1989–90 Gillingham F.C. season
First round | |||
Associate Members' Cup | First round | ||
---|---|---|---|
Top goalscorer | League: Steve Lovell (16) All: Steve Lovell (18) | ||
Highest home attendance | 10,412 vs Maidstone United (26 December 1989) | ||
Lowest home attendance | 1,004 vs Cambridge United (28 November 1989) | ||
| |||
During the
Gillingham also competed in three
Background and pre-season
The 1989–90 season was Gillingham's 58th season playing in the Football League and the 40th since the club was elected back into the League in 1950 after being voted out in 1938. At the end of the previous season, the club had been relegated from the Football League Third Division to the Fourth Division after finishing 23rd out of 24 teams, ending a spell of 15 seasons in the third tier of the English football league system.[1][2]
At the start of the 1989–90 season,
The club retained the previous season's
Fourth Division
August–December
Gillingham's first game in the Fourth Division since 1974 took place at their home ground,
Gillingham next played Southend United, who were top of the table and unbeaten.
A week later,
January–May
Gillingham began the new year with an away game against Hereford United on 1 January;[15] having scored his first goal for the club two days earlier, Johnson scored his second in a 2–1 victory.[21] They would prove to be the only two goals he scored in nearly 80 games with the club.[42] The team achieved a second consecutive victory with a 3–1 win over Doncaster Rovers,[15] after which they were once again in the play-off places. The last two league games of January resulted in a defeat to Aldershot and a draw with Hartlepool United, in both of which the team failed to score any goals; Lovell, the team's leading goalscorer, had scored only once in his last six league games.[31] His first goal of 1990 gave Gillingham a 2–1 win over Burnley on 13 February to keep Gillingham 8th in the table; Pulis was substituted after being injured again and would miss the next four games.[21][43]
Following the victory over Burnley, Gillingham failed to score in a further three matches, which resulted in two more goalless draws and a defeat away to Colchester United.
On 16 April, Gillingham played their away match with Maidstone, who were 4th in the table and challenging for promotion;[54] the crowd of 5,003 was Maidstone's largest to date for a home league game.[54] A goal from Heritage early in the first half gave Gillingham a victory over their rivals,[55] which took Gillingham back up to 12th place.[56] In the next game, Beadle's first professional goal secured a 1–1 draw against Exeter City,[57] but this was followed by a defeat to Wrexham.[15] In the last game of April, at home to Lincoln City, Gillingham were winning until the last minute of the game but then conceded an equalising goal.[58] This left Gillingham nine points off 7th place and therefore, with two games remaining and a maximum of six points available, unable to finish in the play-off positions.[59] Gillingham's last game of the season was away to Scarborough;[15] Lovell scored the only goal of the match in the last 10 minutes to give his team victory, the third consecutive game in which he had scored. The result meant that Gillingham finished the season 14th in the Fourth Division, nine points below the play-off places.[33]
Match details
- Key
|
|
- Results[15]
Date | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|
19 August 1989 | Aldershot (H) | 0–0 | 3,670 | |
26 August 1989 | Doncaster Rovers (A) | 0–0 | 1,887 | |
2 September 1989 | Scunthorpe United (H) | 0–3 | 3,467 | |
9 September 1989 | Hartlepool United (A) | 2–1 | Palmer, Heritage | 1,600 |
16 September 1989 | Burnley (H) | 0–0 | 3,853 | |
23 September 1989 | Carlisle United (A) | 0–3 | 3,185 | |
26 September 1989 | Southend United (H) | 5–0 | Trusson, Lovell (2, 1 pen.), Eeles, Manuel | 3,842 |
30 September 1989 | Peterborough United (A) | 1–1 | Lovell | 4,199 |
6 October 1989 | Halifax Town (A) | 1–0 | Lovell | 1,776 |
14 October 1989 | Stockport County (H) | 0–3 | 3,887 | |
17 October 1989 | Grimsby Town (A) | 0–2 | 3,447 | |
21 October 1989 | Chesterfield (H) | 3–0 | Palmer, Lovell (2, 2 pens.) | 2,878 |
31 October 1989 | Rochdale (H)
|
1–0 | Lovell | 3,187 |
4 November 1989 | Scarborough (H) | 2–0 | Haylock, Manuel | 3,436 |
11 November 1989 | Lincoln City (A) | 3–1 | Trusson, Heritage, Lovell | 3,612 |
