*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.
John Utterson
Appearances: 6+15 Goals: 3
Date / Year of birth: 16th January 1981
Position: Striker
Season of first appearance: 1998/99
Season of last appearance: 1999/00
Also played for: Gillingham (0), Ramsgate, Whitstable Town, Herne Bay, Curzon Ashton, Deal Town and Canterbury City
Bustling locally-born striker who had a spell on Gillingham's books whilst attending Hereson School in Ramsgate before progressing through Margate's youth ranks.
John scored regularly for the Under-16's during the 1996/97 season and during 1997/98 he was prolific in Margate's Under-18 and reserve teams.
In the summer of 1998 he featured in some first team friendlies aged 17 and John scored in one of them as Margate beat Tooting & Mitcham 6-1 at Hartsdown Park on 1.8.98. He went on to enjoy an excellent campaign in the reserves, finding the net 26 times for them to finish as the top scorer in Division 1 of the Kent League. John's tally included a hat-trick in a 6-0 home win over Hastings Reserves on 20.3.99 and four in a 7-0 win at Thamesmead in April 1999.
On 1.5.99 he was handed his first team debut when he came on in a 4-0 win at Brackley that clinched Margate's promotion to the Southern League Premier Division, it was the final match of the 1998/99 campaign.
In July 1999 John was given a contract by Margate and he made his first appearance of the 1999/00 season when he came on as a substitute in a 3-0 home win over Gloucester on 21.8.99. He made three more substitute appearances before wearing the number nine shirt in a 2-1 win over Clevedon at Hartsdown Park on 11.9.99 and on 25.9.99 John came off the bench to score his first goal for the club in a 3-0 win at Halesowen. The Thanet Times said he'd played well and that his goal was an "added bonus". The paper described how John "joyously rifled into the unguarded net" after Phil Collins had squared the ball to him. John's performance led to him starting Margate's next two matches and the Thanet Times said he was "impressive" in a 3-0 win at Taunton in the FA Cup on 2.10.99. He found himself back on the bench when Croydon visited Hartsdown Park for an FA Trophy replay on 12.10.99 but John came on to good effect - scoring twice in a 5-0 win He then featured in five of Margate's next seven matches, starting twice, before gradually falling out favour from mid-November onwards following the arrival of striker Mark Greatorex.
Between 13.11.99 and 25.1.00 inclusive John only played four times, always as a substitute, and when he wore the number ten shirt in a 1-0 win at Atherstone on 29.1.00 it was his first start since 9.11.99. He only made one more substitute appearance - in a 1-0 home defeat against Worcester on 15.4.00 - before the end of the season and ended the campaign having scored three times in 20 appearances (14 as sub).
John stayed with Margate for the start of the 2000/01 season but couldn't break into the first team and in September 2000 he moved on to Ramsgate.
He stayed with the Rams for 2001/02 and scored 15 goals for them during the campaign. His tally included a remarkable five minute hat-trick in a home win over Greenwich on 3.11.01 - John didn't score his first goal until the 88th minute and then bagged two more in injury time. Two of his goals were penalties and earlier in the match John had had another spot-kick saved.
In July 2002 he signed for Whitstable and John went on to score 24 goals in 45 appearances there before linking up with Herne Bay in October 2003. He scored in each of his first three games there.
John moved to the Manchester area in the summer of 2004 and signed for North West Counties League club Curzon Ashton. He scored 25 goals for them during the 2004/05 season.
John returned to Kent in time for the 2005/06 campaign and joined Deal. He stayed with the club until March 2008 and scored 38 goals in 84 appearances (22 as sub) during that time.
After a spell out of senior football John rejoined Deal in the summer of 2009 but left the club again during the 2009/10 season.
He linked up with Kent County League outfit Canterbury City during 2010/11 but only played three times before leaving the club towards the end of 2010.
John's father, also called John, played locally in Thanet during the 1960's and 1970's and had a spell with Ramsgate that included the 1967/68 campaign.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
SLCH | |
|
1998/99 (MFC) |
0 (50) |
1 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (2ND OF 22) |
PR |
2R |
1R |
SF |
RU |
Margate promoted to
Southern League Premier Division. | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1999/00 (MFC) |
6 (55) |
14 |
3 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (3RD OF 22) |
4QR |
2R |
4R |
2R |