1950–51 Gillingham F.C. season
1950–51 season | ||
---|---|---|
Chairman | Charles Cox[1] | |
Manager | Archie Clark | |
Third Division South | 22nd | |
FA Cup | Second round | |
Top goalscorer | League: Dave Thomas (19) All: Dave Thomas (21) | |
Highest home attendance | 20,128 vs Millwall (2 September 1950) | |
Lowest home attendance | 4,601 vs Exeter City (17 January 1951) | |
| ||
During the
Gillingham also competed in the FA Cup, reaching the second round. The team played 50 competitive matches, winning 14, drawing 11, and losing 25. Dave Thomas, who joined the club in October, finished the season as the team's top goalscorer; he scored 19 times in the Football League and twice in the FA Cup. Jimmy Boswell made the most appearances, playing 46 times. The highest attendance recorded at the club's home ground, Priestfield Stadium, was 20,128 for a league game against Millwall on 2 September.
Background and pre-season
Third Division South
August–December
Gillingham's first match of the season was at home to the other newly elected club in the division, Colchester United; new signings Gage, Lewin, Ayres and Veck all made their debuts.[21] The game drew an attendance of 19,542, the largest crowd recorded at Priestfield since January 1948.[22] Colchester's Harry Bearryman twice cleared shots by Gillingham players off the goal-line after they had eluded his goalkeeper and another shot from the home team hit the cross-bar of the goal; the final score was 0–0.[23] Four days later, Veck scored Gillingham's first goal of the season to give his team the lead away to Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic, but the home team scored three times to win the game.[24] A defeat away to Bristol City and a draw at home to Bournemouth meant that at the end of August Gillingham had yet to win a game.[25] Jenkins made his debut in the home game against Bournemouth but did not play again for nearly three months.[21][26]
On 2 September, Gillingham won 4–3 at home to
Gillingham began November with a 4–1 defeat away to
January–May
Gillingham's first match of 1951 was at home to Watford on 13 January; the away team took an early lead but Gillingham came back to win the game 3–1.[21][40] Four days later, Gillingham played at home to Exeter City; the attendance of 4,601 was the lowest of the season at Priestfield Stadium, due in large part to the game, which had been postponed earlier in the season, being rescheduled for a Wednesday afternoon.[21][41] Gillingham took a 5–2 lead in the first half and added four more goals in the second half as the game finished 9–4.[42] A report in the Birmingham Gazette noted that both teams' defences had been "over-run by fast-moving forwards".[43] It was the highest number of goals Gillingham had scored in a Football League match, surpassing the previous record of six,[44] and remained the club's highest league score until 1987.[42] The team were 23rd in the table at the end of the month.[45]
A goal from Veck gave Gillingham a 1–0 win at home to Leyton Orient in the first game of February,[46] and the team followed this up with wins away to Exeter and at home to Torquay United; it was the first time Gillingham had won three consecutive games during the season and took the team up to 19th in the table.[21][47] Following this run, they achieved only one victory in their next ten games.[21] On 17 February, they lost 5–1 away to Ipswich Town;[48] a week later they drew 0–0 with Crystal Palace but forward Charlie Burtenshaw suffered a broken leg which kept him out of the team for over a year.[49][50] Thomas scored twice as Gillingham drew with Brighton & Hove Albion on 3 March, but the team failed to score any goals in their next three games, after which they were 21st in the table.[21][51] On 24 March, they beat Northampton Town, their first victory for six weeks, but then lost away to both Southend United and Port Vale.[21] Forward Billy Hales made his Football League debut in the game against Port Vale and scored Gillingham's fourth hat-trick of the season; as of 2023[update] he remained the only player to score three goals on his Football League debut for the club.[52][53]