14 November 1989 | Torquay United (A) | 2–0 | Heritage, Palmer | 2,318 |
24 November 1989 | Colchester United (H) | 3–3 | Heritage, Lovell (pen.), O'Shea | 3,816 |
9 December 1989 | York City (A) | 0–1 | 2,134 | |
16 December 1989 | Exeter City (A) | 1–3 | Lovell (pen.) | 3,818 |
26 December 1989 | Maidstone United (H) | 1–2 | Walker | 10,412 |
30 December 1989 | Wrexham (H)
|
1–0 | Johnson | 3,733 |
1 January 1990 | Hereford United (A) | 2–1 | Heritage, Johnson | 2,759 |
13 January 1990 | Doncaster Rovers (H) | 3–1 | Heritage, Brevett (o.g.), O'Connor | 3,820 |
20 January 1990 | Aldershot (A) | 0–1 | 2,592 | |
27 January 1990 | Hartlepool United (H) | 0–0 | 3,676 | |
10 February 1990 | Burnley (A) | 2–1 | Eeles, Lovell (pen.) | 7,274 |
13 February 1990 | Scunthorpe United (A) | 0–0 | 2,226 | |
17 February 1990 | York City (H) | 0–0 | 3,653 | |
23 February 1990 | Colchester United (A) | 0–2 | 4,456 | |
27 February 1990 | Carlisle United (H) | 2–1 | Manuel, Heritage | 3,177 |
3 March 1990 | Cambridge United (H) | 1–0 | Gavin | 4,210 |
6 March 1990 | Peterborough United (H) | 0–0 | 4,301 | |
9 March 1990 | Southend United (A) | 0–2 | 4,460 | |
16 March 1990 | Halifax Town (H) | 3–1 | Lovell (pen.), O'Shea, Heritage | 3,825 |
19 March 1990 | Stockport County (A) | 0–1 | 3,378 | |
24 March 1990 | Grimsby Town (H) | 1–2 | Lovell | 4,150 |
31 March 1990 | Chesterfield (A) | 0–2 | 4,282 | |
7 April 1990 | Torquay United (H) | 0–2 | 2,869 | |
10 April 1990 | Rochdale (A)
|
0–1 | 1,334 | |
14 April 1990 | Hereford United (H) | 0–1 | 2,365 | |
16 April 1990 | Maidstone United (A) | 1–0 | Heritage | 5,003 |
21 April 1990 | Exeter City (H) | 1–1 | Beadle | 3,374 |
24 April 1990 | Wrexham (A)
|
1–2 | Walker | 3,498 |
28 April 1990 | Lincoln City (H) | 1–1 | Lovell (pen.) | 2,654 |
1 May 1990 | Cambridge United (A) | 1–2 | Lovell | 4,963 |
5 May 1990 | Scarborough (A) | 1–0 | Lovell | 1,807 |
Partial league table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 69 | 54 | +15 | 66 |
12 | Rochdale
|
46 | 20 | 6 | 20 | 52 | 55 | −3 | 66 |
13 | York City | 46 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 55 | 53 | +2 | 64 |
14 | Gillingham | 46 | 17 | 11 | 18 | 46 | 48 | −2 | 62 |
15 | Torquay United | 46 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 53 | 66 | −13 | 57 |
16 | Burnley | 46 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 45 | 55 | −10 | 56 |
Cup matches
FA Cup
As a Fourth Division team, Gillingham entered the 1989–90 FA Cup in the first round, where they were drawn to play Welling United of the Football Conference. The initial match at Priestfield ended in a goalless draw,[61] necessitating a replay four days later at Welling's Park View Road ground. A goal from Welling's Mark Hone in the first half was enough to give the semi-professional team victory and eliminate Gillingham from the FA Cup.[62] It was the first time that Welling had beaten Football League opposition in the FA Cup in their history; Paul Newman of The Times described Gillingham's play in the second match as "ragged" and Welling manager Nicky Bridgen told the press "I wouldn't want to put Gillingham down but, to be honest, getting a draw on Saturday was no more difficult than drawing at somewhere like Telford in the Conference. We got what we deserved."[63]
Match details
- Key
|
|
- Results[64]
Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
18 November 1989 | First | Welling United (H) | 0–0 | 5,598 | |
22 November 1989 | First | Welling United (A) | 0–1 | 4,020 |
Football League Cup
As a Fourth Division team, Gillingham entered the
Match details
- Key
|
|
- Results[65]
Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
22 August 1989 | First | Leyton Orient (H) | 1–4 | Lovell | 3,258 |
29 August 1989 | First | Leyton Orient (A) | 0–3 | 2,818 |
Associate Members' Cup
The 1989–90 Associate Members' Cup, a tournament exclusively for Third and Fourth Division teams, began with a preliminary round in which the teams were drawn into groups of three, contested on a round-robin basis. Gillingham's group also included fellow Fourth Division teams Southend United and Cambridge United. In the first match of the group, Southend defeated Gillingham 1–0.[67] Three weeks later, Gillingham beat Cambridge 2–0 at Priestfield;[68] goalkeeper Harvey Lim, who had recently joined the club as back-up to Hillyard after a spell playing in Sweden,[69] made his debut.[40] The match drew an attendance of 1,044, the lowest of the season at Priestfield.[40] The final match of the group resulted in a draw between Southend and Cambridge, meaning that Gillingham finished second in the group and progressed to the first round proper.[70] Their opponents were Bristol Rovers of the Third Division, who won 1–0 to end Gillingham's participation in the competition.[71]
