{"id":17447,"date":"2026-06-01T11:43:18","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T10:43:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sittingbournefc.org\/?page_id=17447"},"modified":"2026-08-20T19:39:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T18:39:09","slug":"former-players-m-n-p","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sittingbournefc.org\/?page_id=17447","title":{"rendered":"Former Players (M, N & P)"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

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

Billy Manners<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 111+31. Goals: 6. Sittingbourne debut: Dec 2007; Final game: Nov 2011.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs:\u00a0<\/em>Dulwich Hamlet, Met Police, Leatherhead, VCD Athletic, Erith & Bel, Fleet<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Brought to the club by Gary Abbott and Richard Brady as soon as they took over the management in 2007, he was a solid centre-half who also became an emergency goalkeeper in three Sittingbourne matches \u2013 when Deren Ibrahim and Chris Lewington got red cards, and in another game when Ibrahim was carried off. Manners was in the Sittingbourne team that won the Kent Senior Cup in 2010, and also played for Met Police and VCD when they won league titles.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Kieron Marsh<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 223+19. Goals: 34. Sittingbourne debut: Nov 2001; Final game: Apr 2010.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Gillingham (youth team), Dover Athletic.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Loyal and reliable, he worked his socks off in midfield for Sittingbourne for nearly 10 years altogether. Always supported by his family at matches, he was the club\u2019s and players\u2019\u00a0player-of-the-year in 2005-06. Marsh left to go on a round-the-world trip but came straight back to playing for Sittingbourne afterwards.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Bobby Mason<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 38. Sittingbourne debut: Aug 2023. Final game: Apr 2024.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs:\u00a0<\/em>Aveley, Hullbridge Sports, Thurrock. Witham, Great Wakering, Canvey Island<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

No celebration of a Sittingbourne win during the successful 2023-24 season was completed until goalkeeper Bobby Mason performed his cheerleader routine for the fans. He missed just two matches in his only season with the club and won the league\u2019s golden gloves award for November after conceding just two goals in five matches. His record of 15 clean sheets in league matches was one better than the previous best by Andy Hough in 1995-96. Before joining Sittingbourne he made a record-breaking five penalty saves for Canvey Island in 2020-21 in an FA Cup shoot-out victory over Biggleswade and made more saves than any other goalkeeper in the entire competition that season.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Mitchell May<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

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

League appearances: 51+25. Goals: 46. Sittingbourne debut: Feb 2023; Final game: Apr 2025<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Tremendous goalscoring record, golden boot winner for both his two full seasons at Sittingbourne.\u00a0One of Ryan Maxwell\u2019s first signings, he got some great goals but many others were from very close range which showed how clever and cool he was at finding just the right space in crowded penalty areas. May scored in both the play-off semi-final and final at the end of the 2024-25 season, capping a great contribution all through his time at the club. When he left Sittingbourne he tweeted: \u2018Heart-breaking to lose on penalties in the play-off final, but still a great season. Thanks to all the Sittingbourne fans, you were unbelievable all season!\u2019<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Lee McRobert<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 46+5. Goals: 8. Sittingbourne debut: Nov 1993; Final game Feb 1995.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Ashford, Millwall, Dover, Folkestone, Hastings<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Many years later, McRobert continues to hold the honour of being Sittingbourne\u2019s most expensive signing. At a time when the club was expanding fast, a \u00a320,000 fee was paid to Ashford for McRobert. A clever ball-playing inside-forward with an eye for goal, McRobert soon moved on to a full-time career with Millwall and Sittingbourne more than recouped their original expenditure, selling him for \u00a335,000. McRobert ended up back in non-league and scored more than 100 goals for Ashford.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Mark Miller<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 97+46. Goals: 21. Sittingbourne debut: Aug 1995; Final game: Apr 2003.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Played for his local club under five different managers \u2013 Steve Lovell, Alan Walker, Hughie Stinson, John Roles and Mark Beeney \u2013 having been spotted playing Sunday League football. Mainly a right-winger who was always a threat whatever the opposition, it was a family affair as he was often joined in the team by his brother Neil while his son Harry played for the club later on.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Adam Molloy\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

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

League appearances: 173. Sittingbourne debut: Aug 2012; Final game: Apr 2016.<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Erith, Deal, Hythe, Sheppey<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Molloy made more league appearances for Sittingbourne than any other goalkeeper in the 21st century (so far!) and was the club\u2019s number one for 91 successive appearances after his league debut. He was an England Under-18 international and continues to be involved with coaching young goalkeepers as well as playing. Won Sitingbourne supporters\u2019 player-of-the-year twice in a row, and said: \u2018It\u2019s the best award of all to win \u2013 the fans are really important to me.\u2019<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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

Played for Sittingbourne: 1960-61<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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

Defender for his home town club, his highlight he said, was \u2018playing in a good side that was always up the top of the Southern League and facing top players coming out of the Football League such as Jackie Milburn.\u2019<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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

