*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.
Paul O'Brien
Appearances: 91+8 Goals: 3
Date / Year of birth: 10th February 1975
Position: Left-back / Midfielder
Season of first appearance: 1998/99
Season of last appearance: 2000/01
Also played for: Dover Athletic, Ashford Town, Dartford, Bromley Green and Ashford United
Dover born left-sided player widely known as 'O.B.' who started his career with his hometown club. Paul progressed through Dover's youth ranks and during the 1991/92 season he scored for their Under-18's in home and away games against Margate. Manager Chris Kinnear gave Paul his first team debut early in 1992, around the time of his 17th birthday, and he won five caps for the England Under-18's side during the 1992/93 campaign. Paul also had a trial with Charlton. Over the next three seasons Paul was part of Dover's first team squad and during 1995/96 he started 16 matches without scoring.
In the summer of 1996 Paul joined Ashford on a free transfer and spent two years there before Chris Kinnear signed him for Margate ahead of the 1998/99 campaign. A tribunal set the fee at £4,000.
Paul made his debut in a 4-1 win over Andover at Hartsdown Park on 22.8.98 and the Thanet Times said he "impressed with some gritty challenges in midfield". Paul was switched to left-back for Margate's next game - a 1-0 win at Fisher on 25.8.98 - and then started the next five matches in midfield before picking up a knee injury in a 3-1 defeat at Corby on 12.9.98. He missed the next nine matches altogether before making two substitute appearances in November and when Paul lined up in midfield for an FA Trophy tie against Havant & Waterlooville at Hartsdown Park on 21.11.98 it was his first start for over two months. Margate lost 3-1 but Paul was a regular in the side from then on, usually wearing the number eleven shirt although he did sometimes play at left-back or right-back. He ended the season having made 40 appearances (three as sub) without scoring in a campaign that saw Margate win promotion to the Premier Division of the Southern League.
Paul began the 1999/00 campaign on the subs bench and didn't feature in the starting line-up until Margate's fourth match of the new season when he played at left-back in a 1-0 win at Weymouth. He then enjoyed a long run in the number three shirt and scored his first goal for the club in spectacular style as Margate won 3-0 at Ramsgate in an FA Cup tie played on 18.9.99. Paul fired a 20-yard volley into the top corner and the Thanet Times also noted that he "sent in some good crosses". The Isle of Thanet Gazette said Paul "pushed the visiting midfield into reverse with several surging runs" from left-back in a 3-2 home win over Tonbridge on 2.11.99 but he later suffered a head injury and had to leave the field. On 9.11.99 Paul got his second goal of the season in a 2-0 win over Weymouth at Hartsdown Park and the Gazette said it was a "moment of genius". The paper described how he "picked the ball up on the halfway line and motored unchallenged towards the goal before unleashing a terrific effort from 30 yards which slammed into the top right-hand corner". Paul had played 20 consecutive games at left-back when he picked up a calf strain in a 0-0 draw at King's Lynn on 23.11.99. He had to be substituted and missed Margate's next five matches altogether.
Having shrugged off his injury Paul regained his regular place in the side in mid-January and after wearing the number three shirt in a 3-0 defeat at Boston on 15.1.00 he was ever-present at left-back until the end of the season. On 22.2.00 he scored a brilliant winner to secure a 1-0 home win over Burton and the Isle of Thanet Gazette's match report was headlined 'O'Brien wonder goal puts Margate on high'. The paper described Paul's rising drive into the top corner as a "30-yard rocket" and said it was "the most spectacular goal seen at Hartsdown this season". In its report on Margate's last match of the campaign - a 3-1 home win over Halesowen on 6.5.00 - the Thanet Times said Paul was "one of the most consistent performers" and he finished the season having scored three times in 48 appearances (four as sub).
After coming on as a substitute in Margate's opening game of the 2000/01 campaign - a 1-0 home defeat against Moor Green on 19.8.00 - Paul regained his place at left-back and started the next nine matches there. The Thanet Times said he "took every opportunity to act as an extra winger" in a 0-0 draw at Halesowen on 26.8.00 and the Isle of Thanet Gazette praised Paul's "excellent first half performance" in a 2-1 home win over Cambridge City on 5.9.00. However things turned sour for Paul when he was stretchered off with a knee injury in 1-1 draw at Bath on 23.9.00 and the Gazette said it was a major blow to Margate as he'd "delivered a series of almost faultless displays".
Paul made a comeback in the reserves in December 2000 and played three full games for them before returning to first team duty for a game against Clevedon at Hartsdown Park on 23.12.00. Unfortunately he suffered a recurrence of his knee problem and had to be substituted. It turned out to be Paul's final appearance for Margate as his injury was diagnosed as cruciate ligament damage. He'd made 11 appearances (one as sub) before fate intervened.
Paul was still on Margate's books during the 2001/02 season - the club's first in the Conference - but his injury prevented him from playing at all during the campaign and he was released in the summer of 2002.
After 22 months out injured Paul rejoined Ashford for the start of the 2002/03 season before linking up with Dartford in June 2003.
He returned to Ashford again for 2004/05 and made 34 appearances for the Nuts & Bolts during the campaign before leaving the club at the end of the season.
Paul didn't play at all during 2005/06 but in April 2006 he made a welcome return to Hartsdown Park when he played in the 'Syko Challenge' match to raise money for the tragically deceased Paul Sykes' family.
Paul then joined Ashford-based Kent County League outfit Bromley Green for the 2006/07 campaign but retired in January 2007 due to further injury problems.
In April 2010 he turned out for Dover's veterans side in the Isthmian League's Veterans Cup and in February 2011 Paul played in the newly formed Ashford United's first ever game - a charity match against a Charlton X1.
Ashford were founder members of the new Kent Invicta League for the 2011/12 season and Paul was one of several veteran members of their squad having come out of retirement. He was 36 by then.
On 12.5.12 Paul took part in Bill Edwards' testimonial match at Hartsdown Park.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
SLCH | |
|
1998/99 (MFC) |
37 (50) |
3 |
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) |
44 (55) |
4 |
3 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (3RD OF 22) |
4QR |
2R |
4R |
2R |
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
||
|
2000/01 (MFC) |
10 (50) |
1 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (1ST OF 22) |
2QR |
4R |
2R |
2R |
|
Margate promoted to
Conference. | |||||||||