1990–91 Gillingham F.C. season

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Associate Members' Cup
First round
Top goalscorerLeague: Steve Lovell (19)
All: Steve Lovell (21)
Highest home attendance8,004 vs Maidstone United (22 September 1990)
Lowest home attendance1,455 vs Hereford United (8 January 1991)

During the

league table, the team began a lengthy unbeaten run and were 10th at the end of 1990. Around the end of March, Peter Beadle and David Crown, two of the team's regular starting forwards
, were injured and both missed most of the remainder of the season. The team went 10 consecutive games without winning between the last game of March and the first of May and finished the season 15th in the Fourth Division.

Gillingham also competed in three

Associate Members' Cup but lost in the first round proper. The team played a total of 52 competitive matches, winning 14, drawing 19 and losing 19. Steve Lovell was the team's top goalscorer, with 19 in the Fourth Division and 21 in all competitions. He also made the most appearances, playing in every match. The highest attendance recorded at the club's home ground, Priestfield Stadium, was 8,004, for a game against local rivals Maidstone United
.

Background and pre-season

The 1990–91 season was Gillingham's 59th season playing in the Football League and the 41st since the club was elected back into the League in 1950 after being voted out in 1938.[1] It was the club's second consecutive season in the Football League Fourth Division, the fourth tier of the English football league system.[1] In the previous season, the first since being relegated from the Third Division, Gillingham had finished 14th out of 24 teams.[2]

At the start of the season, Damien Richardson was the club's manager, a post he had held since April 1989.[3] His assistant manager was Ron Hillyard, who was also the club's first-choice starting goalkeeper at the start of the season.[4] Alan Walker was the team captain.[5] Richardson signed only one new player ahead of the new season: David Crown, a 32-year old forward who had played nearly 400 Football League games and scored over 120 goals, joined from Southend United for a transfer fee of £50,000 (equivalent to £140,000 in 2023).[6][7] Veteran defender Paul Haylock was among several players released by the club; after playing nearly 200 games for Gillingham he joined their local rivals Maidstone United.[8]

The club adopted a new

away kit, to be worn in the event of a clash of colours with the home team, was all red.[11] The team prepared for the new season with a number of friendly matches, including a 1–0 defeat at home to Ipswich Town and a 4–1 defeat at home to West Ham United, both of the Second Division, as well as a goalless draw with the Australian Olympic team, who were undertaking a tour of Europe.[12][13]

Fourth Division

August–December

Footballer Ron Hillyard
Ron Hillyard (pictured in 2001) played his final game for Gillingham in September, ending his career with a record number of appearances for the club.

Gillingham's first match of the season was at their home ground,

John Simpson's record of 571 but Hillyard ended his career with a club record total of 655 games for the club across all competitions.[4][19] Harvey Lim, who had served as back-up to Hillyard during the previous season, replaced him in goal for the next game against Hereford United,[15] and played every game during the remainder of the season apart from a three-match spell in March when he was suspended after being sent off.[20]

Crown made his debut in the sixth league game of the season when he came on as a

league table.[28] Lovell scored twice in both of the team's first two games in October, a 2–1 win over Carlisle United and a 2–2 draw with Rochdale, taking his league goals total to nine in nine games;[14] after the game manager Richardson told the press that Lovell "personifies everything that is good about the game. People talk about his goals but his play has been superb this season. He has taken the role of leader and I think he has reached his peak."[29] In the next eight matches, however, Lovell scored only twice.[14] Crown made his first appearance in the starting line-up on 20 October against Blackpool.[15] That game resulted in the second of three defeats for the team in the final four games of October, leaving them 17th in the table.[14][30]

On 9 November Gillingham won for the first time in five weeks with a 2–1 victory over

promotion play-off places.[34][35]

January–May

Footballer Peter Beadle
Peter Beadle (pictured in 2020) became a first-team regular in the second half of the season.