Gillingham began April with a third consecutive defeat, losing 4–1 at home to Nottingham Forest, for whom Wally Ardron scored a hat-trick before half-time.[54] Veteran goalkeeper Johnny Burke, a regular starter for Gillingham in the Southern League, replaced Gage for the next game, a 2–1 victory away to Torquay United. Aged 39, it was his first Football League appearance since the 1946–47 season.[55] He played in five of the last six games of the season and set a record for the oldest player to represent the club in the Football League which stood for over 50 years;[56][57] Jack Day, another goalkeeper who had been with the club in the Southern League but had been kept out of the team by Gage, played against Aldershot on 21 April.[58] Gillingham alternated victory and defeat in their final six games of the season; Hales scored twice in a 2–1 win over Swindon Town in the penultimate match to take his record to six goals in seven games.[21][59] Gillingham ended the season with a 2–1 defeat at home to Plymouth Argyle,[60] leaving them 22nd in the Third Division South, six points above the bottom two teams, who were required to apply for re-election to the Football League.[2]
League match details
- Key
|
|
Date | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|
19 August 1950 | Colchester United (H) | 0–0 | 19,542 | |
23 August 1950 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic (A)
|
1–3 | Veck | 16,070 |
26 August 1950 | Bristol City (A) | 0–2 | 19,725 | |
30 August 1950 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic (H)
|
2–2 | Veck (pen.), Russell | 15,397 |
2 September 1950 | Millwall (H) | 4–3 | Russell, Veck, Briggs, C. Burtenshaw | 20,128 |
4 September 1950 | Bristol Rovers (A) | 0–3 | 14,519 | |
9 September 1950 | Watford (A) | 0–5 | 10,213 | |
13 September 1950 | Bristol Rovers (H) | 1–0 | Veck (pen.) | 12,293 |
16 September 1950 | Walsall (H) | 4–1 | Lewis (3), Campbell | 14,628 |
23 September 1950 | Leyton Orient (A) | 0–4 | 16,005 | |
30 September 1950 | Ipswich Town (H) | 0–1 | 12,853 | |
7 October 1950 | Crystal Palace (A) | 3–4 | Veck, Briggs (o.g.), Marks | 18,954 |
14 October 1950 | Brighton & Hove Albion (H) | 1–1 | Forrester | 15,060 |
21 October 1950 | Newport County (A)
|
0–1 | 9,828 | |
28 October 1950 | Norwich City (H) | 2–2 | Thomas, Veck (pen.) | 14,348 |
4 November 1950 | Northampton Town (A) | 1–4 | Carr | 10,785 |
11 November 1950 | Port Vale (H) | 1–1 | Thomas | 12,103 |
18 November 1950 | Nottingham Forest (A) | 2–9 | Veck, Thomas | 20,551 |
2 December 1950 | Aldershot (A) | 4–2 | Thomas (3), Carr | 7,253 |
16 December 1950 | Colchester United (A) | 2–4 | Briggs, Thomas | 6,941 |
23 December 1950 | Bristol City (H) | 1–2 | B. Burtenshaw | 8,575 |
25 December 1950 | Reading (H) | 0–3 | 9,539 | |
26 December 1950 | Reading (A) | 1–1 | B. Burtenshaw | 17,401 |
30 December 1950 | Millwall (A) | 3–4 | Thomas, C. Burtenshaw, Lewis | 20,530 |
13 January 1951 | Watford (H) | 3–1 | Thomas, Eggleston (o.g.), Veck | 10,038 |
17 January 1951 | Exeter City (H) | 9–4 | Lewis (3), Thomas (2), McGuire (2), Veck, Doyle (o.g.) | 4,601 |
20 January 1951 | Walsall (A) | 1–2 | Lewis | 8,817 |
3 February 1951 | Leyton Orient (H) | 1–0 | Veck | 8,358 |
7 February 1951 | Exeter City (A) | 2–1 | Campbell, Thomas | 5,140 |
10 February 1951 | Torquay United (H) | 2–0 | Veck (pen.), C. Burtenshaw | 12,995 |
17 February 1951 | Ipswich Town (A) | 1–5 | C. Burtenshaw | 9,676 |
24 February 1951 | Crystal Palace (H) | 0–0 | 11,478 | |
3 March 1951 | Brighton & Hove Albion (A) | 2–2 | Thomas (2) | 10,588 |
10 March 1951 | Newport County (H)
|
0–1 | 9,050 | |
17 March 1951 | Norwich City (A) | 0–2 | 18,943 | |
23 March 1951 | Southend United (H) | 0–0 | 15,356 | |
24 March 1951 | Northampton Town (H) | 3–1 | Veck, Lewis, Thomas | 10,657 |
26 March 1951 | Southend United (A) | 0–4 | 14,500 | |
31 March 1951 | Port Vale (A) | 3–4 | Hales (3) | 5,400 |
7 April 1951 | Nottingham Forest (H) | 1–4 | Thomas | 13,845 |
14 April 1951 | Torquay United (A) | 2–1 | Thomas (2) | 6,605 |
18 April 1951 | Plymouth Argyle (A) | 0–2 | 11,313 | |
21 April 1951 | Aldershot (H) | 3–0 | B. Burtenshaw, Hales, Thomas | 10,492 |
28 April 1951 | Swindon Town (A) | 0–2 | 3,915 | |
2 May 1951 | Swindon Town (H) | 2–1 | Hales (2, 1 pen.) | 8,285 |
5 May 1951 | Plymouth Argyle (H) | 1–2 | B. Burtenshaw | 12,096 |
Partial league table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
21 | Northampton Town | 46 | 10 | 16 | 20 | 55 | 67 | 0.821 | 36 | |
22 | Gillingham | 46 | 13 | 9 | 24 | 69 | 101 | 0.683 | 35 | |
23 | Watford | 46 | 9 | 11 | 26 | 54 | 88 | 0.614 | 29 | Required to apply for re-election |
24 | Crystal Palace | 46 | 8 | 11 | 27 | 33 | 84 | 0.393 | 27 |
Cup matches
FA Cup
As a Third Division South club, Gillingham entered the 1950–51 FA Cup in the first round; their opponents were Linby Colliery of the Central Alliance, a semi-professional team including several players employed at the eponymous mining facility. Linby had won through six qualifying rounds to reach this stage of the competition, the only team to do so. Gillingham took a four-goal lead in the first half and, although they conceded a goal in the second half, held on for a 4–1 victory.[62][63]
