They played and they managed

When Cyril Jeans vacated the player/manager role at the end of the 1970/71 season, the club again looked within the existing squad to recruit Bobby Drake as player manager. Bobby’s football grounding was helped by the fact that his father Ted Drake was Manager of Chelsea Football Club. Before that Ted had a distinguished playing career with both Southampton and Arsenal. He was perhaps best known for his goal scoring exploits for Arsenal when he scored seven goals in a single match against Aston Villa at Villa Park in December 1935.

As a developing player Bobby became a member of the Chelsea ground staff, where he remained until he moved to Fulham in 1963. First team appearances were restricted and he was released by the club in 1968. After one season at Nuneaton Borough, Bobby joined Hastings where Cyril Jeans, the former Portsmouth player, was player manager.  Bobby was used both as a conventional centre half but his bustling courageous style also led to opportunities to lead the front line. Cyril Jeans decided to call it a day at the end of the 1970/71 campaign, after which a mid table position was secured. Bobby Drake found himself in the role of player manager for the start of the 1971/72 campaign.

The season was of mixed success, culminating in a mid table position.  The programme for the Kent Floodlight Cup match against Ashford in March 1972 confirmed that Bobby had decided to resign as Manager of the club.. Bobby’s reflection was that he had not wanted to continue in the management role as “he was a bit raw” but was committed to carrying on playing.

Bobby then played under a succession of managers at Hastings. John Meredith (formerly of Gillingham and Bournemouth) and then John Ripley as player manager., was the FA Trophy tie away to Wealdstone.

The highlight of Bobby’s season was the testimonial match which took place on 28 April 1974. Bobby and his father had worked tirelessly to organise the occasion which saw Hastings United entertain an International side managed by Ted Drake. Lining up for the International side that day were Peter Bonetti, Peter Sillett, Alan Mullery, John Dempsey, Bobby Moore, Dario Gradi, Jim Conway, Barry Bridges, Ken Shellito, Bobby Drake and Dave Sexton. The Hastings public turned out in numbers (4,078) to acknowledge Bobby’s contribution to the club.

Bobby was to resume the managerial reins at Hastings in September 1975 when Ripley resigned and joined  Ramsgate as a player only. His appointment was to see a revival of the club’s fortunes in a season which saw a creditable fifth place position and reached the final of the Sussex Senior Cup. Promotion was indeed secured the following year, with Hastings United contesting the Championship with Barnet over a campaign involving 34 league matches.
 he last time that the club had achieved promotion was ten years previously but
relegation had followed the following year. The resolve was not to let it happen again. Drake said “Having got into the Premier we have now got to work hard to keep the club in a fair position”. United finished in a creditable mid table position but caught the headlines when a “ringer” was played in an FA Trophy fixture.
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Bobby’s period in the managerial hot seat was terminated very early on in season 1978/79. The squad had been strengthened by the arrival of striker Wayne Peacock, Graham Thomas and Frankie Fraser but injury to both Gerry Armstrong and Wayne Peacock disrupted the side in the opening matches. After just eight games,
of which only one was won and three drawn, Drake was dismissed for being “too lenient in every direction”. Drake responded, “I accept the decision as a man and as a professional. Whether or not I have been good at my job, I have always been honest. I have no malice for anyone at Hastings United”.

He then moved to Rye United to take up the role as player manager

Inevitably with Peter Sillett back at Hastings Town, after the demise of United, Bobby was happy to accept the invitation to return to the Pilot Field to work alongside Peter and run the Reserve team prior to moving to the Taunton area.

He now resides in Weymouth.

A fuller version of an article on Bobby Drake is included in “Hastings United Through Time” which is on sale at the Club Shop