David Cory

*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.

David Cory

Appearances: 4+9 Goals: 0

Date / Year of birth: 29th December 1980

Position: Striker

Season of first appearance: 1997/98

Season of last appearance: 2009/10

Also played for: Walton & Hersham, Hampton & Richmond Borough, Sittingbourne, Ramsgate, Deal Town, Whitstable Town, Folkestone Invicta and Norwich United

London-born striker who moved to Thanet as a youngster and played for Kent Schools' football and cricket teams. David played for Margate's Under-10's side during the 1990/91 season and then progressed through the club's youth ranks in the years that followed.

By the end of the 1995/96 campaign he'd scored over 200 goals in six seasons of youth football for Margate and his tally included 35 hat-tricks. David continued his junior scoring exploits during 1996/97 and bagged 13 goals for the Under-16's in an 18-0 win over Deal that season. His form led to trials at Premier League clubs Nottingham Forest and Coventry.

During the 1997/98 campaign David broke into the first team squad and made his senior debut as a substitute in a 4-0 home win over Tonbridge on 28.10.97. He was only 16 at the time. His next appearance, again as a substitute, saw him play in front of 5,100 people as Margate lost 2-1 to Fulham in an FA Cup 1st Round tie at Hartsdown Park. The match was shown live on Sky Sports.

David made four further sub appearances during November and December 1997 and the Isle of Thanet Gazette said he "impressed with some darting runs" in a 2-1 win at Hastings on 16.12.97. He didn't feature in the first team again until 21.2.98 when he came on during a 2-0 win at Fleet and David made one more sub appearance in February before returning to the reserves once more.

On 23.4.98 he finally made his first start for Margate when he wore the number nine shirt in a 3-0 defeat at Yate and David played once more as sub before partnering Jon Magee up front in a 4-0 home win over Cinderford on 26.4.98. He finished the season having made 11 senior appearances (nine as sub) without scoring and David also scored over 25 goals for the Under-18 and reserve teams.

He stayed with Margate for the 1998/99 campaign and the start of 1999/00 but didn't get another chance in the first team before leaving the Thanet area.

David joined Isthmian League outfit Walton & Hersham early in the 1999/00 season and made his first team debut in October 1999. He made four league appearances (three as sub) without scoring during the campaign and also scored 25 goals for the reserves at a rate of better than a goal per game. David was the leading scorer in the entire Suburban League. He became a first team regular during 2000/01 and was the Swans' top scorer with 16 goals. David was chosen as 'Player of the Year' by both the supporters and his team-mates. He scored 11 times during 2001/02 and sometimes played alongside future Margate striker Reggie Savage before moving on to Hampton & Richmond in the summer of 2002.

David scored three goals for the Beavers and then rejoined Walton & Hersham in January 2003.

He managed nine goals before the end of the season and his second spell with the Swans lasted until February 2004 when he returned to Kent and joined Sittingbourne.

David spent around 18 months with Sittingbourne and also played Sunday football in the Thanet area during his time with the Brickies.

In the summer of 2005 he signed for Ramsgate and scored seven goals during the 2005/06 campaign as the Rams won Division 1 of the Isthmian League.

David then had a trial spell back at Margate prior to 2006/07 and featured in a couple of pre-season friendlies before returning to Ramsgate in September 2006.

The Rams' manager Jimmy Ward told the local press "he put his hands up, said 'Why did I leave in the first place ?' and I said 'of course you can come back'."

At the start of November 2006 Ramsgate loaned David to Kent League Deal and he scored four goals in as many games there before returning to Southwood in December 2006. In March 2007 he broke his cheekbone in two places during a 2-0 home win over Harrow and by the end of the 2006/07 campaign David had scored three goals for the Rams.

In the summer of 2007 he joined Deal on a permanent basis and David scored 13 goals during the first half of the 2007/08 season before linking up with Whitstable in January 2008.

On 19.1.08 he scored on his debut for the Oystermen in a 4-2 home win over Corinthian Casuals and David managed five more goals before the end of 2007/08. He stayed with Whitstable until the end of the 2008/09 campaign and by then his career record for the club was 19 goals from 59 appearances.

In the summer of 2009 David featured in several friendlies for Conference South outfit Welling before having another trial spell back at Margate.

On 28.7.09 he made his first appearance for Margate for over 11 years when he played in the first leg of the Isle of Thanet Gazette Cup against Ramsgate at Hartsdown Park. David wore the number ten shirt in a 1-0 win and also played in the return leg at Southwood on 1.8.09 - a match that finished 1-1. Shortly afterwards manager Terry Yorath told the Isle of Thanet Gazette he needed to make decision about David and said "I'll have to make my mind up after Saturday - it's no good pretending I'm going to sign him if I'm not. He's not a bad player. He's a decent lad, he wants to play and I like people like that."

On 4.8.09 David scored as Margate beat Ashford 3-0 at home in a friendly and the following morning he signed for Folkestone Invicta.

He scored once in seven appearances for Invicta at the start of the 2009/10 season but in September 2009 Ramsgate manager Jimmy Ward told the Isle of Thanet Gazette that he was expecting David to return to the club. Ward said "To be fair, he's a Ramsgate player, he's one of mine. He's been out on his travels and we had a bit of a falling-out but he's gagging to come back. He epitomises what the club is all about - hard work, skill and he knows where the back of the net is." However David ended up staying at Folkestone for a few more weeks and Ward told the Thanet Times "I couldn't afford him.".

In October 2009 David rejoined Whitstable and scored four goals for the Oystermen before the end of 2009/10. He also started 2010/11 with the club before leaving Kent towards the end of 2010.

He joined Norwich United of the Eastern Counties League Premier Division in January 2011 and went on to score eight goals for them before the end of the 2010/11 campaign.

David was still with the club during the early part of the 2011/12 season but by October 2011 he'd retired from senior football due to injury.

During the 2013/14 campaign David was playing in the Thanet Sunday Football League.

SEASON (CLUB)

FULL (MAX)

SUB

GLS

FAC

FAT

SLC

KSC

 

1997/98 (MFC)

(67)

9

0

SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (6TH OF 22)

1R

2R

W

W

     Played (as sub) in FA Cup 1st Round (16.11.97 - lost 2-1 to Fulham at home).  

SEASON (CLUB)

FULL (MAX)

SUB

GLS

FAC

FAT

ILC

KSC

2009/10 (MFC)

2 (51)

0

0

ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (19TH OF 22)

1QR

1QR

3R

QF

     Margate finished in relegation position but were reprieved and remained in the Isthmian League Premier Division.