Tommy Marshall

DOB: 16th April 1940

Position: Full-back

Season of first appearance: 1962/63

Season of last appearance: 1968/69

Full Appearances: 381

Substitute: 0

Goals: 28

Also played for:

Arsenal (0), Sheffield United (0) and Ramsgate Athletic.

Player Profile:

Bradford-born player who captained a Yorkshire County Youth side including Dennis Law before signing for Arsenal aged 15. While with the Gunners, Tommy took part in a tour of Holland.

In 1958, he was transferred to Sheffield United before signing for Ramsgate in the summer of 1959. Tommy was the Rams' regular centre-back for several seasons but, in the summer of 1962, he was transfer-listed having failed to agree a new contract. Initially Ramsgate wanted a fee of £1,000 for Tommy but, when that was reduced to £250 after a lack of interest, Margate stepped in and signed him in September 1962.

Tommy made his debut in a 3-1 win over Ashford in the Southern League at Hartsdown Park on 15.9.62 and initially played at centre-back with Bob Harrop moving into midfield. However, that was only a short-term arrangement and, when Harrop returned to his customary role, Tommy himself moved into midfield. He also played some games at left-back during the campaign. Tommy made a total of 39 appearances during the 1962/63 season as Margate won the Southern League Division One title and unluckily missed an FA Cup First Round tie at Millwall on 3.11.62 due to a facial injury that required six stitches. He scored once - the only goal in a 1-0 win at Romford on 7.11.62 - and on 7.5.63 Tommy played as Margate won 2-0 at Maidstone in the First Leg of the Kent Floodlight Cup Final. He also featured in the Second Leg at Hartsdown Park on 13.5.63 which Margate won 3-0 to claim the trophy. On 1.6.63, he was in the team that beat visitors Bexleyheath & Welling 1-0 in the Kent Senior Shield Final.

During the 1963/64 season, Tommy made a further 56 appearances and scored five times. He spent most of the campaign playing either at left-back or in midfield but also turned out at right-back occasionally. On 19.10.63, he scored with a shot from outside the penalty area in a 2-1 home win against Tonbridge in the FA Cup and on 16.11.63 Tommy played as Margate drew 2-2 at Brentford in the FA Cup First Round. He also featured in the replay at Hartsdown Park on 20.11.63 that the Bees won 2-0. Tommy fired home a direct free-kick in a 3-1 home defeat against Folkestone in the Kent Floodlight Cup on 2.12.63 and he also found the net with a superb long-range effort in a 3-2 win at Ashford on 4.3.64.

Tommy spent most of the 1964/65 season at left-back and made 45 appearances despite suffering a cartilage injury which kept him out for a two months and required an operation. He scored four goals during the campaign, the best of them a 25-yard effort in a 2-1 win at Folkestone on 12.4.65.

During the 1965/66 season, Tommy was a regular in the side once more and made a total of 58 appearances, scoring three goals. He spent most of the campaign at left-back or in midfield but also had a stint in his old position of centre-back. Tommy was as consistent as ever although Margate were relegated from the Southern League Premier Division and two of his goals were long range efforts. He also broke his nose during the campaign and during February 1966 missed two consecutive penalties. During the season, Tommy set up a window cleaning business with Ken Bracewell.

In June 1966, Tommy was part of the Margate squad that travelled to West Germany for a three-match tour and he scored twice in a 7-0 win over Lorch on 18.6.66.

Tommy passed 200 appearances for the club during the 1966/67 season, he played 53 times and scored seven goals. They included a strike from 20 yards in a 1-1 draw at Stevenage on 2.1.67 that the local press described as "spectacular" and a 35-yarder in a 7-1 win over Sittingbourne at Hartsdown Park on 15.4.67. Tommy played in midfield for the majority of the campaign as Margate won promotion from the Southern League Division One by finishing as runners-up and also made one appearance as a striker but failed to impress. The local press said he was as "strong as a lion in the tackle" and described Tommy as having a "go-anywhere, do-anything" style.

During the 1967/68 season, Tommy made 71 appearances, almost all of them at left-back, to pass 300 for Margate and the local press praised him for his "whole-hearted enthusiasm" and "thorough professionalism" during the campaign. Tommy scored five goals which included a low 20-yarder during a 6-2 defeat at Barnet on 23.9.67 and during that month a benefit dance was held in his honour.

On 13.12.67, Tommy was in the side that won 3-1 at Yeovil in the FA Cup First Round and he also played in the Second Round as Margate lost 4-0 at home to Peterborough on 6.1.68. On 20.3.68, he found the net with a brilliant header in a 3-3 draw at Hastings and, on 6.4.68, Tommy scored in the First Leg of the Southern League Cup Final - a 1-1 draw with Ramsgate at Hartsdown Park. He then took part in the Second Leg at Southwood on 13.4.68 which finished 0-0.

On 9.5.68, Margate's home game against Weymouth was designated as a testimonial match for Tommy and the Isle of Thanet Gazette described him as a "stalwart" He was then part of the side that won the Southern League Cup on 16.5.68 by beating Ramsgate 3-1 in a replay at Hartsdown Park.

In the summer of 1968, Tommy had an operation on his nose but he recovered in time for the start of the 1968/69 season and continued to play regularly during the campaign. Tommy made a total of 59 appearances and scored three goals. Once again he usually featured at left-back but Tommy also played a few games in midfield as well as some at centre-back and he even had a run of matches as an emergency striker at the end of the campaign. On 16.11.68, he was in the side that lost 3-1 at Northampton in the FA Cup First Round.

On 22.3.69, Tommy scored with an excellent volley in a 3-2 home win over Burton and on 8.5.69 he was on target as Margate beat Folkestone 2-0 in the Second Leg of the Kent Senior Cup Final at Hartsdown Park. Tommy played up front and the visitors won the trophy 4-2 on aggregate. Shortly afterwards it was announced that he was to be released at the end of the season.

On 20.5.69, Tommy played as Margate drew 1-1 at Maidstone in the First Leg of the Kent Floodlight Cup Final and he made his final appearance for the club in the Second Leg at Hartsdown Park on 24.5.69 as Margate won 3-1 to claim the trophy. Tommy then retired, despite only having just turned 29, but he stayed at Margate for a period as the club's full-time fundraising and social organiser before finally leaving Hartsdown Park early in 1970.

Earlier in his Margate career, Tommy worked at a Margate printers and in 1968 said that his ambition was to become a First Division club's secretary.

In 1971, Tommy emigrated to Australia and sadly died there from a heart attack on 25.6.86 aged only 46. He'd been playing squash with workmates at the time and it was the day of Tommy's 26th wedding anniversary.