{{short description|English footballer (1935–2016)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}} {{Use British English|date=June 2016}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Don Rossiter | image = | caption = | fullname = Donald Paul Rossiter | birth_date = {{Birth date|1935|06|08|df=y}} | birth_place = Strood, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|02|18|1935|06|08|df=y}} | death_place = Somerset, England | height = | position = Forward | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Arsenal | years1 = 1951–1952| clubs1 = → Walthamstow Avenue (loan) | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 1952–1954| clubs2 = Arsenal | caps2 = 0 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 1954–1955| clubs3 = Hartlepool United | caps3 = 0 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 1955–1956| clubs4 = Arsenal | caps4 = 0 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 1956 | clubs5 = Leyton Orient | caps5 = 1 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 1956–1957| clubs6 = Dartford | caps6 = | goals6 = | years7 = 1957 | clubs7 = Gillingham | caps7 = 1 | goals7 = 0 | years8 = 1957–1958| clubs8 = Dover | caps8 = | goals8 = | years9 = 1958–1960| clubs9 = Ashford Town | caps9 = 49 | goals9 = 16 | years10 = | clubs10 = Chatham Town | caps10 = | goals10 = | years11 = | clubs11 = Tunbridge Wells | caps11 = | goals11 = }}
'''Donald Rossiter''' (8 June 1935 – 18 February 2016) was an English professional association football player turned politician. During his footballing career he made two appearances in The Football League and gained a winner's medal in the FA Amateur Cup. He later became active in local politics and served as Mayor of Rochester, Kent.
==Football career== Born in Strood, Rossiter represented Kent at football and played local youth football before being spotted by Arsenal and signed up at the age of 15.<ref name="triggs">{{cite book | first=Roger|last= Triggs | title=The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club| publisher=Tempus Publishing Ltd | year=2001| isbn=0-7524-2243-X|page=281}}</ref> The club loaned him to amateur club Walthamstow Avenue of the Isthmian League for the 1951–52 season.<ref name="hug">{{cite book | first=Barry J.|last= Hugman | title=Canon League Football Players' Records 1946–1984| publisher=Newnes Books | year=1984| isbn=0-600-37318-5|page=411}}</ref> Still aged just 17, he gained an FA Amateur Cup-winner's medal as Avenue defeated Leyton at Wembley Stadium.<ref>[https://www.fchd.info/WALTHAMA.HTM The Football Club History Database]</ref> Upon his return to Arsenal in June 1952 he turned professional, but failed to make a single appearance in the first team for the "Gunners".<ref name="hug" /> In March 1954 he was transferred to Hartlepool United, where he again failed to break into the first team.<ref name="hug" /> In July 1955 Arsenal re-signed him, but he once again could not progress beyond the reserve team and he moved on to Leyton Orient in March 1956.<ref name="hug" />
While with Orient he finally made his Football League debut,<ref name="hug" /> but he only remained with the club until August 1956, when he joined non-league club Dartford.<ref name="triggs" /> From there he rejoined the professional ranks when he signed for another Kent-based club, Gillingham.<ref name="triggs" /> He made one further Football League appearance when he lined up for the "Gills" against Brighton & Hove Albion in August 1957, but the following month he left the club and joined non-league Dover.<ref name="triggs" /> He later played for Ashford Town,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nutsandboltsarchive.co.uk/player-Profile.php?ID=530 | title=Don Rossiter Player Profile | website=Nuts and Bolts Archive: History of Ashford Town / United| accessdate=28 June 2022}}</ref> Chatham Town and Tunbridge Wells before retiring.<ref name="triggs" /> He also had a stint as manager of Chatham Town.<ref>[http://www.chathamtownfc.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=69&Itemid=37 Chatham Town F.C.]</ref>
==Post-football career== After leaving football, Rossiter became involved in local politics in the Medway towns. He was elected to the Medway District Council and spent a year as Mayor of Rochester between 1985 and 1986.<ref name="triggs" /> He died in 2016 in Somerset.<ref>[http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/article/don-rossiter-1935-2016-3010076.aspx Former Gillingham player Don Rossiter has died, aged 80]</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rossiter, Don}} Category:1935 births Category:2016 deaths Category:People from Strood Category:English men's footballers Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Walthamstow Avenue F.C. players Category:Arsenal F.C. players Category:Hartlepool United F.C. players Category:Leyton Orient F.C. players Category:Dartford F.C. players Category:Gillingham F.C. players Category:Dover F.C. players Category:Ashford United F.C. players Category:Chatham Town F.C. players Category:Tunbridge Wells F.C. players Category:Kent Football League (1894–1959) players Category:British sportsperson-politicians Category:Footballers from Kent Category:English Football League players Category:20th-century English sportsmen