*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.
Jimmy Hunt
Appearances: 42 Goals: 0
Date / Year of birth: 10th October 1941
Position: Left-back
Season of first appearance: 1960/61
Season of last appearance: 1968/69
Also played for: Herne Bay, Ashford Town, Ramsgate Athletic and Paddock Wood
Rochester-born defender who moved to his father's home town of Margate when he was six years old. Jimmy watched Margate regularly as a youngster and even at an early age he harboured dreams of playing for the club.
During his time at senior school Jimmy and his classmates received football coaching from Almer Hall and the Margate manager invited Jimmy to train with Margate once a week when he was around 13 years old.
At the age of 16 Jimmy joined Herne Bay and played for their reserves as an inside forward in the 2nd Division of the Kent League. A year or so later he returned to Hartsdown Park and became a regular in Margate's reserves at left-back. Jimmy was the only amateur in the side and at one stage the Sunday People newspaper said that he was going to be offered a trial by Ipswich. However nothing came of that and Jimmy himself was unaware of any interest.
During the 1960/61 season Jimmy played 26 games for the reserves and he also made two appearances for the first team. Jimmy's senior debut came on 11.1.61 when he played in midfield during a 3-1 defeat at Ashford in a Southern League Cup tie and he then played as a striker in a 1-0 defeat at Nuneaton in the Southern League on 22.4.61.
Jimmy made his home debut early in the 1961/62 campaign when he deputised for Terry Joyce at left-back in a Southern League Cup tie against Gravesend & Northfleet that Margate won 2-0. He went on to make a further seven first team appearances in the number three shirt during the season and Jimmy's performances led to Almer Hall offering him a professional contract in October 1961. At the time Jimmy was an apprentice Design Draughtsman and his father was dubious about him signing professional forms. He was worried it might affect Jimmy's apprenticeship and he also hoped that his son would play for Kent as an amateur but after Almer Hall had assured Jimmy and his father that being a professional wouldn't affect his training the contract was signed. A week later Jimmy was picked for Kent but he was no longer eligible to play for them.
Jimmy went on to make 17 first team appearances during the 1962/63 season and he again impressed when called upon. Having previously been in and out of the team he finished the campaign with a run in the side as Margate won the Southern League Division One title.
During the 1963/64 campaign Jimmy made ten more first team appearances, as well as 27 for the reserves, but at the end of the season he was released after the club decided to go full time and disband the reserve team to save money. Jimmy had been offered a match-by-match contract but with no prospect of playing regularly he decided to join Ashford for the 1964/65 campaign, turning down offers from Sittingbourne and Sheppey to do so.
Things didn't work out for Jimmy at Ashford and after making ten Southern League appearances he returned to Thanet in November 1964. He applied to the Football Association for a permit to play as an amateur again and turned out for Birchington in the Kent Amateur League as well as Garlinge in the Thanet Premier Sunday League until the end of the 1965/66 season.
Jimmy then rejoined Margate for the 1966/67 campaign when the club became part time again and the reserves were reformed. He had offers of first team football from other clubs but preferred to return 'home' and Jimmy played regularly for the reserves during the season under new manager Ray John. He also made two first team appearances, featuring in both legs of the Kent Senior Cup Final against Dover during April 1967, and was as steady as ever.
Jimmy then spent the whole of the 1967/68 campaign in the successful reserve side and he also played Sunday football for Minnis Bay.
The local press described Jimmy as being the reserves "star player" during the 1968/69 season and he also made three first team appearances. The third of them came as Margate won 1-0 at Sheppey in a Kent Floodlight Cup tie on 12.5.69 and it turned out to be Jimmy's last for the senior side.
He stayed with the club for the 1969/70 campaign but damaged his sciatic nerve in training early on and missed the rest of the season.
Jimmy then played a handful of reserve team games during the early part of 1971/72 before Jack Smith asked him to join Ramsgate and play for their reserves. After a season at Southwood Jimmy left Ramsgate, and the Thanet area, as he moved to a new house in Paddock Wood, near Tonbridge.
He went on to spend two seasons playing for Paddock Wood and during that time they lost to Hythe in the Kent Junior Cup Final at Ashford.
Jimmy then returned to Thanet where he played local amateur football for many years before a back injury finally forced him to retire aged 46 during the 1987/88 season. At the time he was playing for Margate Athletic.
In 2011 Jimmy was still living locally and his love for Margate was undiminished. He had many happy memories of his long association with the club and was working as a taxi driver.
On 12.4.14 he was one of the many former Margate players who attended the club's 'Legends Day' at Hartsdown Park.
Jimmy's grandfather, also called Jimmy Hunt, played for Margate before the First World War.
Jimmy completed a questionnaire for this site which you can see here.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KSS |
|
|
1960/61 (MFC) |
2 (50) |
N/A |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (15TH OF 21) |
4QR |
2R |
2R |
1R |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KSS |
|
|
1961/62 (MFC) |
8 (66) |
N/A |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (5TH OF 20) |
2R |
RU |
SF |
W |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KSS |
KFC | |
|
1962/63 (MFC) |
17 (66) |
N/A |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (1ST OF 20) |
1R |
SF |
RU |
W |
W |
| Margate won Southern League Division One title and promoted to Premier Division. | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KSS |
KFC | |
|
1963/64 (MFC) |
10 (60) |
N/A |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (17TH OF 22) |
1R |
2R |
2R |
1R |
GR |
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC |
KSS |
|
1966/67 (MFC) |
2 (72) |
0 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (2ND OF 24) |
3QR |
QF |
RU |
GR |
2R |
| Margate promoted to
Premier Division. Played in Kent Senior Cup Final 1st Leg (03.04.67 - lost 5-0 at home to Dover). Played in Kent Senior Cup Final 2nd Leg (06.04.67 - lost 1-0 at Dover). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC |
SLCH |
|
1968/69 (MFC) |
3 (75) |
0 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (18TH OF 22) |
1R |
3R |
RU |
W |
W |