*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.
Darren Walmsley
Appearances: 11+19 Goals: 3
Date / Year of birth: 23rd March 1975
Position: Striker / Winger
Season of first appearance: 1992/93
Season of last appearance: 1994/95
Also played for: New Romney, Hythe United, Ramsgate, Canterbury City, Tonbridge Angels, Folkestone Invicta, Tunbridge Wells and Hythe Town
Aldershot-born attacker who started his senior career with Kent County League club New Romney before joining Margate towards the end of the 1991/92 season, around the time of his 17th birthday.
Darren made a few appearances for Margate's Under-18's in the last couple of months of the campaign and stayed with the club for 1992/93.
On 20.10.92 he made his first team debut when he came on as a substitute in a Southern League Cup tie at Dover that Margate lost 3-1. Darren then made two more sub appearances before returning to the Under-18's at the end of October 1992.
He was a prolific scorer at Under-18 level and on 17.1.93 Darren bagged four goals in a 7-0 win at Faversham. In total he scored 24 goals in 29 Under 18 appearances.
On 6.3.93 Darren returned to first team action when he came on during a 4-0 win over Burnham at Hartsdown Park and he made his first start for Margate when he played on the left wing in a 1-0 win at Braintree on 3.4.93. Darren then featured in the last five matches of the campaign, three times as a substitute and twice on the left wing. The Thanet Times said that he showed "some silky skills" in a 1-0 home win over Canterbury on 10.4.93 and praised Darren's "numerous impressive contributions" in a 0-0 draw at Buckingham on 17.4.93. The paper also reported that he "gave a good account of himself" during a 2-1 win at Havant on 24.4.93 and Darren played his last game of the season in a 1-1 draw at Dunstable on 1.5.93. He'd made a total of 11 appearances (eight as a substitute) without scoring.
Darren featured in some of Margate's friendlies ahead of the 1993/94 campaign but after failing to make a first team appearance in the opening weeks of the season he was loaned to Hythe United in September 1993. In November 1993 he was sent on loan again, joining Ramsgate, and Margate then sent him back to Hythe once more in January 1994. Darren spent the rest of 1993/94 there and didn't make any first team appearances for Margate during the campaign.
In the summer of 1994 he scored twice in Margate's pre-season friendlies and Darren made his first competitive appearance of the 1994/95 campaign when he came on as a substitute in a 5-3 win at Peacehaven & Telscombe in an FA Cup tie on 27.9.94. He then featured in Margate's next 11 games, starting six of them. Darren played at left-back, as a left winger and up front and on 4.10.94 he scored his first goal for the club in a 5-1 win at Fisher. The Isle of Thanet Gazette said he "slotted in well at left-back and often took the eye with his keen overlapping" in a 2-2 home draw with Fisher on 18.10.94 and on 22.10.94 Darren scored again in a 3-0 win at Erith & Belvedere. After a 1-0 defeat against Bury on 29.10.94 the Thanet Times said of Darren "he grows in stature with every game" and after he'd had a spell on the sidelines the Gazette said Darren made "a welcome re-appearance" when he scored in a 2-2 draw at Fisher on 26.12.94. The paper reported that he "displayed astute close control" before firing home. After making two more sub appearances in January 1995 Darren was loaned to Canterbury at the start of February.
He scored twice on his debut for City and later bagged a ten minute hat-trick in a 6-0 win over Kent Police before returning to Hartsdown Park in April 1995.
On 22.4.95 Darren made his first Margate appearance since 14.1.95 when he came on as a sub in a 2-2 draw at Poole and he also came off the bench in a 3-2 home defeat against Weymouth on 25.4.95. On 29.4.95 Darren started in midfield as Margate drew 1-1 at Newport IOW but he didn't feature again and ended the season having scored three times in 19 appearances (11 as sub).
After playing in some of Margate's friendlies ahead of the 1995/96 campaign Darren returned to Canterbury for the start of the season proper and then joined Tonbridge in the summer of 1996.
Towards the end of 1997 he moved on to Folkestone and Darren later had a lengthy spell with Tunbridge Wells before linking up with Hythe.
His first season at Hythe was 2002/03 and Darren was still with the club during the 2007/08 campaign by which time he was assistant player-manager of the reserves and rarely played for the first team.
Darren was working as a sales representative for Sony in 2008.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1992/93 (MFC) |
3 (53) |
8 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (10TH OF 22) |
2QR |
2QR |
1R |
1R |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
||
|
1994/95 (MFC) |
8 (55) |
11 |
3 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (13TH OF 22) |
3QR |
1QR |
3R |
2R |