*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.
Leslie Smith
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Appearances: 1 Goals: 0
Date / Year of birth: 1st October 1935
Position: Winger / Striker
Season of first appearance: 1952/53
Season of last appearance: 1952/53
Also played for: Herne Bay
Thanet-born player who attended King Ethelbert School and played for Kent as a youngster. Leslie was signed by Margate in 1950 whilst still at school and initially played for the club's Colts and 'A' teams.
During the 1950/51 campaign he represented Kent in an inter-county school match against Middlesex that was played at Hartsdown Park on 24.3.51 and Leslie scored both Kent's goals in a 3-2 defeat. He also played for Kent Boys in a game against Hampshire at Portsmouth's Fratton Park on 4.4.51.
Leslie made his first appearances for Margate's reserve team during the 1952/53 season and on 13.4.53 he made a one-off appearance for the first team aged 17 when he played on the right wing in a 1-1 draw at Faversham in the Kent League. Leslie then returned to the reserves and played for them on and off for several more years.
During 1955/56 he represented Kent in a Southern Counties Amateur Junior Championships game against Sussex at Tunbridge Wells' Eridge Road ground and Leslie was top scorer for Margate's reserves that season. In a first team programme Margate's secretary Alan Kay wrote about "the improvement in local boy Leslie Smith" whilst adding he was "getting better with every game he plays". Alan's piece concluded by saying that Leslie looked "like having a promising future ahead of him".
He was still turning out for the reserves sporadically during the 1958/59 campaign and Leslie later played for Herne Bay before dropping into local football where he spent several seasons playing for Birchington in the Kent Amateur League.
In 1968 Leslie took up refereeing and spent many years officiating locally.
His younger brother Lester also played for Margate's first team and another brother, Larry, played for Margate's reserves during 1960/61.
In 2014 Leslie was still living locally and regularly attended Margate's home matches at Hartsdown Park. On 12.4.14 he was one of the many former Margate players who attended the club's 'Legends Day'.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1952/53 (MFC) |
1 (43) |
N/A |
0 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (11TH OF 17) |
PR |
2R |
RU |
JW |
|