*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.
Dean Grant
Appearances: 18+28 Goals: 5
Date / Year of birth: 13th July 1990
Position: Striker / Utility
Season of first appearance: 2009/10
Season of last appearance: 2011/12
Also played for: Whitstable Town, Dover Athletic, Folkestone Invicta, Maidstone United, Faversham Town, Ramsgate and Herne Bay
Versatile Chatham-born player who started his career in Whitstable's youth ranks before moving on to Dover.
Dean was in Dover's squad at the start of the 2009/10 campaign and in September 2009 they loaned him to Folkestone.
He made seven appearances (four as sub) without scoring for Invicta before briefly returning to Dover in October 2009.
Before the month was out Dean rejoined Whitstable on loan and made eight appearances up to December 2009 when he went back to Dover.
He made his first team debut for Dover as they lost 1-0 at home to Chelmsford in the Conference South on 28.12.09 and in February 2010 Dean joined Margate on loan. He was working as a football coach for Skill Schools Academy at that time and he'd previously worked at Arsenal for three years.
He made his debut at right-back in a 2-1 defeat against Canvey Island in an Isthmian League Premier Division game at Hartsdown Park on 20.2.10 and Dean also wore the number two shirt in Margate's next match - a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Tonbridge on 2.3.10. After featuring as a substitute in a 3-0 defeat against visitors Waltham Abbey on 6.3.10 Dean sat out the next five games before coming on in a 1-1 draw at Boreham Wood on 27.3.10.
He came off the bench in two of Margate's next three matches before making his first start for over a month in a game at Tonbridge on 5.4.10. Dean wore the number nine shirt and the Isle of Thanet Gazette said he was guilty of "an awful miss" with ten minutes left - blasting the ball over an open goal from just a few yards out. The match ended 0-0. Dean then appeared as a sub in a 1-0 defeat at Wealdstone on 7.4.10 but it was his last outing of the season and he missed Margate's last three games as they avoided relegation despite finishing in the drop zone. In all Dean had played eight times (five as sub) without scoring before going back to Dover and he was on the subs bench as they took on Woking in the Conference South play-offs at the end of April 2010.
Dean signed for Margate on a permanent basis ahead of the 2010/11 campaign and on the eve of the new season Iain O'Connell spoke about him to the Isle of Thanet Gazette and said "Very quick and very lively. Had the chance to go to Sweden but chose sunny Margate. That's what he told me but it sounds like a load of rubbish to me. He was just trying to get more money !"
Dean was on the subs bench as Margate took on Canvey Island at Hartsdown Park on 21.8.10 - the opening day of the Isthmian League Premier Division campaign - but he came on with 20 minutes left to great effect. Margate were 2-1 down at the time and the Thanet Times said he "worried the Canvey defence with the pace that had been missing up front". Then ten minutes from time Dean latched on to a long hopeful punt out of defence by Craig Cloke that dropped behind the Canvey defence and hit a first-time volley that flew into the visitors net to level the scores at 2-2. The match finished like that and Iain O'Connell said "What a goal that was. The ball's come down with snow on it and he's volleyed it in - great finish."
After opening his goalscoring account for Margate Dean came on as a sub in two of the next three games before making his first start of the season in a 2-0 home win over Aveley on 7.9.10. He was used as a winger and after featuring once more as a sub in Margate's next three matches Dean played as a left wing-back in a 1-1 draw with Kingstonian in an FA Cup tie at Hartsdown Park on 25.9.10. He was then switched to the left wing for the replay at Kingstonian on 27.9.10 that Margate lost on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
On 2.10.10 Dean was back on the subs bench for a trip to Sutton but he came on to score with a deflected shot as Margate lost 2-1. He also featured as a sub in the next two games and in the second of them - a home game against Horsham on 9.10.10 - Dean scored again as Margate thrashed the Sussex visitors 6-1.
Dean was restored to the starting line-up for an FA Trophy tie against Whitehawk at Hartsdown Park on 16.10.10 and again got himself on the scoresheet, flicking home a header from an Aaron Lacy throw-in as Margate won 5-1. He then featured in 14 of the next 15 matches, making nine starts and five sub appearances and usually playing as a striker. Dean didn't score again and after an outing at right-back in a 2-0 defeat at Canvey Island on 15.1.11 he was released having scored four times in a total of 25 appearances (12 as sub) during 2010/11.
After leaving Margate Dean had a very brief spell with Premier Division outfit Maidstone where he played once as a substitute and he then signed for Faversham.
Dean spent the remainder of the season with the Division 1 South club and scored once from 13 league outings (eight as sub).
On 6.8.11 he featured for Faversham as they lost 5-1 at Margate in a friendly but Dean then came on as a substitute for Margate in a 1-0 friendly win at Whitstable on 13.8.11 and rejoined the club.
Shortly before the start of 2011/12 campaign manager Chris Kinnear spoke to the Isle of Thanet Gazette about him and said "We'll see how it goes with Dean. Has a bit of pace, which is what we're looking for. Played in a few positions when he was here last season but we've got him in as a forward".
Dean made his first appearance as a sub in a 3-0 home win over Aveley in the Isthmian League Premier Division on 23.8.11 and he then featured seven times from the bench in Margate's next 13 matches.
On 18.10.11 Dean finally made his first start when he played on the right wing in a 3-1 win over Kingstonian at Hartsdown Park in the Isthmian League Cup and he marked the occasion with a headed goal. He then sat out four games before coming on as a sub in a 2-1 defeat at Wealdstone in the FA Trophy on 8.11.11. After featuring once more as a sub Dean played up front in a 3-2 defeat at Metropolitan Police in the Isthmian League Cup on 16.11.11 and then missed three matches before appearing as a substitute in a 5-0 home win over East Thurrock on 29.11.11. That was his final outing for Margate and in December 2011 Dean was released having scored once from 13 appearances (11 as sub) during 2011/12.
He joined Ramsgate after leaving Hartsdown Park and Dean played six times (twice as sub) without scoring for them in the Isthmian League Division 1 South before moving on to Whitstable in March 2012.
Dean's third spell with the Oystermen saw him make seven sub appearances in Division 1 South without scoring before the end of the 2011/12 season and in August 2012 he was released by Whitstable, shortly before the start of the 2012/13 campaign.
Dean then signed for Division 1 South newcomers Herne Bay in time for the beginning of the new season and went on to score four times in 45 outings (12 as sub) during 2012/13. He stayed with the club for the 2013/14 campaign too and scored three goals from 29 appearances (two as sub).
In June 2014 Dean rejoined Faversham, also of Division 1 South.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
ILC |
KSC |
||
|
2009/10 (MFC) |
3 (51) |
5 |
0 |
ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (19TH OF 22) |
1QR |
1QR |
3R |
QF |
|
Margate finished in
relegation position but were reprieved and remained in the Isthmian League
Premier Division. | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
ILC |
KSC |
| |
|
2010/11 (MFC) |
13 (49) |
12 |
4 |
ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (16TH OF 22) |
2QR |
2QR |
2R |
1R |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
ILC |
KSC |
| |
|
2011/12 (MFC) |
2 (54) |
11 |
1 |
ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (15TH OF 22) |
3QR |
2QR |
3R |
QF |
|