Paul came to Imperial Fields at the start of the 2006-07 season and blossomed in his four seasons with us banging in lots of goals, gaining a promotion and some silverware. In his opening campaign he knocked in over 40 goals and won winners medals in the London Senior and Surrey Senior Cup Final’s netting in both. In the County Cup Final, he scored once in a 4-1 victory over Met Police, two days later he would hit a hat-trick against former club Bromley in a 4-2 success in the London Senior Final played at Imperial Fields. The Isthmian League Play Off Final was also reached. In the semi-final we looked to be heading out but late goals from Paul and his brother Joe Vines saw us through but only just.  We would lose the Final however to Hastings United.

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In his second season Paul would be a regular scorer and the Terrors lifted the London Senior Cup again when Hendon were defeated 3-2, ‘Vinesey’ with one of the goals. Tooting would reach the Play Off Final for a second successive season and this time we were successful. In the semi-final we entertained Worthing and two goals from Paul saw us home, the Final itself also at Imperial Fields was a tense affair but that man ‘Vinesey’ saw us home with the only goal of the game.

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In his third term at Tooting the opposition was better, but he was still top scorer with 22 goals and for part of the season he had a certain Michail Antonio in the team alongside him, as we consolidated our position in the Isthmian League Premier Division. In his last campaign with us, the Terrors would reach the FA Cup First Round Proper after a gap of many years, thanks mainly to Paul’s goals he managed to score in everyone of the qualifying rounds but not in the proper round tie away at Stockport County which was lost 5-0. Paul would score in his last game for the club, a 3-2 defeat at Boreham Wood in a league fixture back in April 2010.

 

He would play 198 games for us plus 10 sub appearances scoring 123 times. Paul Vines would be sorely missed following his departure, as good strikers were hard to come by.

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Article written by Ian Bullock TMUFC Members Club Vice President