In the second round, Gillingham played away to fellow Third Division South club Bristol Rovers. Thomas gave Gillingham the lead before Rovers scored twice; a late goal from Jackie Carr meant that the game ended in a draw and a replay was required.[64] Four days later at Priestfield, Rovers took the lead but Carr scored to ensure another draw.[65] Under the rules of the competition the second replay took place at a neutral venue. At Tottenham Hotspur's White Hart Lane ground, Gillingham took the lead with a goal from Lewis but Rovers scored twice to win the game and eliminate Gillingham from the competition.[66]
FA Cup match details
- Key
|
|
Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
25 November 1950 | First | Linby Colliery (A) | 4–1 | Thomas, C.Burtenshaw, B.Burtenshaw, Jenkins | 4,635 |
9 December 1950 | Second | Bristol Rovers (A) | 2–2 | Thomas, Carr | 15,479 |
13 December 1950 | Second (replay) | Bristol Rovers (H) | 1–1 ( a.e.t. )
|
Carr | 10,642 |
18 December 1950 | Second (second replay) | Bristol Rovers (N) | 1–2 | Lewis | 3,927 |
Players
During the season, 27 players made at least one appearance for Gillingham. Jimmy Boswell made the most, playing in 42 league games and all four FA Cup matches. Charlie Marks made more league appearances, playing 44 times, but did not feature in any of the FA Cup games. Day made the fewest appearances, playing only once. The game proved to be the only Football League appearance of his career.[67] Thomas was the team's leading scorer with 21 goals in total; Veck and Lewis both also reached double figures.[21]
Player | Position | Third Division South
|
FA Cup | Total | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Harry Ayres | HB | 34 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 38 | 0 |
Jimmy Boswell | HB | 42 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 46 | 0 |
Jackie Briggs | FW | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2 |
Johnny Burke | GK | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
Bill Burtenshaw | FW | 24 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 28 | 5 |
Charlie Burtenshaw | FW | 26 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 30 | 5 |
Joe Campbell | FW | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 |
Jackie Carr | FW | 11 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 4 |
Bill Collins | HB | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
Jack Day | GK | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
George Dorling | FB | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
George Forrester | FW | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
Larry Gage | GK | 40 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 44 | 0 |
Billy Hales | FW | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 6 |
Len Henson | HB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
Randolph Jenkins | FW | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
Tommy Kingsnorth | HB | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
Ron Lewin | FB | 38 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 42 | 0 |
Derek Lewis | FW | 20 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 10 |
Charlie Marks | FB | 44 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 1 |
Les McGuire | FW | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
George Piper | HB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Hughie Russell | FW | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 2 |
Mike Skivington | HB | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
Dave Thomas | FW | 34 | 19 | 4 | 2 | 38 | 21 |
Bobby Veck | FW | 36 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 12 |
Johnny Warsap | FW | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
FW = Forward, HB = Half-back, GK = Goalkeeper, FB = Full-back
Aftermath
Gillingham's first season back in the Football League was not a success in financial terms; transfer fees and increased wages meant that the club registered a loss of £12,483 (equivalent to £417,100 in 2021).[41] There was once again significant turnover of the club's playing staff at the end of the season. Veteran goalkeeper Burke opted to retire from football.[55] Veck, the team's second-highest goalscorer, was offered a new contract with the club but rejected it and signed for Chelmsford City of the Southern League.[14] Gage, Carr, George Piper and Joe Campbell also left to join Southern League clubs.[68] Skivington was signed by Brentford of the Football League Second Division but did not play a game for them before moving on.[13][69] Gillingham continued to struggle in the Third Division South, finishing in the bottom four in both of the following two seasons.[2]
References
- ^ Bradley & Triggs 1994, p. 392.
