Derek Grace

DOB: 29th December 1944

Position: Midfielder

Season of first appearance: 1966/67

Season of last appearance: 1968/69

Full Appearances: 153

Substitute: 1

Goals: 38

Also played for:

Queens Park Rangers (0), Exeter City (45,4), Gillingham (5,0), Dartford, Berea Park (South Africa), Maidstone United, London City (Canada), Gravesend & Northfleet and Herne Bay.

Player Profile:

5' 10" tall, Chiswick-born player who started his career at Queens Park Rangers as an apprentice but didn't make the first team there. Derek moved to Exeter in May 1962 and made 45 senior appearances for them before joining Gillingham in July 1965.

He made five first team appearances for the Gills during the 1965/66 season before joining Margate in March 1967 on a free transfer. Derek could have joined Lincoln City but the fact that he was a friend of Margate player Phil Amato influenced his decision to drop into non-league football. He worked as a teacher at the same Bromley school as Amato.

Derek made his debut for Margate in a 3-2 defeat at Bexley in the Southern League on 11.3.67 and his performance in midfield was described as "very pleasing" by manager Almer Hall. Derek displayed good passing ability and solid tackling and went on to make a total of 21 appearances before the end of the 1966/67 season, scoring twice, as Margate won promotion from the Southern League Division One by finishing as runners-up.

During the 1967/68 season Derek was a regular in the side, usually playing in midfield but sometimes featuring in the forward line. He made 76 appearances (one as a substitute) and scored 24 goals, of which 14 came from the penalty spot. Derek was a creative force throughout the campaign and his energetic style led to him being branded as "tigerish" by the local press. On 21.10.67 he scored with a flying header in a 3-0 win over Burton at Hartsdown Park and on 13.12.67 Derek was in the side that won 3-1 at Yeovil in the FA Cup 1st Round. He also played in the 2nd Round as Margate lost 4-0 at home to Peterborough on 6.1.68.

On 14.2.68 Derek scored with a brilliant 35-yard effort in a 6-3 win at Gravesend & Northfleet in the Kent Floodlight League and on 6.4.68 he featured in the 1st Leg of the Southern League Cup Final - a 1-1 draw with Ramsgate at Hartsdown Park. Derek then took part in the 2nd Leg at Southwood on 13.4.68 which finished 0-0 and on 16.5.68 he was in the Margate team that secured the trophy by beating Ramsgate 3-1 in the replay at Hartsdown Park.

Derek continued to be a regular in midfield during the 1968/69 season and made 57 appearances to take his overall tally for the club past 150. He scored 12 goals, including a remarkable 40 yard effort in a 2-1 home win over Nuneaton on 7.9.68. Derek also found the net with a superb volley during a 3-1 win over Folkestone at Hartsdown Park on 21.9.68. He scored in the 6-6 draw against West Ham in front of 4000+ spectators at Hartsdown. West Ham featured the trio of Hurst, Moore and Peters. He was in the side that lost 3-1 at Northampton in the FA Cup 1st Round on 16.11.68. On 20.1.69 Derek rifled home a low 30-yarder as Margate beat visitors Canterbury 4-1 in the Kent Floodlight Cup. He was released at the end of the season and joined Dartford.

Derek went on to score nine goals from 59 outings for the Darts during the 1969/70 campaign. In July 1970 he joined Berea Park, a club based in Pretoria, South Africa. Derek later returned to England and played a few games for Maidstone during the 1972/73 season.

In the summer of 1973 he joined Canadian side London City. Derek also played for Gravesend & Northfleet during the 1973/74 campaign, making 13 appearances (one as sub) and scoring twice.

He returned to England for the 1976/77 season and played for Herne Bay in the Kent League, making 25 appearances without scoring for them.

Derek later did some scouting work and in 2011 he was living in Cape Town, South Africa.

Derek passed away in South Africa on January 8th, 2019.