Ramsgate Athletic joined the Southern League for the 1959/60 season, withWalter Ricketts taking over as manager. They beat Folkestone, of the Premier Division, the following season to win the Kent Senior Shield. Ricketts signed many fine players, including Tommy Marshall, Bryan Clifton, Sid Jest and Colin Priestley, all of whom later played for Margate. Ricketts left during 1962/63 to join Gravesend and was succeeded by Joe Macdonald as player manager. He was a former Scottish International and FA Cup winner, with Nottingham Forest in 1959. He led Ramsgate to victory in the Kent Senior Cup when they beat Maidstone in the final, at Gillingham. The club allowed Macdonald to join Yeovil after 1964/65 and Bill Newbury and the committee ran the team until Les Riggs, formerly with Gillingham, Bury and Newport, became player manager, in October 1965. They reached the Kent Senior Cup Final that season but lost over two legs to Maidstone. In 1966/67, they reached the Kent Senior Cup semi final but lost to Margate. The following season, Ramsgate beat four Premier Division teams to reach the final of the Southern League Cup, where they met Margate. After 1-1 and 0-0 draws, Margate won the replay 3-1. Ramsgate won the Kent Senior Shield in 1967/68 and 1968/69 beating Dover in the final both times. A strong push for promotion was made during 1970/71 and the club had a fine start in the league in 1971/72. Les Riggs moved to Margate, as manager and Jack Smith stepped up to be player manager and lead the club to the runners up spot, and promotion. The club became a limited company under the name of Ramsgate Football Club. Although