*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.
Tommy Bing
Appearances: 76 Goals: 11
Date / Year of birth: 24th November 1931
Position: Winger / Striker
Season of first appearance: 1950/51
Season of last appearance: 1963/64
Also played for: Tottenham Hotspur (1,0)
Talented attacking player born in Broadstairs who joined Margate after being spotted in local amateur football. Tommy made his debut for Margate's reserves in December 1947 aged just 16 and continued playing for them during the 1948/49 and 1949/50 seasons .
Tommy didn't make his first team debut until the 1950/51 campaign when he scored one of the goals in a 3-0 win at Dover in the Kent League on 7.10.50. He played as a striker in that match but when he returned to the side in December 1950 after an 11 game gap Tommy enjoyed a run of games on the right wing as a direct replacement for his older brother Doug who'd just joined West Ham. Tommy made a total of 17 appearances before the end of the 1950/51 season, scoring twice, and his performances attracted Football League scouts to Hartsdown Park.
He made a further nine appearances as a striker during the early part of 1951/52 but in December 1951 Tommy started his National Service and only played once more for the first team - during a spell on leave in April 1952 - before the end of the season.
Tommy's army commitments prevented him from making any first team appearances during the 1952/53 campaign but he did play a few games for the reserves whilst on leave. Tommy also played for a professional side in Germany (where he was stationed) during the season.
He completed his army service in November 1953 and returned to the club on a full-time basis. However Tommy mainly played for the reserves during the remainder of 1953/54 and didn't appear in the senior side until February 1954. He finished the season having made 11 first team appearances, scoring once, and on 6.5.54 Tommy was part of the side that beat Canterbury 5-0 at Hartsdown Park to win the Kent League Cup.
Tommy found himself in the reserves again at the start of the 1954/55 campaign but in September 1954 he played for the first team in a friendly against Tottenham that Margate lost 5-0. He was marked by Bill Nicholson who later became the London club's manager and famously led them to the League Championship and FA Cup 'double' during 1960/61. Despite Margate's heavy defeat Tommy impressed the Spurs management and a few days later the 1st Division club paid a four figure fee for his services. Spurs also allowed Margate to keep all the gate receipts from the friendly as part of the deal. Tommy hadn't played any first team games for Margate during 1954/55 and had only ever made 37 senior appearances for the club.
Tommy went on to spend almost five years at White Hart Lane but only made one first team appearance - in a 3-2 defeat at Bolton on 19.10.57. It was over three years after he'd joined the club. Tommy also scored 69 goals in a total of 152 games for Spurs' reserve, 'A' and 'B' teams and played in four first team friendlies during 1957. He was released at the end of the 1958/59 campaign.
In July 1959 Tommy rejoined Margate but the 1959/60 season was a disappointing one for him. On 3.10.59 he marked his first senior game for Margate since May 1954 with a goal in a 5-0 win over Hinckley at Hartsdown but Tommy spent most of the campaign in the reserves, only making six first team appearances. He also missed a substantial part of the season through injury.
The 1960/61 campaign was a mixed one for Tommy, he made a total of 30 first team appearances and scored six goals but he was again hampered by injury. His goals included two in a 6-0 Southern League win at Dover on 3.9.60 and another brace in a 3-0 win against Hinckley at Hartsdown on 19.11.60. Tommy's main injury problem was cartilage trouble and in March 1961 he had an operation to try and cure this which brought his season to a premature end.
He recovered sufficiently to make some reserve team appearances early in the 1961/62 season and on 7.10.61 he returned to first team action, playing in a 3-2 defeat at Trowbridge. Around that time Tommy was also taking charge of training but he was still hampered by his knee injury and in January 1962 he was forced to retire on the advice of a specialist having played just once more for the first team. Tommy was quoted as saying it was "a bitter pill to swallow".
After his retirement he did some scouting for the club and also helped out with the running of the reserve team. However Tommy made a surprise comeback during the early part of the 1963/64 season. He played eight times for the reserves, scoring once, and on 11.11.63 he played for the first team in a Kent Senior Shield tie at Dartford. It turned out to be Tommy's final game for Margate as his knee was still troubling him and he retired once and for all afterwards.
He was also a prominent local cricketer and was still playing regularly during the summer of 1984 when he topped Minster's batting averages for the season aged 52.
Tommy worked as plumber during his time with Margate and he continued to live locally until his death at the age of 83 on 19.5.15 following a lengthy battle with ill-health.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1950/51 (MFC) |
17 (41) |
N/A |
2 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (6TH OF 17) |
EPR |
1R |
2R |
RU |
|
|
Played in Kent Senior Shield
Final (12.05.51 - lost 2-0 to Folkestone Town). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1951/52 (MFC) |
9 (38) |
N/A |
1 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (4TH OF 17) |
1QR |
2R |
1R |
N/A |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1953/54 (MFC) |
11 (40) |
N/A |
1 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (2ND OF 16) |
2QR |
1R |
W |
1R |
|
|
Played in Kent League Cup
Final (01.05.54 - drew 3-3 with Canterbury
City). Played in Kent League Cup Final replay (06.05.54 - beat Canterbury City 5-0). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KSS |
|
|
1959/60 (MFC) |
6 (57) |
N/A |
1 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (7TH OF 22) |
2R |
1R |
RU |
SF |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KSS |
|
|
1960/61 (MFC) |
30 (50) |
N/A |
6 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (15TH OF 21) |
4QR |
2R |
2R |
1R |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KSS |
|
|
1961/62 (MFC) |
2 (66) |
N/A |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (5TH OF 20) |
2R |
RU |
SF |
W |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
SLC |
KSC |
KSS |
KFC | |
|
1963/64 (MFC) |
1 (60) |
N/A |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (17TH OF 22) |
1R |
2R |
2R |
1R |
GR |