{"id":17433,"date":"2026-06-01T11:29:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T10:29:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sittingbournefc.org\/?page_id=17433"},"modified":"2026-08-20T19:32:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T18:32:47","slug":"former-players-d-e-and-f","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sittingbournefc.org\/?page_id=17433","title":{"rendered":"Former Players D, E and F"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Compiled by Tony Rickson<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Nick Davis<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 82+65. Goals: 5. Sittingbourne debut: Aug 2012; Final game: Jan 2018.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Maidstone, Tonbridge<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Top centre-half in an impressive playing career, he then turned to management and had three separate spells in the Sittingbourne hot seat. He co-managed the team with Matt Wyatt and subsequently managed on his own, proving to be a key figure at the club for much of the following 10 years. His managerial career has also taken him to Ramsgate, VCD and Hythe.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Bill Dickie<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Played for Sittingbourne: 1922-28<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Kilmarnock, Chelsea, Stoke, Sheppey United<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Two years after playing for Chelsea in the semi-final of the FA Cup, Scottish centre-half Dickie joined Sittingbourne. The programme for one of his first matches at the old Bull ground noted: \u2018With ripe experience in first class football there are no tricks of the trade Dickie has yet to learn and under his captaincy Sittingbourne have every chance of retrieving their prestige. He will see that his confreres take the field fit for the work before them.\u2019 Dickie died in 1960 at the age of 67.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Ian Docker<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 25+3. Sittingbourne debut: Dec 1994; Final game: Dec 1995<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Gillingham<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Hard-working and tough-tackling former Gillingham midfielder, where he made more than 100 appearances. An ex-England Schoolboy international who also had experience of playing in Hong Kong, Docker was signed for Sittingbourne by John Ryan and was a regular choice during the year he spent at the club. He\u2019s continued to be involved in football, coaching and managing at clubs including Gravesend and Northfleet, Margate, Ramsgate and Ashford and in 2025 was appointed manager of SCEFL club Staplehurst Monarchs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Gary Doe<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

First played for Sittingbourne in 1979 with his final game in the 1988-89 season<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Canterbury, Gravesend, Chatham, Sheppey, Lordswood, Thanet<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Striker who joined Sittingbourne four times during his career, the first occasion as a 20-year-old in 1979, staying for two seasons. He returned to the club in 1984 and scored the winning goal from a penalty in a 3-2 victory over Thanet in the FA Cup. Moved around Kent during his career and also had a spell as player-manager at Chatham.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Corey Donoghue<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 9+4. Goals: 4. Sittingbourne debut: Aug 1995; Final game: Mar 1996.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Scored the very first goal of the 1995-96 season which ended with Sittingbourne winning the Beazer Homes League Southern Division championship. It was his first game for the club, too, the goal helping the Brickies draw 2-2 with Bashley. Also scored both goals in a 2-1 win at Weston-Super-Mare, a fitting end to a daunting 12-hour round trip for a Tuesday night game. Donoghue went on to play professionally in Norway before returning to a coaching career in the UK. Earlier in life, he\u2019d rejected the chance of a YTS placement at Arsenal so he could continue his education.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Len Dowell<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Played for Sittingbourne: 1925-27<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Partick Thistle, Gillingham, Ashford<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

An inside-forward, he made the long journey south from his native Scotland to join Sittingbourne, who were then in the Kent League. He stayed for two years before climbing back up the football ladder to play more than 50 games for Gillingham. Dowell ended up back in Sittingbourne, playing as an amateur for Lloyds. He died in 1964, aged 66.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Joe Dowley<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 229+29. Goals: 2. Sittingbourne debut: Aug 2003; Final game Apr 2012.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Chatham, Maidstone, Ramsgate, Faversham<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Good things come in small packages, and although left-back Dowley wasn\u2019t the tallest he made up for it with tenacity and toughness. After being a regular for years, including as captain and winning players\u2019 player-of-the-year two seasons in a row, he took over as Sittingbourne manager for a season.\u00a0He said: \u2018I\u00a0appreciated the chance\u00a0Andy Spice\u00a0gave me. It\u2019s a good club, with a lot of people working hard and putting a lot of effort in.\u2019<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Andrew Drury<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 96+7. Goals: 24. Sittingbourne debut: Feb 2001; Final game: Oct 2020.