Date / Year of birth: 9th July 1952

Position: Midfielder

Season of first appearance: 1972/73

Season of last appearance: 1988/89

Also played for: Ramsgate Athletic, Charlton Athletic (0), Athlone Town (Ireland), St.Patrick's Athletic (Ireland), Gravesend & Northfleet, Maidstone United, Folkestone Town and Folkestone

Margate-born player who was educated at Birchington Primary School and St.John's School, Margate and played for Birchington Schools as a youngster. Norman also played for the Kent Schools team and Ramsgate Youth Club. He went on to win three caps for the England Schoolboys team.

Norman started his senior career with Ramsgate, joining the club for the 1966/67 season. After impressing in the reserves Norman made his first team debut towards the end of the campaign aged only 15. He also played in the first team during 1967/68 and the early part of 1968/69, taking his total Southern League appearances to seven.

On 26.10.68 Charlton signed Norman as an apprentice and Ramsgate were paid an initial fee (referred to as 'a donation') of £400. Norman played for Charlton's Colts during the remainder of 1968/69 and also made one appearance for the reserves during the season. He continued to play regularly for the Colts during 1969/70 and showed great promise, scoring a hat-trick for them in a home game against Reading on 21.3.70.

On 14.7.70 Norman was signed as a professional and this netted Ramsgate a further £400 'donation'. He became a regular in Charlton's reserves during 1970/71, making 21 appearances and scoring three goals, but in March 1971 Norman suffered a double fracture of his left leg. He had to have a metal plate inserted into the limb and spent a lengthy period on crutches. As part of his recovery process Norman was sent to Ireland where he played for Athlone and St.Patrick's in a bid to regain match fitness. He recovered sufficiently to play in a further 13 games for Charlton's reserves during the latter part of the 1971/72 season and scored twice before being released by the club at the end of the campaign having never made the senior side. If Norman had made ten first team appearances Ramsgate would have been paid a further £500.

In the summer of 1972 Norman returned home to Thanet and joined Margate. He made his debut on 16.8.72, coming on as a substitute after 60 minutes of a Southern League game at Dover. Norman made an immediate impact by scoring from 25 yards in a 5-0 victory. The Isle of Thanet Gazette said at the time that he had "great potential". Norman went on to make 49 appearances (three as a substitute) during the remainder of the 1972/73 season and he scored eight goals, two of them from the penalty spot. He was noted for his flair and hard work and usually played as a winger, mostly on the right but occasionally featuring on the left.

On 18.11.72 he was in the Margate side that beat Swansea 1-0 in an FA Cup 1st Round tie at Hartsdown Park and Norman also featured in a 1-0 win at Walton & Hersham in the 2nd Round on 9.12.72. He then played in perhaps Margate's biggest ever match - a 6-0 defeat against visitors Tottenham in the 3rd Round on 13.1.73 and the Thanet Times said that Norman "covered every square inch of turf" during the game.

During the 1973/74 season Norman really established himself and became a fixture in Margate's midfield, impressing with his tireless running and hard work. He made 60 appearances (four as sub) and scored seven goals, including a volley from outside the penalty area in a 1-1 draw at Ramsgate on 16.10.73. Norman's younger brother Ricky got the Ramsgate goal that day. On 13.4.74 Norman was in the side that won the Kent Senior Cup with a 2-0 win at Maidstone.

The 1974/75 campaign saw Norman make a further 56 appearances and he turned in some outstanding performances during the season. He scored four goals, the best of which was a long range effort in a 3-2 win at Folkestone & Shepway on 10.12.74. Norman was also sent off during a 3-2 home defeat at the hands of Ramsgate on 26.11.74.

Norman was a fixture in the Margate side once again during the 1975/76 season and took on extra responsibility in midfield in the wake of Eddie Clayton's departure. Norman made 59 appearances and scored ten goals, seven of which were from the penalty spot. His tally also included a nonchalantly taken 20-yarder in a 2-1 home win over Sheppey on 23.3.76 and a solo goal in a 3-3 draw at Grantham on 17.4.76 when Norman weaved through several challenges before slotting home. On 22.4.76 his penalty helped Margate to a 2-0 win at Canterbury in the 1st Leg of the Kent Floodlight Trophy Final and Norman also featured in the 2nd Leg at Hartsdown Park on 24.4.76 which the visitors won 2-1 after extra time. The result meant Margate took the trophy with a 3-2 aggregate win.

