Margate Football Club is an English association football club based in the seaside resort of Margate, Kent. The club was founded in 1896 and played only friendlies and cup matches until 1909, when the team joined the Thanet and District League. Two years later Margate joined the Kent League, initially also playing in the Thanet League due to the county league's small fixture list, before stepping up to the Southern League in 1933. After four seasons at this level, however, the club was forced to resign on financial grounds and return to the Kent League. Margate returned to the Southern League in 1959 and remained there until 2001 when they gained promotion to the Football Conference, the highest level of English non-League football. During their stay at this level they were forced to groundshare with other clubs due to drawn-out and problematic redevelopment work at their Hartsdown Park ground. This led to the club being expelled from the Conference National in 2004 for failing to meet the division's stadium requirements. After one season in the Conference South the club was relegated to the Isthmian League.
The team, nicknamed "The Gate", have to date reached the third round proper of England's premier cup competition, the FA Cup, on two occasions. The club's best performance in the FA Trophy, the main cup competition specifically for non-League clubs, was a run to the quarter-final stage in 2001–02.
Seasons +List of seasons, including league division and statistics, cup results and top scorerSeasonLeagueFA CupFA Amateur Cup/FA TrophyOther competitions Top scorerRefsDivisionPWDLFAPtsPos1896–97Margate played only friendly matches1897–98Margate did not enter any league competitions----KJC SFPearce61898–99----KJC R4Taylor-JonesWells21899–1900----KJC SFPearceCroseor41900–01----KJC R4PearceWellsBarrow21901–02----KJC WinnersBarrow41902–03----KJC QFPhillips11903–04----KJC QFMatthews81904–05----KJC R2Sharpe11905–06----KSC R1MDCC Runners-upMatthewsShort21906–07--RPKAC R3MDCC WinnersDowson81907–08--R3QKSC R2QKAC R2MDCC WinnersPearce91908–09--R3QKSC R3QKAC R1MDCC SFBi. Bowden31909–10TDL8215102254th--R3QKSC R1QKAC R1QMDCC SFRandall41910–11TDL1011843346th--R3QKSC R1QKAC R4QMDCC R1Bi. Bowden31911–12KL2E14329184187th--R2QKSC R1KAC R2QMDCC QFFordham12TDL621351753rd1912–13KL2E12228142666th--R2QKAC R3QMDCC WinnersDow10TDL85032315102nd1913–14KL2E187563634194thR1QR1QKSC R1KAC R1QMDCC WinnersDow16TDL8512157111st1914–15Margate did not enter any league competitionsR1Q--NoneNo goals scoredNo competitive football was played between 1915 and 1919 due to the First World War.1919–20KL2486104851227thR2Q--KSC QFSparrow271920–21KL32147114141358thR1Q--KSC R2KSS WinnersCopp261921–22KL2811894336307thR1Q--KSC SFKSS R1Reay131922–23KL32761936722016thRP--KSC R1KSS R1Hobby91923–24Margate did not play any matches1924–25KL34952050922314th----KSC R1KSS R1Arnold221925–26KL36158138160387th----KSC R1KLC R1Stennings341926–27KL2618447033403rdRP--KSC R3QKLC SFKSS R1Stennings351927–28KL2614666843342ndRP--KSC R2KLC R2Brookes251928–29Margate did not play any matches1929–30KL32233610333492ndR2--KSC Runners-upKSS SFKLC QFWade461930–31KL36241029927583rdR4Q--KSC R2KSS WinnersWade241931–32KL36254712938544thR4Q--KSC R2KSS R1Stennings381932–33KL34281511234571stR2--KSC SFKLC SFBilly Mays601933–34SLE168352320192ndR1--KSC runners-upKSS SFSLC R1Frank Keetley30KL36233109468493rd1934–35SLE187653830203rdR4Q--KSC R1KSS R1SLC R2Reg Tricker38SLC208394034196thKL36234911051503rd1935–36SLE1813234916281stR3--KSC WinnersKSS WinnersSLC R1Jock Davie35SLC2014335718311st1936–37SL30154116449344thR4Q--KSC WinnersKSS WinnersSLC R1Eddie Carr30SLMW1812154824251st1937–38KL32244410331521st----KSC SFKSS Runners-upWilf Walsh311938–39Margate did not play any matches1939–40KL1100412n/aREP--KSC R2QKSS SFWatkins2No competitive football was played between 1940 and 1945 due to the Second World War.1945–46Competitive football resumed but Margate did not reform until a year later1946–47KL13016958946411stRP--KSC