*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.
Phil Winfield
Appearances: 4 Goals: 0
Date / Year of birth: 16th February 1937
Position: Right-back
Season of first appearance: 1966/67
Season of last appearance: 1966/67
Also played for: Denaby United, Lincoln City (1,0), Ramsgate Athletic, Gravesend & Northfleet, Deal Town and Sittingbourne
Blonde defender born in Denaby, Yorkshire who began his career with Denaby United before signing for Lincoln in 1957.
Phil made one 2nd Division appearance for the Imps - in a 1-0 home defeat against Liverpool on 2.11.57 - before joining Ramsgate in 1958.
Phil went on to spend six seasons at Southwood and had a benefit game against an Arsenal X1 in April 1965. He was sometimes criticised by the local press for being "over-robust" whilst with the Rams but always gave his all for the cause.
In the summer of 1965 Phil was released and joined Gravesend & Northfleet for the 1965/66 campaign.
After making 45 appearances without scoring for the Fleet he returned to Thanet and joined Margate in the summer of 1966. Almost immediately Phil joined the squad that travelled to West Germany for three match tour.
He spent most of the 1966/67 season playing for the reserves but Phil also made four first team appearances. He made his debut in a 4-2 win over Tonbridge in a Kent Senior Shield tie at Hartsdown on 28.11.66 and had a good game in midfield.
At the end of the season Phil was released and joined Deal. He became Deal's captain and went on to spend several seasons with the club, although in the summer of 1967 he was offered the chance to return to Margate as player-manager of the reserves. However Deal refused to release him and Phil was still captain when they won the Greater London League Cup on 25.5.68.
However in the summer of 1968 he returned to Ramsgate and became club trainer, during the 1968/69 and 1969/70 seasons Phil also occasionally played for the Rams' reserves.
He left Southwood to join Sittingbourne as a player for the 1970/71 campaign but returned to Ramsgate for the 1971/72 season and resumed his role as trainer.
In October 1971 Phil had a short spell as the Rams' caretaker manager following Les Riggs' move to Margate and he had another stint in charge following Jack Smith's departure in March 1974.
In the summer of 1974 Phil moved across Thanet to become Margate's trainer and he managed to get himself booked in a game at Romford on 28.9.74 when he became embroiled in an argument with the referee after coming on to treat the injured Barry Brown.
He was booked again in an FA Cup tie at Sheppey during the 1976/77 season, again for remarks made to the referee.
In June 1977 Phil left the club but he returned in the summer of 1978.
He continued to be an influential figure behind the scenes at Hartsdown for several more years and Phil became Terry Morris' assistant in the summer of 1979 whilst still acting as trainer. However he gave up the role in the summer of 1982 due to business pressures but still acted in an advisory capacity.
In February 1984 Phil returned to Hartsdown yet again and took up his old role of trainer, this time working alongside John Wickens. He was still coaching for Thanet United during the 1988/89 season when he unexpectedly became the club's caretaker manager, stepping in following the resignation of Norman Fusco in October 1988. He was only in charge for one match - a 2-2 draw at Ruislip on 29.10.88 - before Garry Aldous took over as player-manager and in January 1989 Phil decided to leave United, citing pressure of work as his reason. The Isle of Thanet Gazette praised his "years of dedicated service" at Hartsdown and said "his expertise will be sorely missed". Thanet's president Bob Griffiths paid tribute to Phil's abilities, saying "he is a man much respected by the few professionals that are left and the handful that aspire to join them. His value has never been fully appreciated and he is a great loss to the club."
Despite announcing his departure Phil wasn't quite finished after all and he still helped out when he could during the remainder of the 1988/89 campaign. In April 1989 Garry Aldous thanked Phil for his assistance, saying "he is so experienced and is a great help to the team" and at the end of the season Phil finally severed his ties at Hartsdown, over 20 years since he'd originally joined Margate as a player.
Phil was still living locally in 2009.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KFC |
KSS |
|
1966/67 (MFC) |
4 (72) |
0 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (2ND OF 24) |
3QR |
QF |
RU |
GR |
2R |
| Margate promoted to
Premier Division. Played in Kent Senior Cup Final 2nd Leg (06.04.67 - lost 1-0 at Dover). | |||||||||