*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.
Tony Harwood
Appearances: 60+5 Goals: 4
Date / Year of birth: 1970
Position: Centre-back / Striker
Season of first appearance: 1991/92
Season of last appearance: 1994/95
Also played for: Corinthian, Coventry City (0) and Maidstone United (0)
6' 1" tall Chatham-born player who was a talented all-round sportsman during his school days, excelling at rugby, athletics and cricket in addition to football.
Tony started his senior career with Corinthian and played for them in the Southern League as a 15 year-old before being signed by Coventry in 1988. He'd had the chance to join Gillingham but chose Coventry partly because his uncle George Curtis was the club's Managing Director at the time.
Tony spent the 1988/89 to 1990/91 seasons at Coventry and had a spell on loan at Maidstone during 1990/91. In the summer of 1991 he was released and signed for Margate, turning down an offer from Hereford to continue in professional football to do so.
Tony made his debut at centre-back in a 2-1 defeat against Burnham at Hartsdown Park on 17.8.91 - the opening day of the 1991/92 campaign. He went on to play regularly throughout the season, often as a sweeper and sometimes in midfield or at right-back. The Thanet Times said he was "outstanding" in a 2-1 defeat at Baldock on 24.8.91 but Tony then scored a headed own goal in a 2-2 home draw with Ashford two days later. He scored another own goal in Margate's next game at home to Newport IOW on 31.8.91. He spectacularly lobbed Joe Radford and the Isle of Thanet Gazette said Tony's mistake "ruined an otherwise fine performance". On 19.10.91 Tony scored his first goal in a 2-1 win at Whyteleafe in an FA Trophy tie, bagging the winner in injury time having come on as a substitute. At the start of 1992 he had a run of four games as a striker but didn't score and the Thanet Times said the experiment had "not proved a success". Tony soon returned to a defensive role and had his best game of the season in a 1-1 draw at Braintree on 7.4.92. The Times praised his "decisive covering and intelligent positioning" and Tony ended the campaign having scored three times in 45 appearances (four as sub).
He started the 1992/93 season as a fixture in the side at centre-back but after picking up an injury at the end of September 1992 Tony missed Margate's next ten games. He returned to the side in November and had a run of games as a striker, scoring in a 3-0 win at Baldock on 21.11.92, but after a 2-0 win at Havant on 12.12.92 the Thanet Times said "he lacks the mobility so essential in a striker's role". Tony played once more up front - in a 2-0 home defeat against Bury on 19.12.92 - but had to go off due to injury and in January 1993 he was transfer-listed. He was eventually released at the end of the season having scored once in 17 appearances during 1992/93.
After a lengthy spell out of football due to injuries and personal reasons Tony returned to Margate early in the 1994/95 campaign and made his first appearance as a centre-back in a 4-1 win at Tonbridge on 7.9.94. He didn't feature again until 5.11.94 when he wore the number five shirt in a 2-0 defeat against Salisbury at Hartsdown and after playing in a 1-0 home win over Sittingbourne on 8.11.94 Tony left Margate once again having made just three appearances. He retired from senior football after his departure from Hartsdown Park.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1991/92 (MFC) |
41 (52) |
4 |
3 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (14TH OF 22) |
1QR |
3QR |
1R |
1R |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1992/93 (MFC) |
16 (53) |
1 |
1 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (10TH OF 22) |
2QR |
2QR |
1R |
1R |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
||
|
1994/95 (MFC) |
3 (55) |
0 |
0 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (13TH OF 22) |
3QR |
1QR |
3R |
2R |