During the 1976/77 season Norman played alongside his brother Ricky for the first time after he joined the club from Ramsgate in November 1977. On 9.10.76 Norman scored with a 35 yard free-kick in a 2-2 draw with Folkestone & Shepway in an FA Cup tie at Hartsdown Park and he also found the net with another direct free-kick as Margate won a replay at Folkestone 4-3 on 25.10.76.

On 12.3.77 Norman was sent off in a 1-0 win over visitors Maidstone after retaliating to a foul by future Margate player Dave Crush and Crush was also dismissed for his part in the incident. In all Norman scored five goals from a total of 49 appearances (one as sub) as Margate were relegated from the Southern League Premier Division.

In July 1977 he joined Gravesend & Northfleet for a small three figure fee and Norman made 61 appearances for the Fleet during the 1977/78 season. He scored seven goals, including one in a 5-0 win over Margate in an FA Trophy tie at Stonebridge Road on 3.12.77.

In the summer of 1978 Norman moved to Maidstone and went on to spend two seasons there. He scored for the Stones in a 5-0 win at Margate on 8.1.80 and also hit the winning goal in the 1980 Kent Senior Cup Final as Maidstone beat Dartford 1-0.

He then signed for Folkestone in the summer of 1980 for a club record fee of £1,500. Norman went on to spend four seasons there, two of them as club captain, and played alongside his brother Ricky again during the 1982/83 and 1983/84 campaigns.

In the summer of 1984 Norman returned to Hartsdown Park after a seven year absence, joining Thanet United for the 1984/85 campaign. His capture was described as being "a key signing" by the Isle of Thanet Gazette. The local Adscene newspaper agreed, saying that Norman was "a useful acquisition", while the Thanet Times felt he had "the necessary experience and expertise to stiffen the rearguard". Norman made his United debut in a 1-0 win over Dorchester at Hartsdown on 18.8.84, the opening day of the season. He excelled in a sweeper role and was "the man to catch the eye above all others" according to the Thanet Times. Norman went on to make 56 appearances, either in defence or midfield, during a consistent campaign and took his overall tally for the club past 300 games. He scored twice - with a 25 yard free-kick in a 2-2 draw with Cambridge City at Hartsdown on 30.3.85 and with another free-kick in a 2-1 home defeat against Dover on 10.4.85. Norman also scored a spectacular lobbed own goal in a 3-2 home defeat at the hands of Canterbury on 18.9.84.

Following the departure of Terry Norton, Norman became United's captain for the 1985/86 season and he scored in Thanet's opening game of the campaign - a 3-1 win over Chichester City in an FA Cup tie at Hartsdown on 24.8.85. The Thanet Times described him as being "evergreen" but Norman struggled to find his best form during the early part of the campaign and he was dropped for six games during October and November 1985. When he returned to the first team Norman turned in some excellent displays, whether playing in midfield or defence, and he had a particularly good game in a 2-1 defeat at Erith & Belvedere on 9.11.85. The Thanet Times said that Norman made many "timely interceptions" and a week later, on 16.11.85, he scored with a deft lob in a 3-2 win over Dunstable at Hartsdown. In December 1985 United manager John Wickens said that Norman had "regained his appetite for the game" and the Isle of Thanet Gazette agreed, saying that he'd been in "sharp form" since returning to the side. Norman made a total of 51 appearances during the campaign and scored 12 goals - his best ever tally for Margate or Thanet, five of them came in United's last ten matches, including a goal direct from a corner in a 3-2 defeat at Woodford on 10.4.86.

Norman was reunited with his brother Ricky once more for the 1986/87 campaign and it turned out to be an eventful season for him. Norman was a fixture at left-back in the United side until December 1986 when he moved into midfield with Ricky taking over the number three shirt. In February 1987 Norman was dropped by manager John Wickens but had just regained his place when Wickens was sacked early in March 1987. Norman was made caretaker player-manager and told the Isle of Thanet Gazette "I was quite happy to accept the position because I have always wanted to do my best for the club in any capacity". His first game in charge was a 1-0 win at Gravesend on 7.3.87 and that was the start of an 11 match unbeaten run to the end of the season under Norman. He remained influential on the field and the Thanet Times described Norman as being "dogged" during an outstanding performance in a 2-2 draw with Erith & Belvedere at Hartsdown on 14.3.87. He made 52 appearances (two as sub) during the season to take his career tally for the club past 400 games and scored eight goals, six of them from the penalty spot. In April 1987 Norman's player-manager role was made permanent and the Isle of Thanet Gazette approved of the move, saying that his "professionalism has shone like a beacon".

