*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.
Alan Draper
Appearances: 66+10 Goals: 8
Date / Year of birth: 6th September 1958
Position: Midfielder
Season of first appearance: 1976/77
Season of last appearance: 1981/82
Also played for: Gillingham (0), Maidstone United, Faversham Town, Ramsgate, Herne Bay and Deal Town
5' 9" tall locally-born player who began his career in Thanet youth football under the tutelage of his father Len and had a trial with Coventry during the 1973/74 season before joining Gillingham for the 1974/75 campaign.
Alan played for the Gills Youth and Reserve teams and in the summer of 1975 he signed apprentice forms. However in March 1976 he broke his leg during a Youth team match and Alan didn't play for the Gills again after that. He was released in September 1976 and immediately joined Margate.
Alan made his debut as a substitute on 25.9.76 in a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Redditch but it was his only appearance of the season as in October 1976 he moved on to Maidstone.
In the summer of 1977 Alan rejoined Margate and made 12 sporadic appearances during the 1977/78 campaign, six of them as a substitute, as Margate won the Southern League 1st Division (South) title. He then joined Faversham in the summer of 1978.
Alan returned to Margate once more a couple of months into the 1978/79 season and he had several good runs in the first team during the remainder of the campaign. On 30.12.78 he "certainly showed enough promise to warrant further outings" according to the Thanet Times' report for a home game against Bath and on 13.1.79 the same paper described Alan's goal in a 2-1 win over Hastings as one "of stunning excellence". It was a tremendous strike from well outside the penalty area. In total Alan scored five goals in 30 appearances (three as a substitute) and he turned in many impressive performances, whether playing in midfield or as a striker. He also won the Banks Cup for being the club's best young player of the season.
At the start of the 1979/80 campaign Alan made two further appearances but in September 1979 he asked for his registration to be cancelled and joined Ramsgate. On 13.11.79 he was sent off in a game against Margate after fighting with Dave Bennett.
Alan then joined Herne Bay for 1980/81 and played for the Kent League X1 during the season but in the summer of 1981 he returned to Hartsdown Park and became captain of the newly-formed Thanet United.
He turned in some outstanding displays in midfield during the first half of the 1981/82 campaign and was described as being "resolute" and "inspiring" by the local press. On 5.9.81 Alan scored with a curling shot from 20 yards to give United a 1-0 win at Southwick in the FA Cup and it was one of three excellent goals he managed during the season. He also scored with a long range effort in a 2-1 defeat at Deal on 22.9.81 and on 7.11.81 he found the net with a first-time volley from 20 yards in a 3-2 win over Fareham. The goal was described as "stunning" by the Thanet Times. On 20.1.82 Alan blotted his copy book by being sent off for fighting with Ricky Fusco (who was also dismissed) in a game against Dover at Crabble. The fight actually carried on as the players left the field.
However before any suspension could take effect Alan left United in February 1982. The entire squad was asked to take a pay cut but Alan, along with Glenn Vincer, refused. He'd made 31 appearances prior to his departure.
Alan then dropped into local football before joining Deal for the 1982/83 campaign and he scored 13 goals for them during the season.
He played the last football of his career during the 1990's when he turned out for Thanet League club Margate Athletic Old Boys whose squad of veterans also included a host of other former Margate / Thanet players.
In 2012 Alan was living in Broadstairs.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1976/77 (MFC) |
0 (55) |
1 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (22ND OF 22) |
3QR |
1R |
2R |
1R |
|
| Margate relegated to Southern League First Division (South). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
KSS | |
|
1977/78 (MFC) |
6 (47) |
6 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE FIRST DIVISION (S) (1ST OF 20) |
1QR |
1R |
1R |
1R |
GR |
| Margate promoted to Southern League Premier Division. | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1978/79 (MFC) |
27 (58) |
3 |
5 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (19TH OF 22) |
4QR |
3R |
1R |
2R |
|
| Margate moved to new Southern League Southern Division following reorganisation of Southern League. | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1979/80 (MFC) |
2 (56) |
0 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (17TH OF 24) |
4QR |
3QR |
2R |
2R |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1981/82 (TUFC) |
31 (53) |
0 |
3 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (24TH OF 24) |
1QR |
1QR |
1R |
1R |
|
| Finished bottom but not relegated. | |||||||||