Match details
- Key
|
|
- Results[72]
Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 November 1989 | Group stage | Southend United (A) | 0–1 | 1,650 | |
28 November 1989 | Group stage | Cambridge United (H) | 2–0 | Lovell, Walker | 1,044 |
24 January 1990 | First | Bristol Rovers (A) | 0–1 | 2,724 |
Players
Twenty-six players made at least one appearance for Gillingham during the season. Johnson and
Thirteen players scored at least one goal during the season. Lovell was the team's top scorer for the third consecutive season;[74] he scored 16 goals in Fourth Division matches and a total of 18 in all competitions.[40] Heritage was the second highest-scoring player, with a total of 9 goals; no other player scored more than three times.[40]
Player | Position | Fourth Division
|
FA Cup | League Cup | Associate Members' Cup
|
Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Peter Beadle | FW | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 |
Brian Clarke | DF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Ian Docker | MF | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
Tony Eeles | MF | 33 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 2 |
Pat Gavin | FW | 34 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 39 | 1 |
Ivan Haines | DF | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
Paul Haylock | DF | 44 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 51 | 1 |
Peter Heritage | FW | 42 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 47 | 9 |
Ron Hillyard | GK | 42 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 0 |
Peter Johnson | DF | 45 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 51 | 2 |
Francis Joseph | FW | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
Garry Kimble | DF | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
Harvey Lim | GK | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
Steve Lovell | FW | 41 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 48 | 18 |
Billy Manuel | MF | 32 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 38 | 3 |
Russell Norris | DF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
Mark O'Connor | MF | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
Tim O'Shea | DF | 36 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 40 | 2 |
Lee Palmer | DF | 39 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 46 | 3 |
Ricky Pearson | DF | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
Brendan Place | DF | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
Tony Pulis | DF | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
Gary Smith
|
MF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Steve Thompson | DF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Mike Trusson | DF | 25 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 2 |
Alan Walker | DF | 38 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 40 | 3 |
Aftermath
In his final programme notes of the season, Richardson wrote that in his opinion the team would have been promoted had it not been for the number of injuries suffered by key players; he stated that injuries impacted his team selection for around 70 per cent of the season's matches and said that on some occasions he had as few as 13 players available for team selection. In the 1990–91 season, Gillingham's form was again inconsistent; following a lengthy unbeaten run in the first half of the season the team were in contention for the play-offs but ultimately finished 15th in the Fourth Division after failing to win in 10 consecutive games in the last two months of the season. Gillingham eventually achieved promotion back to the third tier of English football in 1996, ending a spell of seven seasons at the lower level.[75]
References
- ^ "League Division Three end of season table for 1988-89 season". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- ^ Rollin 1990, p. 253.
- ^ Bateson & Sewell 1992, p. 300.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 158.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 264.
