Ian Simpemba
Defender

Date of birth: 28 March 1983
Place of birth: Dublin, Ireland
Height: 6ft 2in (1.88 m)
Previous clubs: Wycombe Wanderers, Woking, Crawley Town, Lewes, Havant & Waterlooville, Ebbsfleet United.

Ian signed for Dover Athletic in January 2012 from Ebbsfleet United, where he had played 17 games in the Blue Square Bet Premier. He has played at centre back and right back in recent years.

He joined Ebbsfleet in the summer of 2011 from Havant & Waterlooville, brought about by an off-field career move to Kent. He had played nearly 150 matches for the Hawks.

Well known for his strength and aerial ability, Ian quickly became a key figure for Havant, amassing an astonishing tally of 96 appearances in his first two seasons there. He also scored 14 goals. His commitment was rewarded with the captaincy in July 2009.

Simpemba had also been captain at Lewes. He was part of the side which won promotion from Blue Square South to the Premier division before financial problems saw the Sussex outfit forced into losing their best players and drop back down a level. He was near ever-present for the Rooks, playing 88 games in just two years.

His early career saw the Irishman start at Wycombe Wanderers, for whom he made 20 appearances in the Football League. He joined Southern League champions Crawley in 2004, playing 66 times before moving down the road to Lewes in 2006.