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Gravesend & Northfleet, Lewes, Stevenage, Luton, Ipswich, Folkestone Invicta<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Drury was 18 when he first played in midfield for Sittingbourne and 37 when he last played for his home town club. He scored more than 20 goals in nearly 100 games as a youngster and then went on to enjoy a long and successful career as a professional footballer. Returned to play for Sittingbourne in the covid-hit 2020-21 season and showed he\u2019d lost none of his old skills on the ball before kicking off a new career in management.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Maurice Dunk<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Played for Sittingbourne: 1977-79<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Milton, Brent Sports<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Hugely important figure in Sittingbourne\u2019s long history, offering a home at Woodstock in 2012 when Bourne Park was proving expensive and outdated, and taking over as club chairman from Andy Spice. Local man Dunk was taken by his Dad to his first Sittingbourne game when he was just six. He went on to play for the club, having been signed by manager Micky Harrington (who also ran the Bull pub in Sittingbourne) and coach Peter Laraman. He mainly played for the reserves in the New Brompton League but made his debut for the first team against a Gillingham XI at the old Bull Ground. Marvellous Mo is a retired accountant, and alongside his love of family and football, is a well-known local musician, singer and broadcaster.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Harley Earle<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Sittingbourne appearances: 44+8. Sittingbourne debut: Jan 2023; Final game: Jan 2025.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Maidstone, Herne Bay<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Immensely likeable and popular goalkeeper who was always the last there for a celebratory team photo after cup victories in the successful 2024-25 season because he was busy shaking hands with every fan and thanking them for their support. Earle was on the losing side just five times in the 44 games he played for Sittingbourne after originally joining on loan from Maidstone. Showed his bravery when diving at the feet of a Faversham forward which cost him a fractured cheekbone as Sittingbourne were holding out for a 1-0 win at the end of the 2022-23 season. And he showed his brilliance \u2013 and character \u2013 to keep a clean sheet in the FA Cup replay win at Dover in 2024 when the fans continued to sing his name long after the final whistle.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Efrem Ebbli<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 24. Sittingbourne debut: Aug 1994; Final game Feb 1995.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Dover, Herne Bay, Deal, Lordswood; Alzano, Trevigliese, Derthona (all in Italy)<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Colourful goalkeeper who played nearly a season for Sittingbourne before following manager John Ryan to Dover. Fondly remembered for scoring a goal in a pre-season friendly at Enfield after coming on as an outfield sub. Later at Herne Bay he set a club record of keeping a clean sheet in league matches for over 600 minutes. In retirement, the larger-than-life Ebbli, who has a degree in electronics, played walking football and returned to his home country Italy where he was a goalkeeping coach. He also wrote a book about his experiences in English football, called The Bitter Taste of Victory. In it, he told about playing for Sittingbourne, how he was introduced to the club through meeting Karl Elsey in a Gillingham pub, and the time he spent working in a sports shop in Sittingbourne\u2019s High Street.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Arnold Eckersall<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Played for Sittingbourne: 1959-65<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Worcester, Hastings, Poole, Shrewsbury, Gravesend<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Centre-forward who recalled with pleasure playing for Sittingbourne when the team won both the Kent Senior Shield and Kent Senior Cup. His best memories: \u2018The team spirit, near misses and promotions!\u2019 \u2018Arnie\u2019 scored four goals for Sittingbourne in a 10-0 FA Cup win over Whitstable in 1962, the club\u2019s biggest ever cup win. A knee injury ended his football career but he went on to become a secondary school teacher and a ski-ing coach. Wearing a smart blue suit and looking and sounding very fit for his age, he was a guest at a Sittingbourne home match in 2025 and very much enjoyed his day.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Karl Elsey<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 47+3. Goals: 2. Sittingbourne debut: 1991-92; Final game: Nov 1994.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Newport, Cardiff, Gillingham, Reading, Maidstone, Ashford, Margate<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Welshman Elsey made more than 450 Football League appearances before dropping out of league football to join Sittingbourne in March 1992. Mainly an attacking midfielder, he took over as captain when Dave Ward was injured, and was a key member of the Sittingbourne team that clinched the Beazer Homes League Southern Division championship in 1992-93 when they won their final match of the season at Poole. Manager John Ryan said that day: \u2018In twenty years time people will still be saying \u201cI was at Poole.\u201d And if you were lucky enough to be there yourself, you\u2019ll know exactly why.\u2019 Elsey ended up player-manager for Margate and his last game for them was just after his 37th<\/sup>\u00a0birthday and resulted in a 2-1 defeat by his old club Sittingbourne.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Neil Emblen<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 52. Goals: 2. Sittingbourne debut: Aug 1992; Final game: Oct 1993.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Tonbridge, Millwall, Wolves, Crystal Palace, Norwich, Walsall<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

