*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.
Steve Tapp
Appearances: 6+3 Goals: 1
Date / Year of birth: 25th May 1964
Position: Striker / Winger
Season of first appearance: 1990/91
Season of last appearance: 1990/91
Also played for: Sheppey United, Sittingbourne, Weston-Super-Mare, Sharpness, Herne Bay, Clevedon Town, Witney Town, Trowbridge Town, Cinderford Town and Newport County (Wales)
Fast attacking player born in Sittingbourne who started his career with Sheppey, joining them as a schoolboy and progressing to the first team. Steve played for Kent Schools during his time at Botany Road.
He joined Sittingbourne for the 1980/81 season and stayed with the Brickies until his RAF commitments forced him to leave Kent and head West during 1983/84.
Steve signed for Weston-Super-Mare and was their top scorer for the 1983/84, 1984/85 and 1985/86 seasons.
His next move took him to Hellenic League club Sharpness for 1986/87 and he stayed there until the end of 1988/89. The club were runners-up in the league and won the Hellenic League Cup that season.
Steve returned to Kent in 1989 to serve at RAF Manston and after a year out of competitive football he signed for Margate in the summer of 1990. He made his debut on 18.8.90, the opening day of the 1990/91 campaign, when he came on as a substitute in a 2-2 draw at Witney. The Isle of Thanet Gazette described Steve as being "a flying winger". His performance at Witney led to him starting Margate's first home game against Ashford on 21.8.90. Steve played on the right flank in a 3-1 defeat and the Gazette said that he "caused panic" in the Ashford defence with his pace and trickery. For the next few weeks he became a regular in the side and featured on both wings as well as in midfield. Steve impressed with his willingness to run at defenders and on 8.9.90 he scored what the Gazette called a "glorious goal" in a 2-1 home defeat against Gosport. It was a curling cross-shot into the corner of the net but it turned out to be Steve's only goal for Margate. After playing in a 2-0 defeat at Yate on 22.9.90 he didn't feature in the first team again and after scoring once in two reserve team games in October 1990 he left the club in November. Steve had scored once in nine first team appearances (three as sub).
He joined Herne Bay immediately after his departure from Hartsdown Park and scored 18 goals before having to leave for a tour of duty in the Falkland Islands towards the end of 1990/91. Steve returned to the Bay for 1991/92 and scored regularly as they won the Kent League. He then notched hat-tricks on each of the first three Saturdays of the 1992/93 campaign and finished that season as the club's top scorer with over 20 goals. He also played Sunday football in Thanet for Active Signs during the season.
Steve's RAF commitments then took him away from Kent once again and he returned to Weston-Super-Mare for 1993/94. He scored over 20 goals there during 1994/95 and made a career total of over 150 appearances for the club before signing for Clevedon towards the end of the 1995/96 campaign.
In July 1996 Steve joined Witney and was on target in their 4-0 win at Margate on 21.9.96. He scored over 20 goals during 1996/97.
In the summer of 1997 he linked up with Trowbridge and was soon amongst the goals there, scoring 21 in the Southern League and Southern League Cup during 1997/98.
Steve later had a spell at Cinderford before joining Newport County in September 1998. He scored six goals there during 1998/99 including a hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Caerleon in a Gwent Senior Cup tie on 15.2.99.
By 2003/04 Steve had retired as a player and was a coach at Southern League Premier club Cirencester Town. He was still coaching there during 2005/06.
In August 2010 Steve played for an RAF veterans team in a match against a Cirencester veterans side.
In his youth Steve was a ball boy at the 1982 FA Cup Final between Queens Park Rangers and Tottenham at Wembley. Future Margate player Mike Flanagan played for QPR in the match and coincidentally played for Margate in the same season as Steve.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
||
|
1990/91 (MFC) |
6 (54) |
3 |
1 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (10TH OF 21) |
3QR |
3QR |
2R |
1R |