- ^ a b c Soar & Tyler 1983, p. 110.
- ^ a b Mitchell, Reeves & Tyler 2013, p. 140.
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- ^ Rollin 1990, p. 253.
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- ^ Elligate 2009, p. 101.
- ^ Elligate 2009, p. 180.
- ^ Official Handbook 1950–51. Gillingham F.C. 1951.
- ^ a b c Bradley & Triggs 1994, p. 140.
- ^ Triggs 2001, pp. 47, 127, 173, 194.
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- ^ a b Triggs 2001, p. 297.
- ^ a b Triggs 2001, p. 323.
- ^ Triggs 1999, p. 48.
- ^ Bradley & Triggs 1994, p. 424.
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- ^ Elligate 2009, p. 121.
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- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Brown 2003, p. 60.
- ^ Brown 2003, pp. 57–60.
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- ^ "Division Three (South) Table After Close of Play on 31 August 1950". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 173.
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- ^ "Division Three (South) Table After Close of Play on 9 September 1950". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
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- ^ Elligate 2009, p. 145.
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- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 316.
- ^ "Division Three (South) Table After Close of Play on 4 November 1950". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
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- ^ Elligate 2009, p. 176.
- ^ Elligate 2009, p. 187.
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- ^ "Division Three (South) Table After Close of Play on 31 December 1950". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
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- ^ a b Bradley & Triggs 1994, p. 141.
- ^ a b Elligate 2009, p. 133.
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- ^ "Division Three (South) Table After Close of Play on 31 January 1951". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
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- ^ "Division Three (South) Table After Close of Pplay on 10 February 1951". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
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- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 73.
- ^ "Division Three (South) Table After Close of Play on 23 March 1951". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ Elligate (2009), p.56 states that Hales remained the only player to score three goals on his Football League debut for Gillingham. As of 2023, Gillingham players have scored five EFL hat-tricks since 2009, none on the player's debut:
- "League One » Statistics » Most goals by a player per game". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
- "League Two » Statistics » Most goals by a player per game". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
- "Games played by Cody McDonald in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
- "Games played by Jo Kuffour in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
- "Games played by Josh Wright in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
- "Games played by Tom Eaves in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Triggs 2001, p. 75.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 351.
- ^ Elligate 2009, p. 80.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 101.
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- ^ Soar & Tyler 1983, p. 214.
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- ^ "Results Archive – Emirates FA Cup". The Football Association. Retrieved 20 January 2023. Select "1950/1951" on the "Season" dropdown.
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- ^ Hugman 2005, p. 221.
- ^ Triggs 2001, pp. 80, 81, 127, 256.
- ^ Hugman 2005, p. 779.
Works cited
- Bradley, Andy; Triggs, Roger (1994). Home of the Shouting Men: Complete History of Gillingham Football Club 1893–1993. ISBN 0-9523361-0-3.
- Brown, Tony (2003). The Definitive Gillingham F.C.: A Complete Record. ISBN 1-899468-20-X.
- Elligate, David (2009). Gillingham FC On This Day. ISBN 978-1-9054-1145-0.
- Hugman, Barry (2005). The PFA Premier and Football League Players' Records 1946-2005. London: ISBN 978-1-85291-665-7.
- Mitchell, Colin; Reeves, Jon; Tyler, Daniel (2013). The History of English Football Clubs. London: ISBN 978-1-78009-449-6.
- Rollin, Jack, ed. (1990). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1990–91. London: ISBN 978-0-35617-911-7.
- Soar, Phil; Tyler, Martin (1983). Encyclopedia of British Football. London: Collins Willow. ISBN 978-0-0021-8049-8.
- Triggs, Roger (1999). Images of England: Gillingham Football Club. ISBN 978-0-75241-567-3.
- Triggs, Roger (2001). The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. ISBN 978-0-75242-243-5.