Paul Vines

DOB: 21st September 1983

Position: Striker

Season of first appearance: 2013/14

Season of last appearance: 2013/14

Full Appearances: 5

Substitute: 7

Goals: 0

Also played for:

Tooting & Mitcham, Bromley, Beckenham, Kingstonian, Dulwich Hamlet, Cray Wanderers, Carshalton Athletic, Thamesmead Town, Greenwich Borough, Chatham Town, VCD, Punjab United.

Player Profile:

A well travelled forward who has been a prolific goal-scorer at a number of clubs.

Started at Cray Wanderers' reserves from where he moved to Bromley in late 2003. He marked his debut for Bromley with a goal coming off the bench.

In 2005/06, Paul had spells at Kingstonian and Cray Wanderers before joining Beckenham Town in the Kent League for 2006/07. He then left Beckenham to spend a very successful period at Tooting & Mitcham.

At Tooting he won the Surrey Senior Cup and London Senior Cup in 2006/07 but they lost the Isthmian Southern Division play-off final to Hastings United. In 2007/08, he nabbed 42 goals in all competitions as Tooting won promotion to the Isthmian Premier Division - this was despite missing six games mid-season due to a suspension. The Terrors also retained the London Senior Cup.

Paul scored 22 times in all competitions in 2008/09 to remain the club's top scorer. He did even better the following season with 29 goals and Tooting reached the First Round of the FA Cup for the first time since the mid-70s. They were drawn away to League One side Stockport County, losing 5-0, a game in which Paul played.

Paul signed for Conference South Bromley in 2010/11 but left them early in 2011 to join Kingstonian on loan, a move that soon became permanent. Paul played in the remarkable game at Hartsdown on 30.04.2011 when the Ks needed a win to reach the Isthmian Premier play-offs. They were 3-0 up at half-time, Paul scoring the second goal, but the Ks were pegged back to a 3-3 draw and missed out.

Paul spent 2011/12 at Carshalton and hit a total of 30 goals in 64 appearances but was released early in 2012/13 to join Cray Wanderers. There were then stays at Kingstonian and Dulwich Hamlet before Paul joined Margate in September 2013 where his brother Joe was a player. He made five appearances (plus seven as sub) but scored no goals.

Following a spell at VCD Athletic, Paul joined Chatham Town and had great success. He won the SCEFL Golden Boot in 2018/19 with 39 goals. The Chats won both the Kent Senior Trophy and SCEFL Challenge Cup that season.

In March 2019, Paul ended up in goal during a match at Crowborough. Boss James Collins was hoping to give his leading scorer a rest after naming him on the bench. But, when keeper Dan Ellis dislocated his finger early in the match, the manager turned to his captain. Paul made some fine saves as Chatham won 3-1.

The curtailed 2019/20 season saw just eight goals for Paul from 32 appearances.

He then departed for another stay at VCD in 2020/21.

Punjab United of the SCEFL was Paul's next destination. After scoring 17 goals in 2021/22, he added 18 in 2022/23 and helped them to win the Kent Senior Trophy, scoring once as they beat Deal 6-0 in the final at Maidstone United.

As he passed his 40th birthday in 2023/24, Paul was still playing for Punjab United in the SCEFL and looking to close in on 650 career goals.

In an interview with Kent Sports News, he said: "People ask me why I keep going and I tell them that it’s what I know, it’s difficult to explain what football gives you as a player; I suppose it’s my outlet and my relief if things are going badly at work or at home! I think for a lot of us that you find something extra that you need to propel.”