John Smith

DOB: 1st January 1956

Position: Midfielder

Season of first appearance: 1980/81

Season of last appearance: 1980/81

Full Appearances: 2

Substitute: 0

Goals: 0

Also played for:

Folkestone, Folkestone & Shepway, Ashford Town, Canterbury City, Hythe Town.

Player Profile:

Folkestone-born player who started his career with his home town club, progressing from Folkestone's youth sides into the first-team.

John then had a short spell at Ashford before rejoining Folkestone (by then known as Folkestone & Shepway) for the 1975/76 season. He went on to extend his total service to Folkestone to seven years before moving to Canterbury in August 1980.

John made 31 Southern League appearances without scoring for City during the 1980/81 campaign before joining Margate on loan in March 1981.

He signed for the club as an emergency measure during a drastic player shortage and made two appearances before the end of the season. John made his debut in a 3-1 defeat at Hounslow on 7.3.81 and also played in a 3-0 defeat at Waterlooville on 21.3.81 before returning to Canterbury.

He played regularly for City for most of the 1981/82 campaign, making a further 36 Southern League appearances, but returned to Hartsdown Park towards the end of the season. John played for Thanet United's reserves and stayed at the club for almost the whole of the 1982/83 season too, again playing exclusively for the reserves.

Towards the end of 1982/83, John rejoined Canterbury and played 13 more Southern League games for City before linking up with Hythe for the 1984/85 campaign.

In the summer of 1989, John left Hythe to rejoin Folkestone where he played for the club's reserves.