*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.
Gary Doe
Appearances: 74 Goals: 27
Date / Year of birth: 6th July 1959
Position: Striker
Season of first appearance: 1984/85
Season of last appearance: 1986/87
Also played for: Medway, Sittingbourne, Canterbury City, Gravesend & Northfleet, Chatham Town, Sheppey United and Lordswood
Blonde Chatham-born striker who captained Fort Luton School and played for Medway Boys before joining Lordswood at a time when they played in the Brompton League, a Sunday competition in the Medway area. Gary scored 15 goals for them during the 1977/78 season.
He moved into senior football when he signed for Kent League club Medway (formerly Chatham) in the summer of 1978.
Gary moved on to Sittingbourne for the 1979/80 campaign and stayed with the Brickies for the 1980/81 season, scoring as Sittingbourne lost 4-3 at home to Margate in an FA Cup tie played on 16.9.80.
In the summer of 1981 he signed for Canterbury and Gary scored three goals in 22 Southern League appearances (three as sub) for City but by the end of the 1981/82 campaign he had moved on to Chatham.
During the 1982/83 season he had a brief spell at Gravesend & Northfleet, scoring twice in 15 appearances (one as sub), but soon rejoined Chatham once more. Gary was the Chats' top scorer for the campaign - scoring 13 goals for them.
He left Chatham to join Sheppey during the 1983/84 season and scored 11 goals there before returning to Sittingbourne in the summer of 1984. Gary scored the winning goal from the penalty spot as the Brickies won 3-2 in an FA Cup tie at Thanet on 15.9.84.
In January 1985 he joined Thanet on trial and played in a 2-0 win over Ashford at Hartsdown Park on 31.1.85 before returning to Sittingbourne for the remainder of the 1984/85 season.
In the summer of 1985 Gary joined Thanet on a permanent basis and he made his first appearance on 24.8.85, the opening day of the 1985/86 campaign, as United beat Chichester City 3-1 in an FA Cup tie at Hartsdown Park. On 26.8.85 Gary scored twice in a 3-1 win at Waterlooville to register his first goals for the club and he went on to score a total of 14 goals during the season, making him United's leading goalscorer. The local press described Gary as being "an ace marksman" and a "sharpshooter" and said that he showed "tremendous spirit" with his battling displays up front. On 26.11.85 he had a great game as Thanet beat Sittingbourne 4-0 in an Eastern Floodlight Cup tie at Hartsdown Park and the Isle of Thanet Gazette said that Gary was "superb" as a target man. On 11.1.86 he scored twice in a 3-1 home win over Waterlooville and the second of his goals was described as being "outstanding" by the Thanet Times. Gary cut past a defender before firing home a shot from a tight angle that the paper said "almost burst the netting". He celebrated the goal by dancing around the back of the goal at the Coffin End of Hartsdown Park. In January 1986 Thanet boss John Wickens described Gary as a "scoring machine" and added "he must be one of the hottest bits of property around in the Southern League." The pick of his goals during the second half of the season was a diving header in a 1-1 draw at Tonbridge on 18.1.86. Towards the end of the campaign Gary missed ten games through injury but he returned for Thanet's last match - a 2-0 win at Dunstable on 3.5.86. In total he made 43 appearances during the season.
Gary started the 1986/87 campaign in excellent form and scored both goals in Thanet's 2-1 win at Andover on 16.8.86, the opening day of the season, whilst wearing the number 12 shirt - his usual number ten had gone missing. One of his strikes was a volley that the Thanet Times said "screamed into the net". Gary also scored both goals in United's 2-1 win over Tonbridge at Hartsdown Park on 23.8.86. Although the number ten shirt was available he again wore 12 due to what the Thanet Times called "a strange and illogical superstition". The Isle of Thanet Gazette praised Gary for his "darting runs" and "clinical finishing" at that time. On 9.9.86 Gary headed a superb goal in a 1-1 draw with Tonbridge in the Eastern Floodlight Cup and on 18.10.86 he scored one of his best goals for Thanet in a 4-1 defeat at home to Trowbridge. Gary swerved what John Wickens said was a "superbly struck" free-kick around the defensive wall and into the net. On 27.12.86 Gary scored his 13th goal of the season in a 2-1 defeat at Corinthian and the game turned out to be his last for the club. A few days later Gary rejoined Chatham, citing travel problems as his reason for leaving Thanet. Club secretary Don Bennett said "we are all sorry to see him go but he wanted a club nearer his home in the Medway area" and the Isle of Thanet Gazette said that Gary had been an "excellent goal-poacher...with a good shot in both feet". His 13 goals from 30 appearances were enough to make him Thanet's top scorer for the season once again.
In November 1987 Chatham released Gary but early in 1988 he returned to the club as player-manager. He later returned to Sittingbourne as a player only and then joined Sheppey again in the summer of 1989.
During the 1990's Gary had a further spell at Chatham that included the 1990/91, 1991/92 and 1992/93 seasons.
During the 1996/97 campaign he was manager of Kent League Lordswood and made a few appearances as substitute during the season. Gary had left the club by the start of the 1997/98 campaign.
In 2014 Gary was living near Ashford and working as a Site Manager for a construction firm. He recalled how Dover's manager, and future Margate legend, Chris Kinnear had tried to sign him after his departure from Thanet but said "the timing wasn't right and how could I go to Dover ?". Gary also recalled playing in Wayne Godden's testimonial match at Hartsdown Park and was still in touch with him.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
EFC | |
|
1984/85 (TUFC) |
1 (62) |
0 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (5TH OF 20) |
1QR |
1QR |
GR |
SF |
RU |
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
EFC | |
|
1985/86 (TUFC) |
43 (59) |
0 |
14 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (15TH OF 21) |
1QR |
PR |
GR |
1R |
GR |
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
EFC | |
|
1986/87 (TUFC) |
30 (53) |
0 |
13 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (10TH OF 20) |
PR |
1QR |
GR |
1R |
GR |