League appearances: 7. Sittingbourne debut: Aug 1993; Final game Oct 1993.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other games: Potters Bar, Enfield, Harrow Borough, Finchley, St Albans, Cheshunt<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Scored a memorable winning goal for Sittingbourne in a 1993 FA Cup replay at Dover Athletic but his season was blighted by a back injury. He only managed comparatively few games for the club, but remained unbeaten in them all. Went back to his old club St Albans and ended up as manager.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Jon Neal<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 113+44. Goals: 29. Sittingbourne debut: Mar 2003; Final game: Oct\u00a0<\/em>2009.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Chatham, Hastings, Whitstable, Norton<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Signed by Mark Beeney, he worked tirelessly up front in a Sittingbourne career that extended over six years. Neal was top scorer for the club in 2004-05 and that included a hat-trick in an away match at Aveley which Sittingbourne won 5-3 despite being bottom of the league going into the match. On the Sittingbourne website, Peter Pitts reported: \u2018The game was notable for a never-say-die performance from Jon Neal who was just magnificent and thoroughly deserved his first hat-trick for the club.\u2019<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Alf Noakes<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Played for Sittingbourne in 1953 to 1955<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Crystal Palace, Portsmouth, Tunbridge Wells<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Joined Sittingbourne on loan from West Ham, where he\u2019d been a young pro but was still awaiting his debut. He stayed for two years, leaving for Crystal Palace in June 1955 where he played for seven years, making nearly 200 appearances, He started as a forward but was mainly a left-back and was remembered by one fan as being \u2018chirpy\u2019 and for making jokes with supporters behind the goal during a game. At Palace he was a cult figure for his whole-hearted approach as well as his fiercely-hit penalties. He was also famous for thrashing a ball out of play so hard that it knocked out a fan \u2013 comedian Roy Hudd\u2019s aunt Ivy \u2013 who had to be revived by the St John Ambulance. Noakes died in 2005, aged 72.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Tony Oakley<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Played for Sittingbourne between 1965 and 1971 and was manager 1971-75.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Played for the club, was briefly player-manager in 1968, and took over as Sittingbourne manager in 1971. Oakley had a very successful time in charge but died in 1975 at the age of 41 from a heart attack. He had guided Sittingbourne to top of the Kent League at the time of his tragic death.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Simon Overland<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 36. Sittingbourne debut: Aug 2016; Final game: Apr 2017<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Ebbsfleet, Dagenham & Redbridge, Hayes & Yeading, Ashford, Dulwich Hamlet, Fisher, Margate, Faversham, Herne Bay<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Regular choice in goal for almost every game in his one and only Sittingbourne season. At the time he\u2019d only recently returned to football after breaking his leg playing for Faversham against Sittingbourne in December 2014. The 6ft 5in tall keeper had a long career in non-league football after starting out as a trainee at Millwall.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Peter Overton<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 47+8. Goals: 12. Sittingbourne debut: Mar 1997; Final game: Jan 1999<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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

Hugely popular with his teammates, spent the best part of three seasons at Sittingbourne under the management of Alan Walker. He was a hard-working midfielder who chipped in with some important goals. Tragically, he was diagnosed with a brain tumour and died in 2018, aged just 43. Lloyd Hume, his old Sittingbourne teammate, and also his manager when Overton played for Maidstone, said: \u2018I don\u2019t know anyone who ever said a bad word about him. He was a real character.\u2019<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Colin Page<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Sittingbourne debut Sep 1975; Final game: 1977<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Faversham, Herne Bay, Ashford, Thanet United, Teynham & Lynsted<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Made his debut as a goalkeeper just before his 17th<\/sup>\u00a0birthday and then played the rest of that 1975-76 season and the following one while still in the sixth form at Borden Grammar in Sittingbourne. The school insisted he still played for them on a Saturday morning so he\u2019d often get on the Sittingbourne coach to a match in his Borden uniform. The club won the Kent League at Whitstable in the last game of Page\u2019s first season and in his second year finished runners-up to Medway after a great run including beating Medway 4-3 despite being 3-0 down at half time. Page, who went on to become a director of Sittingbourne FC, said: \u2018My most memorable games were probably the Kent League Cup final against Sheppey when we drew 2-2 in front of over 1,800 and lost the replay in front of 1,600.\u2019<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Kenny Pavey<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

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

League appearances: 34+19. Goals: 11. Sittingbourne debut: Apr 1997; Final game: May 1999.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs:<\/em>\u00a0Ljungskile, Osters IF, AIK, Assyriska, Vasalunds, Enskede (all in Sweden).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

