Photos courtesy of Folkestone Herald: Friday, August 22, 2003
FOLKESTONE INVICTA PEN PICTURES 2003/04
NEIL CUGLEY (Manager): Now in his seventh season in charge at Folkestone Invicta, Neil has also managed Ashford Town, Folkestone Town and Hythe Town. As a player, Neil had three spells at Folkestone Town. Having started his career as a centre half, he then played for Dartford and Margate before returning to Folkestone as a centre forward. During his second spell he broke the club's goalscoring record with 46 goals in the 1982-83 season. Whilst at Dartford., Neil made such an impact on the supporters that when the old ground was built on, one of the roads around where the ground used to be, became named after him. At Ashford he led the club into the First Round Proper of the F. A. Cup three times and the Second Round once. Neil managed the Dr Martens League X1 against an F. A. X1 at Crawley's Broadfield Stadium on his 45th birthday back in November 2001.
DAVE WILLIAMS (Assistant Manager): Dave followed manager Neil Cugley to Folkestone Invicta as assistant manager, having been Neil's right hand man at Ashford Town. In his playing days, Dave represented Folkestone, Dover, Hythe Town and Whitstable Town.
LEE DYSON (Assistant Manager): Rejoined the club during the summer after playing for the club last season as a defender before subsequently moving on to Dartford and Maidstone United. An Army PTI teacher whose work with the club has helped to improve the players' fitness. He initially joined Invicta during the summer of 2001 after spending a year in Cyprus, but a pre-season injury prevented him from establishing a first team place and he joined Chatham Town. Lee has played in Wales, Ireland and Germany and whilst playing for Cwmbran Town had the honour of playing against Celtic in a televised UEFA Cup tie where he marked Eyal Berkovic. Other former clubs include Salisbury. Date of birth: October 16, 1973.
SCOTT LINDSEY (Player-Coach): A much-travelled, experienced campaigner who joined the club from Welling United last summer. Scott began his career with Scunthorpe United before moving into non-league football with Goole, Stafford Rangers, Burton Albion, Tamworth, Sutton Coldfield Town and Bridlington Town. He moved south in 1994 and resumed his Football League career with Gillingham, making 14 appearances. Scott has since played for Leyton Orient, Dover Athletic, Gravesend & Northfleet, Canvey Island and Welling. He captained the Gravesend side which beat Invicta 3-0 in the 2000 Kent Senior Cup Final and finished last season as skipper at Cheriton Road. Players' Player of the Year last season, he took up the role of coach during the summer. Date of birth: May 4, 1972.
JOHN AYLING (Striker): Young striker who has great pace and skill and who first came to the fore towards the end of the 1997-98 season when just 16. John scored a number of goals during the club's promotion-winning season of 1999-2000, including a hat-trick at Baldock, and has been watched by a lot of Football League scouts. He had a spell on loan at Sittingbourne during the 2001-02 season. Has the unusual distinction of making over 100 first team appearances as a substitute. Date of birth: March 9, 1982.
LEE BLACKMAN (Striker): Young striker who made his full debut in the final home match of last season against Halesowen Town. Was originally with the club as a youth team player before having a spell with New Romney. Signed his first contract with the club during the summer. Scored his first Dr Martens League goal in this seasons 4-0 win at Corby.
MARTIN CHANDLER (Midfield): Martin originally progressed from the club's youth set up before being signed by West Ham United, where he was part of the West Ham squad which travelled for the 1999 InterToto Cup Final. But he was released by the Hammers during 2001. A creative midfield player, he made his full debut for Invicta in the club's 2-0 win away to Burton Albion during February 2000. Has now made over 100 appearances for the club. Date of birth: January 9, 1983.
JAMES DRYDEN (Striker): James is a skilful forward player who progressed into the first team squad from the reserves and made his full Southern League debut at Burnham during December 1999. He is a strong, all-action striker who was the Supporters' Player of the Year in 2001-02 after finishing as the club's top goalscorer with 17 goals in all competitions. Jim once completely turned a youth team game around with a hat-trick in the last five minutes against a Furness youth side managed by current Gillingham boss Andy Hessenthaler. Has now scored over 50 goals for the club and made over 150 appearances. Scored his first senior hat-trick in this season's game against Chatham Town. Date of birth: February 4, 1980.
PAUL EGAN (Goalkeeper): Young goalkeeper who returned to the club during the summer after a short spell with Dover Athletic at the end of last season. The son of a former Folkestone goalkeeper Cliff, Paul made his debut away to Newport County at the end of the 2001-02 season.
MICHEAL EVERITT (Midfield): Local player who signed a new contract with the club last summer after being on loan during the 2001-02 season at Sittingbourne, where he was captain. Micheal had trials at both West Ham and Southampton and came through the successful youth system at Invicta, where he captained the side who played away to Millwall youths in the 2nd Round of the F. A. Youth Cup in 1999-2000. He made his Dr Martens League debut that season and has now made over 50 starting appearances for the club. Date of birth: October 16, 1982.
