*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.
Matthew Toms
Appearances: 18+8 Goals: 5
Date / Year of birth: 9th January 1973
Position: Striker / Winger
Season of first appearance: 1991/92
Season of last appearance: 1991/92
Also played for: Maidstone United (0), Maidstone Invicta, Canterbury City, Chatham Town, Tonbridge Angels, Sheppey United, Deal Town, Whitstable Town, Bearsted and Larkfield & New Hythe Wanderers
Striker who started his career with Maidstone United where he played for the youth and reserve teams. Matthew also appeared in a Kent Senior Cup tie for the first team and scored.
In the summer of 1991 Matthew signed for Margate aged 18 and made his debut on 17.8.91 in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Burnham at Hartsdown Park. It was the opening day of the 1991/92 season. On 24.8.91 he scored his first goal in a 2-1 defeat at Baldock and Matthew featured in 12 of Margate's first 13 games, often as a substitute. He scored again in a 2-1 defeat at Tooting & Mitcham in an FA Cup tie on 14.9.91 but later that month the Isle of Thanet Gazette wrote that Matthew did "not look a natural goalscorer".
In October 1991 he suffered a knee injury and the problem effectively ruled Matthew out for over two months. He did briefly attempt a comeback on 27.11.91 when he came on as a substitute in a 1-0 defeat at Hythe but didn't start a game again until 28.12.91 when Margate drew 0-0 at home to Havant. His last start before that had been on 24.9.91.
After Matthew's return to action he initially played on the left wing and the Gazette said he turned in a "five-star performance" as Margate won 1-0 at Hythe on 1.1.92. It was one of a run of six matches where Matthew wore the number eleven shirt. His knee injury flared up again at the end of January 1992 and Matthew missed three games in early February. When he returned to the side later that month he played as a striker once more and scored his first goals for over five months when he got two in a 3-1 win at Andover on 22.2.92. Matthew also scored in Margate's next match - a 5-0 win over Erith & Belvedere at Hartsdown on 29.2.92 - but after he'd come on as a sub in a 1-1 draw at Ashford on 17.3.92 his knee problem ruled him out for the rest of the season. Matthew didn't play for Margate again and left the club in the summer of 1992 having scored five goals in 26 appearances (eight as sub) during 1991/92.
After missing the whole of the 1992/93 season due to his knee injury Matthew joined Maidstone Invicta - the successors to the defunct Maidstone United - for 1993/94 and scored a remarkable 66 goals in the Kent County League, twice getting five in a game. The fact that he briefly left the club for a spell at Canterbury midway through the campaign made his tally even more impressive.
In the summer of 1994 Matthew briefly returned to Margate and appeared in several of the club's pre-season matches, scoring in a 5-1 home win over Chatham on 2.8.94 in a Kent Midweek League Cup semi-final held over from 1993/94. When Margate decided not to sign him for the 1994/95 campaign proper Matthew returned to Maidstone.
During 1994/95 he scored another 29 goals for Invicta and also played for Chatham during the season, scoring three goals in 11 appearances (five as sub) there.
After scoring 14 goals for Maidstone at the start of 1995/96 to take his total past 100 for the club Matthew joined Tonbridge towards the end of the campaign.
He stayed at Tonbridge until early 1997 when he moved to Sheppey and Matthew spent two years with the Islanders before linking up with Deal at the start of 1999.
He went back to Sheppey for the 1999/00 season and scored a second half hat-trick in a 4-1 win at Wokingham in an FA Cup Preliminary Round tie. Matthew was Sheppey's leading scorer with a total of eight goals when he left the club in November 1999 to rejoin Maidstone as player-manager aged only 26. By that time the club were known as 'United' once more, rather than 'Invicta'.
Matthew's brother Simon, a former Hastings player, joined him at Maidstone as a coach and Matthew became a hero to Stones fans when he guided the club to the Kent County League title during 2000/01, gaining Maidstone promotion to the Kent League. He scored nine goals but stepped down as manager at the end of the season.
After a short spell as Maidstone's assistant manager Matthew left the club in August 1991 and signed for Whitstable as a player. He made his debut on 11.8.01 but retired due to a reoccurrence of his long-standing knee injury in the summer of 2002. Matthew then became Whitstable's assistant manager. He took over as the club's manager for the 2002/03 campaign and made a few substitute appearances as a player despite being officially retired. Matthew was still in charge at Whitstable during 2003/04 but didn't play at all that season.
During the 2004/05 campaign Matthew made a playing comeback when he scored in a 1-1 draw at Deal on 3.11.04 after coming on as a substitute. He also scored against Ramsgate in Whitstable's next game.
In August 2005 he resigned as Whitstable's manager and joined Kent County League club Bearsted as a player.
In November 2005 Matthew returned to Maidstone as reserve team manager and said "It's good to be back, as I've missed not being involved and I like the challenge that has been put to me, not only to get the team back to winning ways, but at the same time help develop a few young players."
He left Stones again at the end of 2005/06 and by October 2006 Matthew was playing for Larkfield & New Hythe Wanderers in the Kent County League.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1991/92 (MFC) |
18 (52) |
8 |
5 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (14TH OF 22) |
1QR |
3QR |
1R |
1R |