Michael Power

*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.

Michael Power

Appearances: 11+1 Goals: 1

Date / Year of birth: 8th June 1983

Position: Striker

Season of first appearance: 2008/09

Season of last appearance: 2008/09

Also played for: Thamesmead Town, Cray Wanderers, Erith & Belvedere, Bromley, Tonbridge Angels, Carshalton Athletic, Braintree Town, Aveley, Thurrock, Erith Town and VCD Athletic

Skilful forward with a languid style who started his senior career with Kent League club Thamesmead. Michael progressed through the club's youth ranks and made his first team debut during the 2002/03 season.

In the summer of 2004 he moved on to Cray and on 4.9.04 Michael scored a hat-trick in a 4-0 home win over Epsom & Ewell in an FA Cup tie.

In January 2005 he was loaned to Kent League club Erith & Belvedere and Michael scored once from four appearances (one as sub) there before returning to Cray.

On 1.3.05 he got two goals in a 4-3 defeat against Margate in a Kent Senior Cup tie played at Ramsgate and by the end of the 2004/05 campaign Michael had scored ten times in 25 Isthmian League Division 1 South outings (eight as sub) for Cray. He also scored nine goals in cup competitions.

During the 2005/06 season Michael scored seven times in 35 Division 1 South appearances (nine as sub) for Cray and added another seven goals in cup ties. His tally included a hat-trick in a 4-1 home win over Kingstonian in the FA Cup on 10.9.05 and a brace in Cray's 3-0 win at Margate in the FA Cup on 8.10.05.

In the summer of 2006 Michael signed for Isthmian League Premier Division outfit Bromley but he was released a few weeks into the 2006/07 campaign having never featured in a competitive first team game.

Michael then joined Tonbridge and scored his first Premier Division goal for them in a 5-2 home defeat against Leyton on 7.10.06. He only found the net once more from a total of 32 outings (11 as sub) in all competitions and in March 2007 he rejoined Cray.

Michael went on to make 12 Division 1 South appearances (one as sub) for Cray during the remainder of 2006/07 and after an initial goal drought he found his form by scoring six times in the last four games of the season. He then helped Cray to reach the play-offs during 2007/08 by scoring 15 goals from 34 league outings (one as sub) and Michael also scored four times in cup matches.

In the summer of 2008 he featured in friendlies for both AFC Wimbledon and Welling before trying his luck with Margate. Michael made his first pre-season appearance in a match at his old club Thamesmead on 26.7.08 and scored in a 1-1 draw before finding the net in a 2-0 friendly win at Chatham on 2.8.08 with what the Thanet Times called an "excellent strike".

He made his competitive debut for Margate in a 2-1 defeat at Carshalton in the Isthmian League Premier Division on 16.8.08 and Michael then started each of the next three matches wearing the number nine shirt but went off injured 20 minutes into a 1-0 defeat at Dover on 25.8.08. He only featured once as a substitute in Margate's next five games but that outing from the bench - in a 2-0 defeat against AFC Hornchurch at Hartsdown Park on 6.9.08 - impressed the Thanet Times. The paper said Michael "turned in comfortably his best performance in a Margate shirt" and said he "held the ball up, showed excellent footwork and brought others into play, highlighting exactly why he's at the club".

On 20.9.08 Michael made his first start for almost a month as Margate travelled to Ashford (Middlesex) and after scoring the only goal of the game he enjoyed a good run in the side, starting each of the next six games. Goals proved to be elusive for Michael and in its report on a 1-0 home defeat against Hendon in the FA Trophy on 18.10.08 the Thanet Times noted "there's a feeling the crowd are starting to get wound up with big Power". The paper said he was "full of fancy footwork and stopovers" and added "he spends most of his time just past the halfway line...but that doesn't make him a bad player - because he may have the quality to make up for it."

The low point of Michael's spell with Margate came on 25.10.08 when he was widely abused by supporters during a 1-0 defeat against Wealdstone at Hartsdown Park as his barren run in front of goal was extended to five matches. He was substitute after 72 minutes and Margate's player-coach Paul Smith told the Thanet Times "I think today the treatment of Mickey Power, I've got to say, is an absolute disgrace. To be booed and have chants coming out from his own supporters I think it's shocking and I think he deserves an apology from a section of the crowd." Smith added "Okay, Mickey Power is not the sort of player who's gonna chase into channels but he has great ability on the ball. Our quality today wasn't good enough so he doesn't get to show what he can do."

Michael made his last appearance in a 2-0 home defeat against Maidstone on 28.10.08 and shortly afterwards he left Margate having scored once from 12 appearances (one as sub). He moved on to Carshalton and the Thanet Times piece about his departure described him as a "misfiring striker" whose "Margate nightmare" was over.

Michael went on to score once from 14 Isthmian League Premier Division outings (eight as sub) for Carshalton over the next few months and also found the net in an Isthmian League Cup tie before starting a third spell with Cray in March 2009.

As 2008/09 drew to a close he made five Division 1 South appearances (one as sub) without scoring as Cray won promotion via the play-offs and Michael stayed with the club for the start of the 2009/10 campaign too. He scored in a 3-1 defeat at his old club Tonbridge in the Premier Division on 18.8.09 but after making seven league appearances (two as sub) he was released early in September 2009.

Later in September 2009 Michael had a brief spell back at Erith & Belvedere before moving on to Conference South club Braintree as the month drew to a close.

He struggled with injuries for the remainder of the 2009/10 season but Michael was still part of Braintree's squad at the start of 2010/11 and in August 2010 they loaned him to Aveley.

He made three Isthmian League Premier Division appearances for the Millers without scoring and when his loan spell ended Michael was released by Braintree.

He then had a short stint at Conference South outfit Thurrock before joining Erith Town of the Kent League towards the end of November 2010.

Despite being hampered by an ongoing knee injury Michael made a few appearances for Erith during the remainder of 2010/11 and on 17.4.11 he was part of the side that beat Tunbridge Wells 3-1 at Welling to win the Kent Senior Trophy.

Early in the 2011/12 campaign Michael returned to Cray again - his fourth spell with the club - and he went on to score twice from 14 appearances (12 as sub) in the Isthmian League Premier Division. Both Michael's goals came on the final day of the season as Cray beat visitors Horsham 3-1 on 28.4.12. He'd previously scored in a 2-1 win at Bromley in the London Senior Cup on 11.12.11.

Michael also spent the 2012/13 campaign with Cray and scored six league goals from 32 outings (six as sub) as well as finding the net three times in cup ties.

In July 2013 Michael rejoined Thamesmead where he'd started his career. Their manager Keith McMahon told the Kentish Football website "He's another experienced signing as we look ahead to life in the Ryman Premier."

In January 2014 Michael moved on to Division 1 North club VCD.

SEASON (CLUB)

FULL (MAX)

SUB

GLS

FAC

FAT

ILC

KSC

 

2008/09 (MFC)

11 (46)

1

1

ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (19TH OF 22)

1QR

1QR

2R

1R

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