ADAM FLANAGAN (Defender): Defender who joined the club during the summer from Hastings United. A former trainee with Gillingham, he joined St Leonards from Dagenham & Redbridge in December 1997. He subsequently made the short move to Hastings at the start of the 2001-02 season and finished his first campaign at the club with an Eastern Division championship-winning medal. Adam is the son of former England youth international and Charlton Athletic striker Mike Flanagan, who made over 450 Football League appearances. Adam is a former Player of the Year at both Hastings and St Leonards.
JOHN GUEST (Defender): Central defender who joined the club from Sittingbourne during September 2002. John has previously had spells with Nottingham Forest, Charlton Athletic and Gillingham. Has now made over 50 appearances for the club. Date of birth: January 7, 1982.
ANTHONY HOGG (Midfield): Re-joined the club on loan from Conference club Gravesend & Northfleet during September 2003 after initially scoring eight goals in 50 appearances for the club during the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons. He left Invicta to join Welling United in January 2002 before joining Gravesend during the summer. He started his career with Chelsea and graduated trough Dover Athletic's youth set up. He had a short spell in Scotland with Ayr United but returned to Dover and then had a loan spell with St Leonards. Date of birth: May 19, 1980
TONY KESSELL (Goalkeeper): Made his league debut for the club on the opening day of the season at Rothwell. Tony represented Gravesham District, Kent County and South East England Schools as a schoolboy and joined Charlton Athletic as a YTS for two years. He then joined Hastings, where he stayed for three seasons, making 150 appearances before joining Dartford in August 2001. He rejoined Hastings towards the end of the 2001/02 season but returned to Dartford in September 2002. Tony can also count Cray Wanderers amongst his list of clubs
PAUL LAMB (Defender): Joined the club during November 2003 from Maidstone United, whom he had joined earlier in the season from Margate. He had re-joined Margate in July 1997 after a long spell with Gravesend & Northfleet and was a member of the Margate side which won the Dr Martens League Premier Division in 2000-01. Paul was a member of the Gravesend side which played away to Aston Villa in the F. A. Cup during the 1995-96 season and has also played for Ramsgate and Dartford. Date of birth: April 19, 1973.
DAN LARKIN (Defender): Dan joined the club during the summer of 2001, having played through the youth ranks at Chatham Town. He was soon put on contract by the club and made 18 consecutive appearances at the end of the 2001-02 season. He was appointed captain at the start season, but then had a loan spell with Chatham. Has now made over 50 appearances for the club. Date of birth: December 2, 1982.
JAMES MILLAR (Midfield): A strong midfield player who was a YTS member of Gillingham's Under 19 side last season. Made his Invicta debut in a 2-1 win at Newport County back in August 2002 and soon impressed with his ability to strike the ball. Capable of scoring goals from midfield, James has attracted the attention of Football League scouts and scored 12 Premier Division goals last season. Has now made over 50 appearances for the club. Date of birth: November 7, 1983.
MARK MUNDAY (Midfield): A summer signing from Margate, where he helped the side win the Premier Division and promotion to the Nationwide Conference in 2000-01. Mark rejoined Margate in 1997 from Gravesend & Northfleet, after also having a spell with Herne Bay. His other former clubs include Ramsgate and he spent the end of last season on loan at Dover Athletic. Mark has a good pedigree in the F. A. Cup, having played for Gravesend away to Aston Villa in the Third Round during the 1995-96 season and gave Margate the lead in their First Round tie at home to Fulham during the 1997-98 season. That season also saw Margate win both the Southern League Cup and the Kent Senior Cup. Mark was also a member of their Southern Division promotion-winning side of 1998-99. His brother John played for Invicta during the 1995-96 season. Date of birth: February 17, 1971.
ALLAN TAIT (Striker): A former junior with Tottenham, Allan became hot property after winning the Golden Boot in the Kent League with Deal Town during the 2001-02 season, where he blossomed under manager Simon Bryant and scored 32 goals in 29 games. He subsequently joined Invicta for a small fee and was the club's top goalscorer with 16 goals last season, when he was rated amongst the best strikers in the Premier Division. He was the Supporters' Player of the Year last season. Allan has also been with Crawley Town and continues to attract the attention of Football League scouts. Date of birth: September 6, 1981.
MARK TOWSE (Defender): Tall teenager who has forced his way into the first team squad after joining the club from Kent League neighbours Hythe. Mark's first starting appearance for the first team was eventful as he headed the side into an early lead at Newport County but then headed into his own goal during the second half. Played the final two Premier Division games of last season as emergency goalkeeper at both Havant and Hednesford. Date of birth: July 2, 1984.
DREW WATKINS (Defender): Joined the club during the summer from Cray Wanderers, where he was part of their Kent League double-winning side of 2002-03. Cray clinched the double by beating VCD Athletic in the League Cup Final at Invicta's Cheriton Road ground. Full of energy.
DARREN WINFIELD (Defender): Left-sided player who rejoined the club from local football during the summer. Made five starting appearances and seven as a substitute during the 2000-01 season in the club's debut campaign in the Premier Division. A good striker of the ball. Date of birth: December 13, 1981.