Paul Collins

DOB: 1st January 1970

Position: Striker

Season of first appearance: 1988/89

Season of last appearance: 1988/89

Full Appearances: 2

Substitute: 0

Goals: 1

Also played for:

Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Cray Wanderers and Hythe Town.

Player Profile:

Forward from the North Kent area who joined Thanet United from Kent League outfit Tunbridge Wells in January 1989.

Paul made his debut in a 6-2 thrashing at Witney on 28.1.89 and had the consolation of scoring one of the United goals. The Thanet Times felt that he gave "much-needed bite to the attack". He also played as Thanet lost 2-0 at home to Bury on 4.2.89 but then left the club.

Paul joined Tonbridge in the summer of 1989 and scored a hat-trick for them on the opening day of the Kent League season. He went on to become the Angels' leading marksman for the campaign, scoring 20 goals in 34 appearances.

Paul moved to Cray for the 1990/91 season but rejoined Tonbridge for 1991/92 and had another excellent campaign for them, scoring 22 goals in 39 appearances. Paul also had a spell on loan at Hythe towards the end of the season, scoring for them in a 2-1 defeat at Margate on 18.4.92, but he was recalled by Tonbridge shortly before the Kent League Cup Final against Whitstable and scored the winning goal.

Paul made one further substitute appearance for the Angels at the start of 1992/93 before leaving the club to rejoin Tunbridge Wells in November 1992.

Shortly after his transfer he ironically scored a hat-trick for Wells in a 3-1 win over Tonbridge in the FA Vase and on 26.12.92 Paul was sent off after only 14 minutes of a league game at Tonbridge. In January 1993, he scored a hat-trick in a 4-3 win over Beckenham.