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What is your name ?
Gary Hyde.
What is your date and place of birth ?
Glencoe Road, Margate - 9th June 1941.
Where do you live ?
Barnehurst, near Bexleyheath, Kent.
What was the first Margate / Thanet match you ever saw and what can you remember about it ?
I can't remember exactly who it was against but I can recall Margate wearing black and amber quartered (?) shirts and some of the players around at that time included Peter Griffiths and the Johnsons.
I think that there used to be a childrens enclosure down near the Tivoli end - it was only a railing, no protection, and we used to go in there. We also used to call in to Horsford's store in Victoria Road and get things like locust beans and licorice wood to eat at the game !
What was the first away game you went to ?
Tonbridge October 1954 - Peter Peters made an amazing save.
Who is your all-time favourite Margate / Thanet player and why ?
Peter Vandepeer - he was a competitor and had style.
Who would be in your all-time favourite Margate / Thanet X1 ?
(This is set out in the old fashioned style so No.5 is a centre half !)
1 Charlie Mitten
2 Jack Yeomanson
3 Terry Joyce
4 Jay Saunders
5 Bill Edwards
6 Jimmy Bonds
7 Vince Wright
8 Eric Worthington
9 Peter Vandepeer
10 Albert Foan
11 Len Dolding
Of all the Margate / Thanet matches you've seen which is your favourite and why ?
Margate v Walsall FA Cup 1955
It was the first time I had ever seen one of the "big" teams - in those days the world was a much bigger place and it was hard to get to see teams like Arsenal etc. Even though Walsall were usually applying for re-election just to see a team like that was a bit special.
What's the best goal you've ever seen a Margate / Thanet player score ?
Loads of them but I did like Clarkies free kick against Welling this year and Joe Brayne's KSC winner against Dover was a bit special. Plus Peter Vandepeer headed a great goal against Ramsgate (at least once).
What one game in the club's history do you wish you'd seen and why ?
Margate beating Bournemouth 3-0 in the FA Cup. Just imagine, going away to a league club and having such a decisive win.
What are the top three highlights of your time supporting Margate / Thanet ?
1. Margate v Walsall 2-2 draw.
2. Margate beating Dover 2-1 in the KSC 1994.
3.Margate beating Folkestone about 4-0 around 1955 when Vince Wright made his first appearance. Margate v Folkestone were always tough matches, especially with Roy Bostock giving us problems when he played for Folkestone, and to see Vince Wright do the same to Folkestone was wonderful.
And what are the three worst things you can remember ?
1. Losing 6-1 to Walsall in the replay of the above FA Cup game.
2. Losing two Cup Finals in one season to Tunbridge Wells.
3. Losing to Tamworth a few weeks ago.
What's the funniest thing you've witnessed during a Margate / Thanet match ?
I suppose that this is not really funny but during the 1950's there was one referee, who I shall not name, who never seemed to be on Margate's side when he was at Hartsdown.
On one occasion the ball hit him, from close range, and he went down like a sack of logs. None the less he still had the presence of mind to blow his whistle as he went down.
Do you have a favourite piece of Margate FC memorabilia or do you own any unusual items ?
A lot of 1950's programmes, including the Tunbridge Wells and Walsall games mentioned above, but in particular an FA Cup game against Bromley at Hayes Lane in 1955 which we won 1-0. I went to that ground again a couple of years back and stood in exactly the same place. Unfortunately there were not quite so many supporters there !
If you could re-sign one former player who's still playing elsewhere then who would it be and why ?
Not really any idea on this one.
Have you ever seen a full season of competitive matches (ie not missed any) or come close to it ?
Saw almost every Saturday home game (first team and reserves) 1954/55 and continued to do so fairly consistently until around 1964 when I went abroad and then subsequently came to London.
How many games would you say you've seen in total ?
Wouldn't like to guess.
What's your current favourite away ground ?
I can't get to many away games due to my work.
And which current away ground do you least like ?
The same applies so I would only be choosing from about three.
What's your all-time favourite away ground ?
I quite like Folkestone's ground because it has a good atmosphere.
And which ground out of all the ones you've ever been to did you like least ?
Tunbridge Wells 1955.
Which Margate / Thanet player that you never saw play do you wish you'd seen ?
Reg Lewis.
Have you ever played football on the pitch at Hartsdown ?
Yes, in a six-a-side competition in around 1959/60 and was thrilled to be in the same side as Albert Foan.
Which Margate / Thanet kit is your all-time favourite ?
The first continental strip, around 1955, blue shirts with white trim, white shorts, blue and white hooped socks.
And which have you liked the least ?
The one that Jeff Trice likes best !
Added to the site in 2003.