Gillingham's first match of the new year ended in a 1–1 draw away to

midfielder Docker taking over in goal.[20] As this resulted in Lim serving a three-match suspension, Richardson signed goalkeeper Peter Gleasure on loan from Northampton Town to cover his absence.[39]

Following the defeat to Cardiff, Gillingham beat Halifax Town 1–0, but then lost the next two games, falling to 14th in the table.[40] Paul Hague, a teenaged defender, made his debut away to Carlisle United on 12 March,[41] a game which Gillingham won 4–0, the team's biggest away win since 1968.[42] Beadle scored twice; Crown and Lovell scored the other goals.[43] Lovell was by now playing in a midfield role with Beadle and Crown starting in the forward positions.[44][45] Gillingham drew their next two games but then beat Rochdale 3–1, Beadle again scoring twice.[14] Both of Gillingham's first-choice forwards were missing from the team for most of the latter stages of the season due to injury.[46] Beadle played his last game of the season against Walsall on 30 March;[15] two days later Crown was substituted against Lincoln City and would not play again until the penultimate match of the season more than a month later.[15] Crown's replacement against Lincoln was Adrian Owers, a midfielder newly signed on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion for the remainder of the season.[47] With two of his key forwards missing, Richardson moved Mike Trusson, usually a midfielder, into an attacking role. When questioned as to why he did not move Lovell, still the team's leading goalscorer, back into a forward position, Richardson told the press "he is not a centre-forward but would have been expected to fulfill the centre-forward's role [...] In my opinion he is best left where he is at the moment."[44]

Gillingham played eight matches in April and failed to win any, achieving only two draws and losing the other six;

Wrexham,[14] who were bottom of the division.[52] The run finally ended in the last match of the season at home to Doncaster Rovers when goals from Mark O'Connor and Lovell gave Gillingham a 2–0 victory.[53] The team finished the season in 15th place in the Fourth Division with 54 points, 18 points below the promotion play-off places and 14 above 24th-placed Wrexham.[35][53]

Match details

Key
Results[14]
Date Opponents Result Goalscorers Attendance
25 August 1990 Darlington (H) 1–0 Lovell (pen.) 3,730
31 August 1990 Torquay United (A) 1–3 Lovell (pen.) 3,072
8 September 1990 Hartlepool United (H) 3–0 Lovell (2), Heritage 3,155
15 September 1990 Scarborough (A) 1–2 Lovell 1,499
19 September 1990 Hereford United (A) 1–1 Heritage 2,632
22 September 1990 Maidstone United (H) 0–2 8,004
29 September 1990 York City (A) 1–1 Docker 2,259
2 October 1990 Carlisle United (H) 2–1 Lovell (2, 1 pen.) 3,022
6 October 1990
Rochdale
(H) 		2–2 Lovell (2) 3,316
13 October 1990 Scunthorpe United (A) 0–1 2,357
20 October 1990 Blackpool (A) 0–2 3,041
23 October 1990 Aldershot (H) 1–1 Walker 3,140
27 October 1990
Wrexham
(H) 		2–3 Docker, Carpenter 3,077
3 November 1990 Doncaster Rovers (A) 1–1 Lovell 2,502
9 November 1990 Halifax Town (A) 2–1 Crown, Trusson 1,708
24 November 1990 Cardiff City (H) 4–0 O'Connor, Crown, Walker, Docker 2,793
1 December 1990 Chesterfield (A) 1–1 Lovell 3,468
15 December 1990 Burnley (H) 3–2 Crown (3) 3,687
22 December 1990 Lincoln City (A) 1–1 Lovell 2,685
26 December 1990 Walsall (H) 1–0 Lovell 3,695
29 December 1990 Northampton Town (H) 0–0 4,934
1 January 1991 Stockport County (A) 1–1 Beadle 2,859
11 January 1991 Torquay United (H) 2–2 Crown, Uzzell (o.g.) 4,329
25 January 1991 Scarborough (H) 1–1 Beadle 3,756
29 January 1991 Darlington (A) 1–1 Crown 2,882
2 February 1991 Hereford United (H) 2–1 Walker, O'Connor 3,223
15 February 1991 Cardiff City (A) 0–2 2,170
22 February 1991 Halifax Town (H) 1–0 Crown 2,829
26 February 1991 Peterborough United (H) 2–3 Trusson, Beadle 3,088
2 March 1991 Chesterfield (H) 0–1 3,095
9 March 1991 Burnley (A) 2–2 Lovell, Crown 6,459
12 March 1991 Carlisle United (A) 4–0 Beadle (2), Lovell, Crown 2,633
16 March 1991 York City (H) 0–0 3,056
19 March 1991 Scunthorpe United (H) 1–1 Trusson (pen.) 2,324
23 March 1991
Rochdale
(A) 		3–1 Beadle (2), Crown 1,654
30 March 1991 Walsall (A) 0–0 3,074
1 April 1991 Lincoln City (H) 2–2 Crown, Walker 3,765
6 April 1991 Northampton Town (A) 1–2 Trusson (pen.) 2,993
13 April 1991 Stockport County (H) 1–3 Lovell 3,001
16 April 1991 Peterborough United (A) 0–2 5,831
20 April 1991 Blackpool (H) 2–2 Palmer, Lovell 3,025
24 April 1991 Maidstone United (A) 1–3 Lovell 2,935
27 April 1991 Aldershot (A) 0–1 2,089
30 April 1991 Hartlepool United (A) 0–1 3,782
4 May 1991
Wrexham
(A) 		0–3 1,231
11 May 1991 Doncaster Rovers (H) 2–0 O'Connor, Lovell 2,653