- ^ a b Triggs 2001, p. 175.
- ^ Triggs 2001, pp. 72, 187, 251, 299.
- ^ a b Triggs 2001, p. 130.
- ^ Elligate 2009, p. 107.
- ^ "Tribunal with settle the price for Smith". Chatham News. 21 July 1989. Retrieved 15 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Rollin 1990, pp. 252–253.
- ^ "Fact File". Gillingham Vs Aldershot Matchday Programme. 19 August 1989.
- ^ Rollin 1990, p. 252.
- ^ Rollin 1990, p. 256.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Rollin 1990, p. 254.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 265.
- ^ "Busy Gills' manager out to sign two new players". Chatham News. 25 August 1989. Retrieved 13 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Rollin 1990, pp. 255, 256.
- ^ Triggs 2001, pp. 235, 318.
- ^ Elligate 2009, p. 136.
- ^ a b c d e f g Rollin 1990, p. 255.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 321.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 155.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 154.
- ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 23 September 1989". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ Rollin 1990, p. 506.
- ^ Brown 2003, pp. 97–99.
- ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 6 October 1989". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 17 October 1989". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "Walker puts Ron in a party mood". Chatham Standard. 24 October 1989. Retrieved 15 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ a b Rollin 1990, pp. 254–255.
- ^ Elligate 2009, p. 162.
- ^ a b Rollin 1990, p. 615.
- ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 14 November 1989". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 237.
- ^ a b c d Blackmore, Keith (27 December 1989). "Maidstone take the honours; Football". The Times. Retrieved 3 May 2022 – via Gale.
- ^ Tucker, Craig (25 January 2019). "John Still explains why he's back at Maidstone United after 30 years away". Kent Online. KM Media Group. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ Rollin 1990, p. 337.
- Daily Telegraph. Archived from the originalon 16 July 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Brown 2003, p. 99.
- ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 30 December 1989". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ Brown 2003, p. 122.
- ^ Bradley, Andy (13 February 1990). "Three chairs for a winning return". Chatham Standard. Retrieved 13 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 26 February 1990". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 27 February 1990". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 3 March 1990". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ Brown 2003, p. 121.
- ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 6 March 1990". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 16 March 1990". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 17 March 1990". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "Supersaver Ron can't halt slide". Chatham Standard. 10 April 1990. Retrieved 13 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Gills left shattered in week of disaster". Chatham News. 13 April 1990. Retrieved 13 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 14 April 1990". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ a b Rollin 1990, p. 338.
- ^ Blackmore, Keith (17 April 1990). "Maidstone falter in promotion quest; Football". The Times. Retrieved 11 May 2022 – via Gale.
- ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 16 April 1990". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ Brown 2003, pp. 98–99.
- Cambridge Daily News. 1 May 1990. Retrieved 15 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 28 April 1990". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "League Division Four end of season table for 1989-90 season". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
- ^ Rollin 1990, p. 668.
- ^ Rollin 1990, p. 670.
- ^ Newman, Paul (23 November 1989). "First League scalp for Welling; Football". The Times. Retrieved 10 May 2022 – via Gale.
- ^ Rollin 1990, pp. 668, 670.
- ^ a b Rollin 1990, pp. 639, 641.
- ^ Morgan, Lance (25 August 1989). "Lovell strike is only beacon in a night of gloom". Chatham News. Retrieved 13 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Rollin 1990, p. 655.
- ^ Rollin 1990, p. 656.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 199.
- ^ Rollin 1990, p. 657.
- ^ Rollin 1990, p. 659.
- ^ Rollin 1990, pp. 655–657, 659.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 300.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 348.
- ^ Elligate 2009, p. 72.
Works cited
- Bateson, Bill; Sewell, Albert, eds. (1992). News of the World Football Annual 1992–93. London: Invincible Press. ISBN 978-0-85543-188-4.
- Brown, Tony (2003). The Definitive Gillingham F.C.: A Complete Record. ISBN 978-1-899468-20-1.
- Elligate, David (2009). Gillingham FC On This Day. ISBN 978-1-9054-1145-0.
- Rollin, Jack, ed. (1990). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1990–91. London: ISBN 978-0-35617-911-7.
- Triggs, Roger (2001). The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. ISBN 978-0-75242-243-5.