Norman was ever-present during 1987/88, his first full season as Thanet's player-manager, making 56 appearances without scoring. He usually played in midfield but also had a run of four games at left-back in November 1987 and sometimes played as a sweeper. The Isle of Thanet Gazette said that Norman "led by example" on the field whilst the Thanet Times described him as being "the driving force in midfield" as United took their unbeaten run under his custody to an all-time club record of 24 matches . The run ended when Bognor Regis won 4-0 at Hartsdown in an FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round tie on 24.10.87, seven months after Norman had taken charge.

He was named as the Southern League 'Manager of the Month' for December 1987, the first Thanet manager to win such an award, and carried his good form on the pitch into 1988. Norman was especially influential in a 2-1 home win over Corinthian on 13.2.88, "inspiring by word and deed" according to the Thanet Times. The same paper said that he was "immaculate as sweeper" in a 1-0 win over Ruislip at Hartsdown on 20.2.88. Norman's consistent performances earnt him a share of Thanet's 'Players Player of the Year' award for the season as he polled the same number of votes as keeper Joe Radford.

Although the Adscene reported that Norman was going to concentrate on management and did not intend to play during the 1988/89 campaign he started each of Thanet's first three matches, two of them at right-back. On 23.8.88 Norman broke a bone in his foot during a 1-1 draw at Hastings but bravely played the full 90 minutes. The injury forced him to miss United's next ten games and the Isle of Thanet Gazette said his "steadying influence" was badly missed. Norman returned to the side for a 2-2 draw at Erith & Belvedere on 15.10.88 and again played at right-back. He missed Thanet's next game but picked himself in midfield for what turned out to be a notorious FA Trophy tie against Leatherhead at Hartsdown on 22.10.88. United lost 3-0 after having four players sent off in the second half and Norman himself was the second of the players to be dismissed, getting his marching orders for foul language after an earlier booking, also for dissent. After the match Norman said "In 20 years as a professional I have never seen a spectacle like it because the game was not a dirty one."

The Leatherhead match turned out to be Norman's last appearance for Thanet and his long association with the club in both its guises ended when he resigned as manager on 28.10.88, the day before United's next game. A few days later Norman explained his decision in the Gazette, saying "I have not been paid any wages since the start of the season because of the club's poor financial plight. When the Sunday markets started the club told me I would receive some, but when I asked about it last week I was not even made an offer." He concluded by saying "I feel I have had a very raw deal and been stabbed in the back." Thanet chairman Roy Ovenden's response was "I think he acted in haste. He cannot blame the club because I believe he has a reasonable wage bill in view of our bad financial position." Club President Bob Griffiths had a similar view, explaining "it was entirely up to the manager to decide how the money should be allocated. If he took insufficient for himself that was entirely his decision." Meanwhile the Adscene said Norman's resignation was "no shock to many people in the Thanet soccer circles" as "it was a well known fact that he was not settled in the job and even more so when his brother Ricky left."

After leaving Hartsdown Norman had a short spell back at Folkestone as a player towards the end of 1988 and then retired from football altogether.

His other brother Alan played for Ramsgate in the 1960's and during 2001 Norman was still turning out for a Charlton veterans side from time to time.

At the start of his Margate career Norman worked at Les Riggs' sports shop in Cliftonville and by 1979 he was the manager. In later years he ran a Ramsgate-based scaffolding firm.

Norman was living in Margate in 2011 and in August 2013 he turned out for a Folkestone Legends team in a charity match to celebrate former Thanet player John Lineham's 50th birthday. A host of other former Margate / Thanet players were also involved in the game, including Norman's brother Ricky.

On 12.4.14 Norman was one of the many former Margate players who attended the club's 'Legends Day' at Hartsdown Park.