Partial league table

Main article: 1990–91 Football League § Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division final table, positions 13 to 17[54]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
13 Cardiff City 46 15 15 16 43 54 −11 60
14 Lincoln City 46 14 17 15 50 61 −11 59
15 Gillingham 45 12 18 15 57 60 −3 54
16 Walsall 46 12 17 17 48 51 −3 53
17 Hereford United 46 13 14 19 53 58 −5 53

Cup matches

FA Cup

As a Fourth Division team, Gillingham entered the

Associate Members' Cup. Gillingham lost 2–1 and were eliminated from the competition.[55]

Match details

Key
Results[55]
Date Round Opponents Result Goalscorers Attendance
17 November 1990 First AFC Bournemouth (A) 1–2 Crown 6,113

Football League Cup

Gillingham entered the

aggregate score of 2–1, ending Gillingham's participation in the League Cup.[57]

Match details

Key
Results[58]
Date Round Opponents Result Goalscorers Attendance
28 August 1990 First (first leg) Shrewsbury Town (H) 1–0 Lovell 2,613
4 September 1990 First (second leg) Shrewsbury Town (A) 0–2 2,193

Associate Members' Cup

The 1990–91 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 included AFC Bournemouth and Maidstone United. Gillingham's first game was away to Bournemouth and resulted in a 0–0 draw.[59] Three weeks later Gillingham defeated Maidstone 4–1 at home; the result meant that they finished second in the group and qualified for the first round proper, in which their opponents were fellow Fourth Division team Hereford United.[60] In front of a crowd of 1,455, the lowest of the season at Priestfield,[21] Gillingham lost the match 1–0 and were eliminated from the competition.[61]

Match details

Key
Results[62]
Date Round Opponents Result Goalscorers Attendance
6 November 1990 Group stage AFC Bournemouth (A) 0–0 2,784
27 November 1990 Group stage Maidstone United (H) 4–1 Walker (2), Crown, Lovell 3,852
8 January 1991 First Hereford United (H) 0–1 1,455

Players

Footballer Mark O'Connor
Mark O'Connor (pictured in 2013) was one of six players to make over 40 appearances during the season.

Twenty-eight players made at least one appearance for Gillingham during the season; Lovell made the most, playing in all 52 games. Walker, O'Connor, Trusson, Lim and Manuel all played more than 40 times.[21] Lim was named the club's player of the year.[63] Gary West, who had a brief loan spell with the club,[64] and teenagers Dave Jordan and Mark Dempsey, who both made their professional debut during the season, tied for the fewest games played, each making only 2 appearances. Dempsey went on to make over 50 appearances for the club,[65] but Jordan left without playing again and dropped into non-League football.[66]

Ten players scored at least one goal for the team. Lovell was the leading goalscorer, with 19 goals in the Fourth Division, 1 in the League Cup and 1 in the Associate Members' Cup for a total of 21 in all competitions. It was the fourth consecutive season in which he was the team's top scorer.[67] Crown was the only other player to reach double figures, scoring 12 times in the league and 14 times in all competitions.

Player statistics[21]
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 22 7 0 0 2 0 1 0 25 7
Tony Butler DF 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
Richard Carpenter DF 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 1
Brian Clarke DF 20 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 24 0
David Crown FW 30 12 1 1 0 0 3 1 34 14
Mark Dempsey MF 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Ian Docker MF 31 3 1 0 1 0 3 0 36 3
Joe Dunne DF 26 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 32 0
Tony Eeles MF 6 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 7 0
Peter Gleasure GK 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Paul Hague DF 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
Ivan Haines DF 12 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 14 0
Mike Harle DF 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 0
Peter Heritage FW 15 2 1 0 2 0 1 0 19 2
Ron Hillyard GK 4 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 6 0
Peter Johnson DF 24 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 27 0
Dave Jordan FW 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Garry Kimble MF 34 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 37 0
Harvey Lim GK 39 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 43 0
Steve Lovell FW 46 19 1 0 2 1 3 1 52 21
Billy Manuel MF 38 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 42 0
David McDonald DF 10 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 12 0
Mark O'Connor MF 41 3 1 0 2 0 2 0 46 3
Tim O'Shea DF 29 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 32 0
Adrian Owers MF 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
Lee Palmer DF 21 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 23 1
Mike Trusson MF 39 4 1 0 2 0 3 0 45 4
Alan Walker DF 44 4 1 0 2 0 2 2 49 6
Gary West DF 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0

