*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.
Ian Christie
Appearances: 102+4 Goals: 9
Date / Year of birth: 17th September 1957
Position: Defender / Midfielder
Season of first appearance: 1983/84
Season of last appearance: 1985/86
Also played for: Canterbury City, Coventry City (0), Dover, Folkestone Town, Folkestone and Snowdown Colliery Welfare
5' 10" tall, versatile left-sided player born in Aylesham who began his career as a winger in Canterbury's youth team during the 1973/74 season but didn't play for the senior side at that time.
Ian then had a spell with Coventry, playing for their reserve team, before joining Dover in the summer of 1976. At the time he was said to have shown exceptional promise and turned down offers from two Northern Football League clubs to sign for Dover. Ian went on to spend five seasons at Crabble and scored 25 goals, his best tally for a season being nine during 1976/77, before joining Folkestone for the 1981/82 campaign.
He scored for Folkestone in a 1-1 draw at Thanet on 21.8.82 and also found the net with a 40 yard effort in their 6-1 home win over United on 16.4.83.
In December 1983 Ian joined Thanet and made his debut in a midfield role during a 6-0 home defeat at the hands of Crawley on 31.12.83. He went on to make a total of 22 appearances before the end of the 1983/84 season. Ian usually played at left-back and was described by the local press as being "resolute".
He stayed with United for the 1984/85 campaign and made a further 51 appearances (three as sub). Ian scored seven goals, six of them from the penalty spot. He also missed a vital early penalty in a 1-0 defeat at Dover on 26.1.85. However it was generally a good season for Ian, he usually played in midfield or as a centre-back and he was described as being "industrious" by the Isle of Thanet Gazette. The same paper praised Ian for being "mainstay of the midfield" during a 1-1 draw at Chatham on 20.11.84 and he was outstanding in the heart of the United defence during a 3-0 win at Waterlooville on 11.3.85. His only goal from open play was a good one - Ian hammered home a sweet shot from outside the penalty area in a 2-1 win over Canterbury at Hartsdown on 22.12.84.
Ian missed the first 18 matches of the 1985/86 season through injury and he didn't appear in the first team until 22.10.85 when Thanet beat Canterbury 2-1 at Hartsdown. He played at left-back in that game and made the number three shirt his own for the next few months, only occasionally playing in midfield. Ian was a consistent performer for United and his performance in a 2-1 defeat at Erith & Belvedere on 9.11.85 was described as "outstanding" by the Isle of Thanet Gazette. It was one of many excellent displays. Ian made a total of 33 appearances (one as sub) during the season, taking him past 100 games for the club, and scored twice. One of his goals was a low 30-yarder in a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Ashford at Hartsdown on 15.3.86. In the summer of 1986 he left the club.
Ian then played for Snowdown during the 1986/87 season before joining Canterbury once more in the summer of 1987.
He made 25 Southern League appearances for City (one as sub) during the 1987/88 campaign and scored once before leaving the club at the end of the season.
In 2012 Ian was running a care home somewhere in East Kent.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1983/84 (TUFC) |
22 (49) |
0 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (18TH OF 20) |
2QR |
1QR |
3R |
2R |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
EFC | |
|
1984/85 (TUFC) |
48 (62) |
3 |
7 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (5TH OF 20) |
1QR |
1QR |
GR |
SF |
RU |
| Played in Eastern
Floodlight Cup Final 1st Leg (06.05.85 - lost 2-1 at Bishop's
Stortford). Played in Eastern Floodlight Cup Final 2nd Leg (09.05.85 - lost 2-0 at home to Bishop's Stortford). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
EFC | |
|
1985/86 (TUFC) |
32 (59) |
1 |
2 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (15TH OF 21) |
1QR |
PR |
GR |
1R |
GR |