Les McGuire

DOB: 31st January 1929

Position: Striker

Season of first appearance: 1952/53

Season of last appearance: 1955/56

Full Appearances: 53

Substitute: 0

Goals: 11

Also played for:

Gillingham (6,2), Tonbridge, Ramsgate Athletic, Guildford City and Dover.

Player Profile:

5' 10" tall striker born in Bethnal Green, London who had two spells with Margate.

Les played for London Schoolboys as a youth and turned out for Eastern Command during his time in the army. In 1949 Gillingham signed him and on 17.1.51 Les made a sensational first team debut for the Gills, scoring twice in a 9-4 win over Exeter at Priestfield. He went on to make five further senior appearances spanning the 1950/51-1951/52 seasons but never scored again and in July 1952 Les signed for Margate shortly after being released by Gillingham.

He made his debut in a 2-0 win over Whitstable at Hartsdown on 28.8.52 and went on to score six goals in 22 appearances during the 1952/53 campaign. However Les wasn't a big favourite with Margate's supporters and he was regularly 'barracked'. That was a factor in him deciding to leave the club in the summer of 1953.

Les joined Tonbridge and spent the 1953/54 and 1954/55 seasons with them. On 26.2.55 he scored a hat-trick against Margate in a Kent Senior Cup game at Hartsdown Park that Tonbridge won 6-1.

In June 1955 he returned to Hartsdown Park and during the 1955/56 season Les played 31 games but only managed to score five times in a season during which his performances were hampered by numerous niggling injuries. On 19.11.55 he was in the Margate side that drew 2-2 with Walsall at Hartsdown Park in the FA Cup 1st Round and Les also played in the replay at Walsall on 24.11.55 that the home side won 6-1.

In July 1956 He left the club once more and this time signed for Ramsgate. A month later Les scored a hat-trick as the Rams drew 3-3 with Margate at Southwood in a special 'gala' friendly match to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Kent County Football Association. He stayed with the Rams for the 1957/58 season too.

In the summer of 1959 Les signed for Dover but he was forced to retire due to injury at the end of the 1959/60 campaign. He was only 31 at the time.