Valery Pajetat

DOB: 17th February 1986

Position: Goalkeeper

Season of first appearance: 2016/17

Season of last appearance: 2016/17

Full Appearances: 15

Substitute: 0

Goals: 0

Clean Sheets: 0

Also played for:

Renaissance (Cameroon), Impots (Cameroon), Sporting Pombal (Cameroon), Nacional (Portugal), Freamunde (Portugal), Feirense (Portugal), Espinho (Portugal), Famalicao (Portugal), Haringey Borough

Player Profile:

Born in Yaounde in Cameroon, Valery started his career in his native country with Renaissance in 2004-05 before also appearing for Impots (2005-06) and Sporting Pombal (2006-2008). He then moved to Portugal where he played for Nacional (2008-2010), Freamunde (2010-11), Feirense (2011-12), Espinho (2013) and Famalicao (2013-14).

Valery moved to England and was signed by Margate in November 2016 as a replacement for the injured Lewis Ward. He made his debut on 26.11.16 in an FA Trophy tie at home to East Thurrock United that finished in a 1-1 draw.

Valery remained ever-present between the sticks before Ward's return in mid-February.

Manager Nikki Bull was moved to publicly defend Valery after mistakes in matches against Bishop's Stortford on 7.1.17 and Poole on 14.1.17 had cost goals.

He said: "Val came in and was exceptional for us in the first three or four weeks after he signed so we know what he's capable of. Unfortunately on Saturday [against Poole] it was a bad error. I know the sun was a bit of an issue but the ball was going straight at him. I think he got caught in two minds, about whether to catch or parry it and in the end he's just pushed it in.

"Since he's been here he's been superb, it's just that in the last two games his mistakes have cost us points but I'm not pointing the finger at him. He's a good character and I expect him to come back stronger."

Brett Johnson sustained a serious knee injury that ruled him out for the rest of the season after a collision with Valery during a 1-0 defeat at Hampton & Richmond on 11.2.17.

The return of Lewis Ward saw Valery displaced from the team. When Ward's loan from Reading was not renewed, Jon Miles played a few games in goal but Valery returned for the last three matches of the season.

Valery made a total of 15 appearances for Margate during a very difficult season - those games saw 14 defeats and one draw.

Margate offered Valery a new deal at the end of the season but he turned it down and joined Haringey Borough, then members of Isthmian Division One North. He was part of Haringey's team that won promotion to the Isthmian Premier Division during 2017-18 and finished in the Isthmian Premier play-offs in 2018-19.

He spent several seasons with Haringey and made national news when, during an FA Cup 4QR tie against Yeovil Town on 19.10.19, he accused away supporters of racial abuse, as well as spitting and throwing objects. Both teams walked off the pitch and the game had to be replayed. Nobody was ever charged in relation to the incident and Yeovil won the rearranged fixture 3-0.