More than 30 years on and the transfer fee received for Neil Emblen still stands as a Sittingbourne club record. And no wonder as he was a brilliant centre-half with an outstanding career in professional football ahead of him. Months after being an ever-present key member of the Sittingbourne team that won the Beazer Homes League Southern Division in 1992-93, Emblen, then 23, was sold along with Micky Harle to Millwall for \u00a3210,000. He went on to play Premier League football and more than \u00a33 million was paid for him in transfers in a career of more than 300 games that took in Wolves (twice), Crystal Palace and Norwich. In retirement he moved into coaching and management and was in charge of the New Zealand team for the Olympics in London in 2012. Emblen said: \u2018I learned so much at Sittingbourne from all the ex-professional players and I loved the characters in the squad that gave us the grit and quality to be a winning unit. A highlight for me was the friendly game we played in front of around 5,000 fans against Spurs. It was a really great occasion and the club was being talked about as one of the most progressive non-league teams. Another fond memory was winning the league at Poole \u2013 there were great celebrations and definitely a fun coach ride home that night!\u2019 Sittingbourne fan Mark Savage said: \u2018Great memories of getting back to the clubhouse of karaoke with fans and the players.\u2019 Emblen added: \u2018I\u2019ll forever be grateful to John Ryan and Sittingbourne FC for giving me the opportunity back then.\u2019<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Ikechi Eze<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 6+9. Goals: 1. Sittingbourne debut: Dec 2019; Final game: Mar 2020.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Horsham, Burgess Hill, Hampton & Richmond, Fisher, Stranraer, Aveley<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Scored the only goal of his Sittingbourne career in January 2020, and it was the only goal of the game as it gave them a 1-0 win over Three Bridges. It was the same for everyone but that season finished abruptly for Eze when the coronavirus pandemic forced it to be abandoned a couple of months early. Just before that, he\u2019d been shouted at by some young fans during the first half of a match at Sevenoaks: \u2018Your brother\u2019s just scored for Crystal Palace.\u2019 That brother, Eberechi, has since gone on to play international football for England.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Brian Farley<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Appearances: 1950s.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Spurs, Chelmsford<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Joined Sittingbourne in August 1955 after four years at Spurs, where he played 150 reserve team games but only one first team match. A centre-half, he later went back to his first club Chelmsford as player-coach but tragically died in 1962 at the age of 35 from a haemorrhage after suffering an injury in a match two days earlier.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Kevin Fewell<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 78+8. Sittingbourne debut: Aug 2003; Final game: Aug 2005<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Chatham, Whitstable, Erith Town<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Goalkeeper Fewell played every game but one in his first season at Sittingbourne, 2003-04. In fact, manager Mark Beeney, himself a former Premier League keeper, had such faith in Fewell he invited him to be a substitute for Chelsea reserves for one game because of a keeper crisis at the club. Even after Beeney left Sittingbourne during the following season, the steady Fewell stayed on as No 1 choice.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Steve Forbes<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Played for Sittingbourne: 1993-94<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Millwall, Colchester, Dagenham & Redbridge, Hendon, Billericay, Eastleigh<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Midfielder Forbes made his debut for Sittingbourne as a teenager and had played very few games when he was sold to Millwall for \u00a350,000. He went on to make nearly 100 Football League appearances, including winning the Division Three play-offs with Colchester, and then continued his career with several leading non-league clubs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Return to Former Players Index<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Compiled by Tony Rickson Nick Davis League appearances: 82+65. Goals: 5. Sittingbourne debut: Aug 2012; Final game: Jan 2018. Other clubs: Maidstone, Tonbridge Top centre-half in an impressive playing career, he then turned to management and had three separate spells in the Sittingbourne hot seat. He co-managed the team with Matt Wyatt and subsequently managed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-17433","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sittingbournefc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17433","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sittingbournefc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sittingbournefc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sittingbournefc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sittingbournefc.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17433"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/sittingbournefc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17433\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18293,"href":"https:\/\/sittingbournefc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17433\/revisions\/18293"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sittingbournefc.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}