*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.
David Paton
Appearances: 117+1 Goals: 4
Date / Year of birth: 13th December 1943
Position: Centre-back
Season of first appearance: 1970/71
Season of last appearance: 1972/73
Also played for: Saxone Amateurs (Scotland), St.Mirren (Scotland) (0), Southampton (15,0) and Aldershot (36,0)
Tall, commanding defender born in Saltcoats, Scotland who started his career with Scottish junior club Saxone Amateurs before joining St.Mirren in 1962.
In April 1963 David was released by St.Mirren without making a senior appearance and in July of the same year he was signed by Southampton.
David spent over six years at the Dell but never established himself in the Saints' first team. He then joined Aldershot in November 1969 and played more regularly for them during the 1969/70 and 1970/71 seasons.
In January 1971 David joined Margate on loan and made his debut on 23.1.71 as Margate drew 3-3 at Wimbledon. The Thanet Times said that he "gave a thoroughly good account of himself" and David went on to make a total of 22 appearances before the end of the 1970/71 season. He was a calm figure at the heart of Margate's defence. His strength also led the local paper to describe him as "a rock-like figure".
At the end of the season he returned to Aldershot but in the summer of 1971 David signed for Margate on a permanent basis. He was described as being "a pillar of strength" by the local paper during the 1971/72 season and made 55 appearances (one as sub). According to the Isle of Thanet Gazette he "excelled" during Margate's 2-0 win over Dover at Hartsdown Park in the Southern League Cup on 18.10.71 but on 20.11.71 David had the misfortune to be marking Ted McDougall as he scored nine goals in Bournemouth & Boscombe's 11-0 win over Margate in the 1st Round of the FA Cup. David scored twice during the campaign, in a 4-0 win at Folkestone on 11.3.72 and in a 4-3 win over Chelmsford on 31.3.72.
David began the 1972/73 season as one of Margate two first-choice centre-backs, partnering Davie Houston, but he struggled to find his best form and scored an own goal from fully 25 yards when he lobbed Chic Brodie during a 4-2 defeat at Telford on 23.9.72. He was briefly dropped in October 1972 but soon returned to the first team and on 18.11.72 David was in the Margate side that beat Swansea 1-0 in an FA Cup 1st Round tie at Hartsdown Park. He also featured in a 1-0 win at Walton & Hersham in the 2nd Round on 9.12.72.
On 13.1.73 David played in perhaps Margate's biggest ever match - a 6-0 defeat against visitors Tottenham in the FA Cup 3rd Round - and in the build-up to the game The Sun newspaper had run a story about his forthcoming duel with Spurs star striker Martin Chivers. David told the paper that he and Chivers had been good friends during their time together at Southampton. The article mentioned how anxious David got before games and was entitled "He's like a jelly, Chiv". David said "It's just one of those things I suppose...it's always the same, I get nervous, very nervous." He also mentioned he'd stopped smoking which made his nerves harder to cope with and referring to the Bournemouth game in 1971 David said "the day of McDougall - that didn't help exactly".
In February 1973 David lost his first team place to new signing Steve Breach and he spent the rest of the season in the reserves. On 28.4.73 he scored for them as they went down 4-3 to Tunbridge Wells Reserves. The game was significant as it was David's last appearance in a Margate shirt. At the end of the campaign he was released and returned home to Scotland having made a total of 41 appearances, scoring twice, during 1972/73.
In November 1997 David returned to Hartsdown Park as a guest when Margate played Fulham in the FA Cup and he was living in Scotland at that time.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC | |
|
1970/71 (MFC) |
22 (72) |
0 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (13TH OF 22) |
1R |
1R |
SF |
QF |
GR |
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC | |
|
1971/72 (MFC) |
54 (69) |
1 |
2 |
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 |
KFC | |
|
1972/73 (MFC) |
41 (64) |
0 |
2 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (7TH OF 22) |
3R |
3QR |
1R |
2R |
GR |
| Played in FA Cup 1st
Round (18.11.72 - beat Swansea City 1-0 at home).
Played in FA Cup 2nd Round (09.12.72 - won 1-0 at Walton & Hersham). Played in FA Cup 3rd Round (13.01.73 - lost 6-0 at home to Tottenham Hotspur). | |||||||||