanet to play amateur football and was still playing locally when he made a surprise return to Margate in February 1981. Dai helped the club out when it faced a drastic player shortage following the departure of most of the first team squad and he made his second debut on 28.2.81, playing in midfield in a 3-0 defeat at Dartford. Dai went on to make a total of nine appearances before the end of the 1980/81 season and the Isle of Thanet Gazette described his performance in a 3-2 defeat at home to Chelmsford on 3.3.81 as "immaculate". The report also said that Dai "never wasted a ball". The highlight of his 'Indian summer' was a sensational long-range goal in a 2-0 win over Fareham at Hartsdown on 14.3.81. Dai hit a piledriver from fully 25 yards and the Gazette said that it was "a magical goal". However at the end of the season Dai left the club, his last appearance had been in an 8-1 defeat at Crawley on 28.4.81 - over 13 years after his first.
He joined Ramsgate in the summer of 1981 and became the club's captain. Later in the 1981/82 season Dai became the Rams' reserve team manager but he stepped down from the role in the summer of 1982 due to work commitments.
During the mid 1980's he had a spell in charge of Sunday League outfit Active Signs and Dai was still involved with the club during 2005/06.
Dai's brother Terry was a Welsh international who played for clubs including Leeds and Coventry and managed Wales as well as several prominent clubs. Terry became Margate's Director of Football in June 2008 before taking over as manager early in the 2008/09 season and Dai attended the majority of Margate's matches during Terry's time in charge which ended in September 2009.
On 12.4.14 Dai was one of the many former Margate players who attended the club's 'Legends Day' at Hartsdown Park.
His son Dean made 35 appearances for Margate spanning the 1997/98 to 2001/02 campaigns.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC |
KSS |
|
1967/68 (MFC) |
31 (82) |
1 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (8TH OF 22) |
2R |
W |
1R |
GR |
N/A |
| Played in Southern
League Cup Final 1st Leg (06.04.68 - drew 1-1 at home to Ramsgate
Athletic). Played in Southern League Cup Final replay (16.05.68 - beat Ramsgate Athletic 3-1 at home). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC |
SLCH |
|
1968/69 (MFC) |
60 (75) |
0 |
8 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (18TH OF 22) |
1R |
3R |
RU |
W |
W |
| Played in FA Cup 1st
Round (16.11.68 - lost 3-1 at Northampton Town).
Played in Kent Senior Cup Final 1st Leg (30.04.69 - lost 4-0 at Folkestone Town). Played in Kent Senior Cup Final 2nd Leg (08.05.69 - beat Folkestone Town 2-0 at home). Played in Kent Floodlight Cup Final 1st Leg (20.05.69 - drew 1-1 at Maidstone United). Played in Kent Floodlight Cup Final 2nd Leg (24.05.69 - beat Maidstone United 3-1 at home). Played in Southern League Championship Match (12.08.68 - won 4-1 at Chelmsford City). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC | |
|
1969/70 (MFC) |
62 (72) |
0 |
14 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (13TH OF 22) |
1R |
3QR |
3R |
RU |
RU |
| Played in FA Cup 1st
Round (15.11.69 - lost 7-2 at home to
Aldershot). Played in Kent Senior Cup Final 1st Leg (04.05.70 - lost 1-0 at home to Dartford). Played in Kent Senior Cup Final 2nd Leg (09.05.70 - lost 4-1 at Dartford). Played in Kent Floodlight Cup Final 1st Leg (30.04.70 - drew 1-1 with Gravesend & Northfleet at home). Played in Kent Floodlight Cup Final 2nd Leg (05.05.70 - drew 2-2 at Gravesend & Northfleet). Played in Kent Floodlight Cup Final Replay (15.05.70 - lost 2-1 at Gravesend & Northfleet). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC | |
|
1970/71 (MFC) |
70 (72) |
0 |
7 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (13TH OF 22) |
1R |
1R |
SF |
QF |
GR |
| Played in FA Cup 1st Round (21.11.70 - lost 2-0 at Dagenham). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC | |
|
1971/72 (MFC) |
49 (69) |
2 |
9 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (9TH OF 22) |
1R |
1R |
SF |
2R |
GR |
| Played in FA Cup 1st Round (20.11.71 - lost 11-0 at Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1980/81 (MFC) |
9 (58) |
0 |
1 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (22ND OF 24) |
2QR |
3QR |
1R |
2R |
|