Ramsgate v Margate

BRAGGING rights in Thanet football will be up for grabs when Ramsgate and Margate meet for the Kent Messenger Challenge Cup in a pre-season friendly on Saturday.

Recent competitive meetings between the two clubs have been limited to the FA Cup, the last in September 1999, when Margate won a second qualifying round meeting 3-0 with goals by Phil Collins, Paul O’Brien and the late Paul Sykes.

Billy Edwards is the sole Margate survivor from that day while Mark Munday who also played, is now at Ramsgate.

The two clubs also met in the preliminary round nine years earlier when Colin Ford scored Gate’s winner.

Margate club historian Jeff Trice said: "Rivalry between the two clubs probably peaked in the mid to late 1960s.

"Notable games included Margate winning 6-4 on October 3, 1966, and the Southern League Cup final in season 1967-68, which went to three games and attracted total gates of nearly 12,000, Margate winning the second replay 3-1 thanks to a John Fahy hat-trick."

Bob Harrop has had a foot in both camps, as a distinguished servant for Margate, and still holds the club’s all-time appearance record, 567 games, as well as a player and manager at Ramsgate.

Son Mark, now coach at Southwood also played for both clubs.

Bob, 69 later this month, a former defender with Manchester United and Tranmere said: "Chris Kinnear has done a great job for Margate, and Jim has got a good side here, so it should be an interesting game.

"It will certainly bring back lots of memories for me, and games between the two clubs were always good.

"Ramsgate deserve their success, and it’s nice they are in the Ryman League. They have worked very hard on the ground, and the pitch looks superb."