A promising youngster when he played for Sittingbourne, Pavey went on to carve out a huge career in Swedish football, capped by playing in the Champions League. A winger or midfielder, he impressed Aston Villa enough in his early days for them to make him an offer, but a proposed transfer deal fell apart. Instead, he went off to Stockholm and his club AIK won the double in 2008-09 with Pavey becoming a cult figure following media interviews. He was praised for his livewire character and \u2018British bulldog spirit.\u2019 He played in the Champions League, the UEFA Cup and the Europa League and altogether spent 14 successful years playing in Sweden.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Ricky Pearson<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 132+1. Goals: 8. Sittingbourne debut: Aug 1995; Final game: Jan 19<\/em>99.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Gillingham, Wycombe, Ashford, Fisher, Margate, Erith & Belvedere<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Reliable and talented central defender during what off the field was a turbulent time in Sittingbourne\u2019s history. He played 11 Football League games for Gillingham before moving into non-league football, and was a key figure in Sittingbourne winning the 1995-96 Beazer Homes League Southern Division championship. He stood in as captain and won players\u2019 player-of-the-year, saying at the awards night: \u2018This is easily the best non-league club I\u2019ve been with. And I\u2019ve been with a few!\u2019<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Fred Perry<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

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

Played for Sittingbourne: 1956-58<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other club: Liverpool<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Right-back in the Sittingbourne team that beat Ramsgate 1-0 in the 1958 Kent Senior Cup final at Gillingham in front of a crowd of just over 10,000. The club did the double that season, winning the Kent League as well. Perry\u2019s football career ended tragically when he was badly injured in a car crash and lost a leg. He was warned by doctors he would be lucky to reach the age of 50 but Perry defied them and lived until he was 82 in 2006.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Tommy Planck<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 85+38. Goals: 45. Sittingbourne debut: Nov 1994; Final game: Jan 2000.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Gravesend, Chatham, Margate, Dartford, Whitstable<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Only 17 when he made his Sittingbourne debut, he was a talented striker, who had pace, class and an instinct for goals. He scored 50 of them altogether for Sittingbourne at the rate of one every other game, despite injury problems which plagued his career. On of them, a broken arm, probably cost him a move to Lincoln City and he also had trials at Millwall, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest.\u00a0A highlight when he was just 19 was when Planck scored a 15-minute hat-trick at the end of a 1996 match against Witney which clinched Sittingbourne\u2019s promotion to the Beazer Homes League Premier Division. It was quite a win in front of more than 1,000 fans at Central Park as they were losing 2-0 at half-time! Planck twice finished top scorer for Sittingbourne, including 21 goals in the championship-winning 1995-96 season. Planck\u00a0retired from playing at the age of 28, and subsequently took over as managing director of the family firm producing architectural hardware.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Harrison Pont<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

League appearances: 48+14. Goals: 3. Sittingbourne debut: Oct 2019; Final game Mar 2023.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Phoenix Sports, Dover Athletic. Ashford, Faversham<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Determined central defender who will go down in Sittingbourne\u2019s history for his miraculous penalty save in injury time of a game at Faversham in 2023. He came on as substitute for injured keeper Harley Earle and went straight into goal, where he dived to his left and saved a penalty taken by \u2018celebrity striker\u2019 Adebayo Akinfenwa. It meant Sittingbourne had won the local derby 1-0 \u2013 and for local boy Pont it was the last time he touched a ball wearing Sittingbourne colours before moving on.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Albert Pounder<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Played for Sittingbourne in the 1957-1960<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Charlton, QPR, Exeter, Tonbridge, Ramsgate, Sheppey United<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Started his professional career with Charlton and then played more than 50 Football League games for QPR. An outside right, Pounder then joined Sittingbourne and played in the team that won the Kent Senior Cup in 1958. He went on to become player-manager of Sheppey United. He died in 2009, aged 78.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

John Prodger<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

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

Played for Sittingbourne: 1963-64<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Dartford, Margate<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Goalkeeper who led a double sporting life as he was also a Kent cricketer. In fact, he scored three centuries and played 165 county cricket games so had a more enduring career in the summer sport.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Charles Purves<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Played for Sittingbourne 1954-56<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Other clubs: Charlton, Southampton, Margate, Chatham, Basingstoke, Dorchester<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

An inside-forward in the Football League for Charlton and Southampton (his transfer fee between the two was \u00a33,000 in 1951), he spent two seasons at Sittingbourne in the mid-1950s. Purves continued to play non-league football into his 40s and spent time as player-manager of Basingstoke. He died in 2013 at the age of 92.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Return to Former Players Index<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Compiled by Tony Rickson Billy Manners League appearances: 111+31. Goals: 6. Sittingbourne debut: Dec 2007; Final game: Nov 2011. Other clubs:\u00a0Dulwich Hamlet, Met Police, Leatherhead, VCD Athletic, Erith & Bel, Fleet Brought to the club by Gary Abbott and Richard Brady as soon as they took over the management in 2007, he was a solid […]<\/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-17447","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sittingbournefc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17447","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=17447"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sittingbournefc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17447\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18304,"href":"https:\/\/sittingbournefc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17447\/revisions\/18304"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sittingbournefc.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}