Peter Smith

DOB: 27th May 1935

Position: Midfielder

Season of first appearance: 1961/62

Season of last appearance: 1964/65

Full Appearances: 100

Substitute: 0

Goals: 2

Also played for:

Fulham (0), Bristol City (0), Bexleyheath & Welling, Tunbridge Wells United, Gillingham (43,2), Bedford Town.

Player Profile:

5' 10" tall hard-tackling, mobile midfielder born in Battersea, London, who started his career as an amateur at Fulham and later, during his National Service in the RAF, had a spell with Bristol City.

When he was demobbed, Peter joined Bexleyheath & Welling and he spent the 1954/55 and 1955/56 campaigns with them.

He joined Tunbridge Wells in the summer of 1956 and after two seasons there he was signed as a professional by Gillingham in June 1958.

Peter made his debut for the Gills in a 4-2 defeat at Northampton on 27.12.58 and scored with practically his first touch in league football when a 25-yard shot flew into the net. Peter went on to make 43 senior appearances up to the end of 1959/60 and scored once more.

After being released by Gillingham in the summer of 1960, Peter joined Bedford and made 47 appearances there during 1960/61, scoring once. He was offered terms for the 1961/62 season but, in July 1961, Peter decided to sign for Margate.

He made his debut in a 1-0 defeat against Wisbech in the Southern League at Hartsdown Park on 19.8.61 and became a fixture in the Margate side during the 1961/62 campaign. Peter gained a reputation for being an 'iron man' and impressed with his hard work. He made a total of 58 appearances and, on 4.11.61, Peter was part of the Margate side that pulled off a famous 3-0 win at Bournemouth & Boscombe in the 1st Round of the FA Cup. Prior to kick-off his wife's poodle had been paraded around the pitch. Peter also featured in the 2nd Round tie against Notts County at Hartsdown Park on 25.11.61 which ended in a 1-1 draw and then played in the replay at Notts County on 30.11.61 which the home side won 3-1.

He scored twice during the season and both goals were good ones. Peter's second, a free-kick in a 3-0 win over Sittingbourne in the Kent Senior Cup at Hartsdown Park on 10.3.62, prompted him to do "a jig of delight as if he had won the pools" according to the local paper. On 12.5.62, Peter played as Margate beat visitors Folkestone 4-0 to win the Kent Senior Shield.

During the 1962/63 season, he made 37 appearances as Margate won the Southern League Division One title but Peter missed many games due to work commitments. He'd become a partner in a butchers business and wasn't able to organise a stand-in while he was playing football, despite a Margate fan offering to help by covering for him. On 3.11.62, Peter was in the Margate side that lost 3-1 at Millwall in the FA Cup 1st Round and, on 7.5.63, he played as Margate won 2-0 at Maidstone in the 1st Leg of the Kent Floodlight Cup Final. Peter also featured in the 2nd Leg at Hartsdown Park on 13.5.63 which Margate won 3-0 to claim the trophy.

Peter began the 1963/64 season playing Sunday football but he also managed to make four appearances for Margate during October and November 1963.

He made one further appearance during 1964/65 but it was his last for the club. The game concerned was an FA Cup tie at Gravesend & Northfleet on 17.10.64 and, although Margate lost 1-0, it was a memorable way for Peter to finish. He managed to get himself booked and also suffered a cut forehead during the game.