R2KSS SFTed Bensley251947–48KL134241910344491stR1Q--KSC R1KSS WinnersKLC WinnersFrank Johnson291948–49KL1341451584643310thRP--KSC R2KSS R1Alfred Hope301949–50KL132175106739396thREP--KSC R1KSS SFKLC R2Frank JohnsonRonnie Martell181950–51KL13216979357416thREP--KSC R1KSS Runners-upKLC R2Almer Hall241951–52KL13216797749394thR1Q--KSC R2KLC R1Jock Flannigan211952–53KL13219587546434thRP--KSC R2KSS Winners (joint)KLC Runners-upJock Flannigan251953–54KL13019657436442ndR2Q--KSC R1KSS R1KLC WinnersPeter Vandepeer341954–55KL13217698248405thR2Q--KSC R2KSS Runners-upKLC Runners-upPeter Vandepeer461955–56KL13219679345442ndR1--KSC R1KSS R1KLC Runners-upPeter Vandepeer301956–57KL132162146465348thR2--KSC R1KSS SFKLC SFJohnny Roche201957–58KL13420958034492ndR1--KSC SFKSS SFKLC Runners-upDennis Yeomans321958–59KL1341851110172415thR1--KSC R3KLC Runners-upTMC GrpFreddie KearnsTony Spink271959–60SL142206168877467thR2--KSC Runners-upSLC R1KSS SFFreddie Kearns401960–61SL14011121762753415thR4Q--KSC R2SLC R2KSS R1Alan Brown281961–62SL138206127455465thR2--KSC SFSLC Runners-upKSS WinnersKFC GrpAlan Blackburn301962–63SL138211348647551stR1--KSC Runners-upSLC SFKSS WinnersKFC WinnersAlan Blackburn371963–64SLP4212131768813717thR1--KSC R2SLC R2KSS R1KFC GrpAlan Blackburn281964–65SLP42209138879496thR4Q--KSC R3SLC R2KFL GrpJohn Ballagher501965–66SLP4281024661112622ndR1Q--KSC SFSLC R2KSS SFKFC Runners-upDennis Randall211966–67SL146317812754692ndR3Q--KSC Runners-upSLC QFKSS R2KFC GrpDennis Randall541967–68SLP42198158071468thR2--KSCSLC WinnersKFL GrpJohn Fahy531968–69SLP421472179903518thR1--KSC Runners-upSLC R3KFC WinnersSLCH WinnersPhil Amato321969–70SLP421781770644213thR1R3QKSC Runners-upSLC R3KFC Runners-upKSS GrpJohnny Ray301970–71SLP4215101764704013thR1R1KSC QFSLC SFKFC GrpJohn BaberGerry BakerHughie Cochrane111971–72SLP42198158071469thR1R1KSC R2SLC SFKFC GrpBarry Brown201972–73SLP421715108060497thR3R3QKSC R2SLC R1KFC GrpBarry Brown231973–74SLP421581956633817thR4QR2KSC WinnersSLC SFKMT GrpBarry BrownJohn Hold191974–75SLP421712136464467thR4QR2KSC R2SLC Runners-upKMT GrpCarl Gilbert231975–76SLP4215121562604211thR3QR2KSC SFSLC R1KFT Runners-upBrian Gregory431976–77SLP429102347852822ndR3QR1KSC R1SLC R2Ray Summers151977–78SL1S38241049232581stR1QR3QKSC R1SLC R1KSSRay SummersVic Pain201978–79SLP421092344752919thR4QR3KSC R2SLC R1Ricky FuscoGeorge Putman101979–80SLS461782151624217thR4QR3QKSC R2SLC R2Lennie Lee141980–81SLS4611728651172922ndR2QR3QKSC R2SLC R1Lennie LeeVic Pain141981–82SLS465734371101724thR1QR1QKSC R1SLC R1Dave Clay111982–83SLS341051930613514thR3QR1QKSC R2SLC R1Lennie Lee101983–84SLS38982140653518thR2QR1QKSC R2SLC R3Steve Dudley121984–85SLS38199106347665thR1QR1QKSC SFSLC GrpEFC Runners-upVic Medus241985–86SLS401372058634615thR1QRPKSC R1SLC GrpEFC GrpGary Doe141986–87SLS3814141056505610thRPR1QKSC R1SLC GrpEFC GrpITGC WinnersGary Doe131987–88SLS401713106038645thR4QR2QKSC R1SLC GrpNeil Cugley271988–89SLS427152047953620thR2QR2QKSC R1SLC R2ITGC Winners (joint)Garry AldousMark Munday101989–90SLS4212151546455116thR2QR2QITGC WinnersKSC R1SLC R3Ronnie MurrockAndy Sawyer81990–91SLS4014111552555310thR3QR3QKSC R1SLC R2ITGC LosersPaul Underwood261991–92SLS4213161349565514thR1QR3QKSC R1SLC R1ITGC LosersMartin Buglione181992–93SLS421871665586410thR2QR2QKSC R1SLC R1Martin Buglione381993–94SLS42208147658689thR3QR1QKSC WinnersSLC R3Joe Brayne251994–95SLS421572060725213thR3QR1QKSC R2SLC R3Steve Cuggy401995–96SLS421851968625911thR2QR1QKSC R1SLC R2Martin Buglione381996–97SLS42219127047725thRPR1QKSC R1SLC R2Martin Buglione271997–98SLS42238117142776thR1R2KSC WinnersSLC WinnersPaul Sykes331998–99SLS4227878433892ndRPR2SLCH LosersKSC SFSLC R1Paul Sykes231999–2000SLP42238116443773rdR4QR2KSC R2SLC R4Phil Collins282000–01SLP4228777527911stR2QR4KSC R2SLC R2Phil Collins342001–02Conf421416125953588thR4QQFSLCH WinnersKSC Runners-upLeon Braithwaite152002–03Conf4215111660665610thR2R5KSC WinnersLeon Braithwaite132003–04Conf421491956645116thR4QR5KSC WinnersAdrian