*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 Thomas
Appearances: 77 Goals: 0
Clean Sheets: 15
Date / Year of birth: 13th June 1949
Position: Goalkeeper
Season of first appearance: 1965/66
Season of last appearance: 1980/81
Also played for: Ramsgate Athletic, Dartford, Ramsgate and Herne Bay
Local keeper who progressed from local youth and Sunday football into Margate's reserve side during the 1965/66 season.
On 21.2.66 Paul made his first team debut in a Kent Floodlight Cup tie against Deal at Hartsdown Park and at the time he was only 16, one of the youngest players ever to play for Margate. The local press said that Paul had "a nightmare" and blamed him for two of Deal's goals although Margate won the game 6-4.
In June 1966 he was part of the Margate squad that travelled to West Germany for a three match tour and Paul then spent the whole of the 1966/67 campaign in the reserves.
In the summer of 1967 Paul joined Ramsgate but he returned to Hartsdown Park a few months later and made four further first team appearances during the 1967/68 season, the first of them on 7.3.68 in a 4-0 win at Deal. The local paper said that he "gave a good account of himself". Paul shared the reserve team keeping duties with Lennie Long during the campaign.
During the 1968/69 season Paul had several extended runs in the first team in the wake of the long-serving Brian Hughes' departure from the club and he made a total of 22 appearances, starting with his Southern League debut in a 2-1 defeat at Hillingdon on 31.8.68. Paul turned in several good performances and the local paper said that he had "shown enough natural ability...to suggest that he is a very useful keeper". On 20.5.69 he played as Margate drew 1-1 at Maidstone in the 1st Leg of the Kent Floodlight Cup Final and Paul also featured in the 2nd Leg at Hartsdown Park on 24.5.69 as Margate won 3-1 to claim the trophy. That turned out to be his last appearance and at the end of the season Paul was released.
He spent the 1969/70 campaign with Dartford but in August 1970 Paul rejoined Margate, initially on a month's trial.
He went on to become the regular reserve team keeper during the 1970/71 season and Paul also made 12 first team appearances. The first of them was in a Kent Floodlight Cup tie against Folkestone at Hartsdown Park on 16.11.70 and Margate went down 4-0. Paul's best performances of the season were during a 2-1 win at Hastings on 17.2.71 when he pulled off several good saves and on 5.5.71 at Dover when the local paper said he made a "string of spectacular saves".
During the 1971/72 season Paul continued to be Margate's reserve team keeper and he also had a couple of stints in the first team, covering for the injured Chic Brodie. The first of those spells began in October 1971 and on 23.10.71 Paul's performance in a 4-0 home defeat by Hereford drew stinging criticism from the Thanet Times. Paul was said to be guilty of "bad goalkeeping" that led to two Hereford goals and to have "frequently fumbled the ball as though it were a freshly-baked cake from a hot oven".
Towards the end of the season Paul was given an extended run in the first team and on 15.3.72 he was praised by the local paper for "a great display of courageous goalkeeping" as Margate lost 3-0 at Folkestone in a Kent Floodlight Cup tie. He was also said to have pulled off "an incredible reflex save" as Margate won 1-0 at Dover on 12.4.72.
However at the end of the season Paul was released for the second time and he then joined Ramsgate for the 1972/73 campaign, he also appeared for the Rams during the 1973/74 season.
In the summer of 1977 Paul joined Herne Bay for a season and throughout the 1970's he also played Sunday football, representing clubs such as Heron Athletic and Thanet Press. In addition Paul played for the Fire Brigade as he worked as a fireman.
He was still playing locally when he made a surprise return to Margate in February 1981, almost nine years after his last spell at Hartsdown. Margate manager Terry Morris persuaded Paul to help out during a time of upheaval at Margate after the majority of the first team had left due to a financial crisis. Ironically Paul took over from stop-gap keeper Phil Brooman who had himself played for the club in the 60's and he made his second debut in a 3-0 defeat at Dartford on 28.2.81. Paul went on to play in all but two of the 1980/81 season's remaining games and made a total of 14 appearances. On 3.3.81 he pulled off a string of saves in a 3-2 defeat at home to Chelmsford and the Thanet Times said that he was "outstanding" in a 3-0 defeat at Waterlooville on 21.3.81. Paul's final game for Margate was a 5-2 defeat at home to Poole on 4.5.81, the last match before the club changed its name to Thanet United. He left the club at the end of the season and rejoined Ramsgate where he spent the 1981/82 campaign.
Paul played the last football of his career during the 1990's when he turned out a few times for a Margate Old Boys side.
At one time he was the brother-in-law of Ray Summers and Paul later married the sister of former Margate player John Batley.
In 2012 Paul was still living locally and attending Margate home games when he could. On 27.10.12 he was a guest of the match sponsors as Margate drew 1-1 with Hastings United at Hartsdown Park and was interviewed for Margate's official website.
On 12.4.14 Paul was one of the many former Margate players who attended the club's 'Legends Day' at Hartsdown Park.
He died on 23.2.15 aged 65.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC |
KSS |
|
1965/66 (MFC) |
1 (67) |
N/A |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (22ND OF 22) |
1QR |
2R |
SF |
RU |
SF |
| Margate relegated to Division One. | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC |
KSS |
|
1967/68 (MFC) |
4 (82) |
0 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (8TH OF 22) |
2R |
W |
1R |
GR |
N/A |
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC |
SLCH |
|
1968/69 (MFC) |
22 (75) |
0 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (18TH OF 22) |
1R |
3R |
RU |
W |
W |
| Played in Kent
Senior Cup Final 1st Leg (30.04.69 - lost 4-0 at Folkestone
Town). Played in Kent Floodlight Cup Final 1st Leg (20.05.69 - drew 1-1 at Maidstone United). Played in Kent Floodlight Cup Final 2nd Leg (24.05.69 - beat Maidstone United 3-1 at home). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC | |
|
1970/71 (MFC) |
12 (72) |
0 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (13TH OF 22) |
1R |
1R |
SF |
QF |
GR |
| Played in FA Cup 1st Round (21.11.70 - lost 2-0 at Dagenham). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC | |
|
1971/72 (MFC) |
24 (69) |
0 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (9TH OF 22) |
1R |
1R |
SF |
2R |
GR |
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1980/81 (MFC) |
14 (58) |
0 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (22ND OF 24) |
2QR |
3QR |
1R |
2R |
|