Peter Vandepeer’s Memories

Peter is one of Margate’s all-time great strikers, scoring over 100 goals during the 1950’s at a rate of more than one a game…

Peter Vandepeer Team photo

What is your full name and date and place of birth ?
Peter Ernest Vandepeer – 12th November 1927 – Sittingbourne.

What is your marital Status?
Married to a Dutch girl in 1953 – Carla Van Tongeren of Den Haag.

Do you have children ?
Three – a girl and two boys.

Did / do any of your family play football ?
Julian and Jonathan both played for Kent School Under 19 team. Jon played for Newcastle University and Cirencester. Julian at 6′ 3″ would have been a league player but suffered a serious knee injury playing in a district schools competition.

Where do you live now ?
Kingston, near Canterbury.

What is your occupation now ?
Retired.

What was your occupation during your time with Margate ?
Schoolmaster.

How did you come to join Margate ?
Almer Hall knew I was about to be married and offered me a club house due to be built in Cuthbert Road, Westgate. My immediate neighbour was Peter Peters the Margate keeper.

What do you remember about your Margate debut ?
I had just returned from my honeymoon and scored a couple of goals at Essella Park against Ashford Town.

What were the highlights of your Margate career ?
Nothing spectacular – just the joy of playing in a very good team to a high standard. I scored a great number of goals and was always the highest or second highest scorer in the Kent League.

What were the highlights of your entire career ?
Playing for Northern Universities and having an Amateur International trial in 1951 – playing in a North v South match. As player-manager at Faversham Town I led the team to two Kent Amateur Cup wins.

Who was the best player you played with at Margate ?
Len Dolding.

Who was the best player you played against whilst with Margate ?
Possibly Jimmy Blair – player-manager of Ramsgate. Well past his prime but obviously a brilliant performer.

Who was the best player you played with during your whole career ?
John Brooks at Reading – then a teenager – he moved to Chelsea with Ted Drake and became a full international.

Who was the best player you played against during your whole career ?
Two of them – Raich Carter (Derby and England inside forward) and Peter Doherty (Derby and Ireland inside forward). They were both R.A.F. instructors at Loughborough College rehabilitating burnt air crew.

Who was / were your best friend(s) during your time with Margate ?
Jack Yeomanson and Peter Peters.

Do you still keep in contact with any of your old Margate team-mates ?
Unfortunately no ! Very few left.

What was the best stadium you played in during your entire career ?
Possibly Fratton Park at Portsmouth, but The Dell at Southampton was the most compact and friendly.

What ground(s) did you most enjoy playing at during your time at Margate ?
Folkestone, Crabble and Deal.

And which ground(s) did you least like ?
Whitstable and Snowdown.

Who was the best manager you played under (and at which club) ?
Possibly Ted Drake at Reading.

Who was the biggest influence on your football career ?
Probably Len Dolding with his wealth of experience and his ability to impart his knowledge. I played inside right to his right wing and he always chatted and coached.

What was your favourite / best Margate goal?
Not possible to recall from 100 plus. However, a penalty against Alf Bentley (in goal for Snowdown) when I conned him to dive to the right-hand post and slid the ball into the other side. His language (pit variety) was a revelation !

What was the best goal you saw another Margate player score ?
Possibly Eric Worthington rising vertically from stationery to head a goal against Ramsgate.

Do you keep an eye on Margate’s progress / results and if so what do you think ?
Yes, I must get to Hartsdown to see them some time. But I’m not a spectator of any sport – so it may never happen. If I was 50 years younger I’d offer my services !!

Did you have a nickname during your career / time at Margate?
‘Flying Dutchman’ comes to mind. U.S. airmen from Manston base called me ‘Tulip’ and that name stuck more than most.

What honours did you win during your career ?
Amateur International trial in 1951 – but playing in a professional league I was seldom in the selectors eye.

Played for F.A. Amateur X1 v Combined Universities.

As player-manager of Faversham Town won the Kent Amateur Cup twice.

Do you ever watch Margate now or if not, when was the last time you saw them ?
No, not since I left the club.

Who were the real characters at Margate during your time with the club ?
Brian Moffatt was always larger than life. Les Devonshire was the cheeky, crafty cockney but pleasant with it.

Can you recall any funny moments from your time at Margate ?
Not really.

Do you have any regrets about your football career ?
Only that I missed out on a full amateur cap, especially when I saw the calibre of those constantly chosen.

What do you think about being featured on a website or the fact that a Margate History site exists ?
It is an honour to be on record as having been ‘a footballer’ – not someone who played football. The ‘good old days’ were always the best and people can revive their memories with informed information from a reliable source – the Margate history site.

Added to the site in 2003. Peter died in September 2014.