Clarke92004–05ConfS461282254753421stR3QR1KSC WinnersCLC R4Che Stadhart212005–06IsP4211171449555014thR3QR2QKSC SFILC R3Danny Hockton162006–07IsP422011117948716thR3QR2QKSC R1ILC R2Danny Hockton402007–08IsP421711147168629thR3QR2QKSC SFILC R2James Pinnock272008–09IsP421372251644619thR1QR1QKSC R1ILC R2Kenny Pratt102009–10IsP4211121949714519thR1QR1QKSC R3ILC R3Lloyd Blackman142010–11IsP4211121952644516thR2QR2QKSC R2ILC R2Shaun Welford122011–12IsP421581965655315thR3QR2QKSC R3ILC R3Kwesi Appiah352012–13IsP421711146149629thR3QR1QKSC QFILC R2Tommy Whitnell112013–14IsP4618101870676411thR2QR3QKSC 1RILC R3Phil Walsh132014–15IsP462510119458853rdR2QR1QKSC SFILC SFRyan Moss262015–16NLS421382151734719thR4QR3QKSC R1Freddie Ladapo142016–17NLS42743126812522ndR4QR3QKSC R2Elliott Buchanan82017–18IsP46201797753777thR4QR3QKSC QFILC R2Jordan Chiedozie342018–19IsP4216111545485912thR2QR1QKSC R1ILC R1Kadell DanielNoel LeightonElliott Reeves132019–20IsP33111012475443n/aR2QR2QKSC R1ILC QFFrannie CollinJoe Taylor82020–21IsP91356136n/aR1QR1--Noel LeightonNorman WaboJohn Ufuah22021–22IsP42198156062658thR2QR1KSC QFILC Runners-upBen Greenhalgh232022–23IsP4211112048654417thR2QR3QKSC WinnersILC QFBen Greenhalgh172023–24IsP421092350803919thR3QR3QKSC R1ILC R3 2024–25IsSE42251258950874thR3QR2QKSC R2ILC R3
Key WinnersRunners upPromotedRelegated
Division shown in bold when it changes due to promotion, relegation or league reorganisation. Top scorer shown in bold when he set or equalled a club record.
Key to league record P – games played W – games won D – games drawn L – games lost F – goals for A – goals against Pts – points Pos – final position
Key to rounds – indicates that Margate did not enter the competition in the given season Grp – group stage QR1 – first qualifying round QR2 – second qualifying round, etc. REP – extra-preliminary round RP – preliminary round R1 – first round R2 – second round, etc. QF – quarter-final SF – semi-final n/a – not applicable
Key to divisions Conf – Conference ConfS/NLS – Conference South/National League South (renamed in 2015) IsP – Isthmian League Premier Division KL – Kent League KL1 – Kent League Division One KL2E – Kent League Division Two East SL – Southern League SLP – Southern League Premier Division SLS – Southern League Southern Division SL1 – Southern League Division One SL1S – Southern League Division One South SLE – Southern League Eastern Section SLC – Southern League Central Section SLMW – Southern League Midweek Section TDL – Thanet and District League
Key to cups CLC – Conference League Cup EFC – Eastern Floodlit Cup ILC – Isthmian League Cup ITGC – Isle of Thanet Gazette Cup KAC – Kent Amateur Cup KFC – Kent Floodlit Cup KFL – Kent Floodlit League KFT – Kent Floodlit Trophy KJC – Kent Junior Cup KLC – Kent League Cup KMT – Kent Messenger Trophy KSC – Kent Senior Cup KSS – Kent Senior Shield MDCC – Margate and District Charity Cup SLC – Southern League Cup SLCH – Southern League Championship Match TMC – Thames and Medway Cup
Notes A. Margate entered the FA Amateur Cup until the First World War. The club entered the FA Trophy from its creation in 1969. B. Margate's first ever match was a friendly against Wye F.C. on 28 October 1896. C. Margate's first round match against Folkestone Post Office was the club's first ever competitive match. It was ordered to be replayed as Margate had fielded an ineligible player. D. Pearce also scored twice in a match against Broadstairs Town which was abandoned due to fog and ordered to be replayed. E. Fordham also scored one goal in a match against Ramsgate Town which was declared void and ordered to be replayed for unknown reasons. F. Matches in both leagues are considered to have been first team matches. G. Sparrow also scored three goals in a match against Royal Army Service Corps which was later declared void when that team resigned from the league. H. Copp also scored one goal in a match against 1st Middlesex Regiment which was later declared void when that team resigned from the league.