Terry Norton

*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.

Terry Norton

Appearances: 299+4 Goals: 9

Date / Year of birth: 11th January 1956

Position: Right-back

Season of first appearance: 1977/78

Season of last appearance: 1986/87

Also played for: Snowdown Colliery Welfare, Canterbury City, Brighton & Hove Albion (0), Ramsgate, Dover, Tonbridge and Folkestone

5' 6" tall England Youth international full-back born in Aylesham, Kent who played for Kent Boys as a youth and began his senior career with Snowdown before moving on to Canterbury.

Terry made his Southern League debut for Canterbury during the 1971/72 season aged just 15 and in November 1972 he was signed by Brighton. The Seagulls' manager at the time was the legendary Brian Clough.

Terry captained Brighton's youth team and won a Sussex Professional Cup winners medal with the reserves before going on to make two substitute appearances for the first team, neither of them in the Football League. In the summer of 1974 he was released by the Seagulls and after having trials with Wolves and Gillingham he returned to Canterbury.

During the 1974/75 season Terry was an ever-present in City's Southern League side, making 38 appearances (one as sub). That took his overall Southern League record for Canterbury to 75 appearances (four as sub) without scoring.

In the summer of 1975 Terry joined Ramsgate but he left the club in January 1976 during a financial crisis at Southwood.

Terry finished the 1975/76 campaign at Dover but then returned to Canterbury once more for the 1976/77 season, he also had a spell at Tonbridge during the campaign.

In the summer of 1977 Terry moved to Margate and made his debut in a 1-0 win over Ramsgate in a Kent Senior Shield tie at Hartsdown Park on 6.8.77. He played in midfield but soon settled in at right-back and made the number two shirt his own during the 1977/78 season, impressing with his strength in the tackle and willingness to attack.

On 29.10.77 Terry was sent off for a foul in a 1-1 draw at Bognor Regis and on 14.1.78 he scored his first goal with a superb 40-yard lob in a 3-0 home win over Taunton. He also found the net with what the Thanet Times called "a beautiful thunderball effort" in a 7-0 win over Canterbury at Hartsdown Park on 4.2.78. Terry made a total of 39 appearances (one as sub) as Margate won the Southern League 1st Division (South) title.

He started the 1978/79 season in the reserves but regained a regular place in the first team during December 1978 and Terry went on to make 38 appearances (two as a substitute) before the end of the campaign.

During the 1979/80 season he made a further 44 appearances to go past 100 for the club and Terry continued to impress with his consistency and hard work. He scored once during the campaign - in a 4-1 win over Tonbridge on 22.3.80.

Terry began the 1980/81 season as a fixture in the side at right-back and on 6.12.80 he scored a bizarre goal in 3-2 win over Gosport at Hartsdown. His attempted cross from way out on the right wing was caught by the wind and drifted into the net. It was Terry's only goal of the season and in January 1981 he left the club as part of a cost-cutting exercise. He rejoined Dover on a free transfer having made 36 appearances, and over 150 in all.

During the 1981/82 campaign Terry scored in a 2-0 win over Thanet at Crabble but he missed a penalty in the return game at Hartsdown.

In July 1983 he left Dover to become new Thanet player-manager Alan Fagan's first signing and Terry was give the United captaincy for the 1983/84 season. He was described as being "wily" by the local press and Terry went on to become the only ever-present during the campaign, making 49 appearances to take his career tally for the club past 200. He scored twice and was as hard-working and consistent as ever. Terry usually played at right-back but also featured in midfield and as a centre-back on occasions. He also played once as a left-back.

Terry retained the United captaincy for the 1984/85 season and on 8.9.84 he broke his arm during the early stages of a 1-1 draw at Salisbury but played on for most of the match. Terry missed ten games as a result of the injury. He returned to the side for the 6-2 FA Trophy defeat at Folkestone on 20.10.84 and prior to the game the local press asked Terry to comment on United's improved form and attendances. He told the Isle of Thanet Gazette "We are all working together for success and I believe the football public are beginning to realise it." Terry was a model of consistency during the season and turned in some superb displays, whether playing as a right-back or a central defender. The Thanet Times said that he was "outstanding" in a 1-0 win over Poole on 10.11.84 and "yet again turned in a tremendous performance" during a 1-1 draw at Canterbury on 23.3.85. The Isle of Thanet Gazette said that Terry set "an immaculate example" but on 23.4.85 he was sent off for fighting in a 4-1 win over Braintree at Hartsdown in the Eastern Floodlight Cup competition. He made a total of 49 appearances during the season and scored three goals, all from the penalty spot.

In the summer of 1985 Terry left the club and joined Folkestone for the 1985/86 campaign.

He returned to Hartsdown for the 1986/87 season and became Thanet's captain once again. The Isle of Thanet Gazette said that Terry "added extra stability to the back division" and he made 48 appearances without scoring, taking his overall total for the club past 300. Terry usually wore the number two shirt but also played a few games as a centre-back. His last appearance of the season came in United's final game - a 5-0 win over Poole at Hartsdown on 25.4.87. It turned out to be the last match of what the The Isle of Thanet Gazette said had been "a long and distinguished career" as Terry retired in the summer of 1987 aged just 31.

For most of his time in football Terry had worked as a miner at Tilmanstone but at the time of his retirement he had been made redundant. Terry took up mountaineering after his redundancy, travelling to Nepal and Pakistan and documenting his travels by taking photographs. That led to work with the BBC, helping with research for documentaries and books. He later travelled to the USA to fix up a printing contract for his photographic work featuring pictures of the Himalayas.

In 1989 Terry was keeping fit as a member of Aylesham Road Runners and competed in mountain marathons - two day running events of 50-60 miles in the mountains.

In the summer of 1992 Terry came out of retirement and played for Snowdown, where he'd started his career, in the Kent County League during the 1992/93 season.

In 2004 he was working as a technician at the Kent Institute of Art & Design.

SEASON (CLUB)

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1977/78 (MFC)

38 (47)

1

2

SOUTHERN LEAGUE FIRST DIVISION (S) (1ST OF 20)

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     Margate promoted to Southern League Premier Division.

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1978/79 (MFC)

36 (58)

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SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (19TH OF 22)

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     Margate moved to new Southern League Southern Division following reorganisation of Southern League.

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1979/80 (MFC)

43 (56)

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SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (17TH OF 24)

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1980/81 (MFC)

36 (58)

0

1

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1983/84 (TUFC)

49 (49)

0

2

SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (18TH OF 20)

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EFC

1984/85 (TUFC)

49 (62)

0

3

SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (5TH OF 20)

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     Played in Eastern Floodlight Cup Final 1st Leg (06.05.85 - lost 2-1 at Bishop's Stortford).
     Played in Eastern Floodlight Cup Final 2nd Leg (09.05.85 - lost 2-0 at home to Bishop's Stortford).

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EFC

1986/87 (TUFC)

48 (53)

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0

SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (10TH OF 20)

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GR