FW = Forward, MF = Midfielder, GK = Goalkeeper, DF = Defender

Aftermath

Writing in the programme for the final match of the season, the club's chief executive, Barry Bright, expressed "abject disappointment" at the team's failure to achieve promotion, blaming injuries to key players and the fact that too many games resulted in draws.[68] Most of the team's regular starters remained at the club for the following season, although Manuel moved to Brentford for £60,000 (equivalent to £170,000 in 2023).[69] In the 1991–92 season, Gillingham again spent most of the season in mid-table, finishing 11th.[70] The team would eventually achieve promotion back to the third tier of English football in 1996, ending a spell of seven seasons at the lower level.[71]

References

  1. ^ a b Rollin 1993, p. 231.
  2. ^ Rollin 1992, p. 233.
  3. ^ Bateson & Sewell 1992, p. 300.
  4. ^ a b c Triggs 2001, p. 158.
  5. ^ "Priestfield Profile". Gillingham Vs Scunthorpe United Matchday Programme. 17 August 1991.
  6. ^ a b Triggs 2001, p. 99.
  7. ^ "Club-By-Club Guide to the Third and Fourth Divisions; Football". The Times. 22 August 1990. Retrieved 1 May 2022 – via Gale.
  8. ^ Triggs 2001, p. 152.
  9. ^ Triggs 1999, p. 116.
  10. ^ Moor 2011, p. 107.
  11. ^ Rollin 1991, p. 227.
  12. ^ "Matchpoints". Gillingham Vs Darlington Matchday Programme. 25 August 1990.
  13. ^ "Matchpoints". Gillingham Vs Shrewsbury Town Matchday Programme. 28 August 1990.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Rollin 1991, p. 228.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h Rollin 1991, p. 229.
  16. ^ "Weekend Results and Goalscorers". The Times. 27 August 1990. Retrieved 3 May 2022 – via Gale.
  17. ^ "Details of the Dismissal of League Players this Season". The Times. 11 January 1991. Retrieved 1 May 2022 – via Gale.
  18. ^ Kempson, Russell (10 September 1990). "Still in search of the good times; Football". The Times. Retrieved 1 May 2022 – via Gale.
  19. ^ Elligate 2009, p. 145.
  20. ^ a b "Matchpoints". Gillingham Vs Peterborough United Matchday Programme. 26 February 1991.
  21. ^ a b c d Brown 2003, p. 100.
  22. ^ Taylor, Louise (19 February 1991). "Maidstone traipse a weary course to make the grade". The Times. Retrieved 1 May 2022 – via Gale.
  23. ^ Kempson, Russell (24 September 1990). "Back to business at last at Bootham". The Times. Retrieved 1 May 2022 – via Gale.
  24. ^ Blackmore, Keith (27 December 1989). "Maidstone take the honours; Football". The Times. Retrieved 3 May 2022 – via Gale.
  25. ^ a b Rollin 1991, p. 312.
  26. ^ Triggs 2001, p. 215.
  27. ^ Brown 2003, pp. 97–100.
  28. ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 30 September 1990". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  29. ^ Blackmore, Keith (8 October 1990). "Redeemer Lovell not for sale; Football". The Times. Retrieved 1 May 2022 – via Gale.
  30. ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 27 October 1990". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  31. ^ Brown 2003, pp. 99–100.
  32. ^ Taylor, Louise (17 December 1990). "Angell a guardian of good fortune". The Times. Retrieved 1 May 2022 – via Gale.
  33. ^ Elligate 2009, p. 194.
  34. ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 31 December 1990". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  35. ^ a b Rollin 1991, p. 589.
  36. ^ Triggs 2001, p. 54.
  37. ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 31 January 1991". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  38. ^ "Referee to report an assault; Football". The Times. 30 January 1991. Retrieved 1 May 2022 – via Gale.
  39. ^ Triggs 2001, p. 134.
  40. ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 2 March 1991". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  41. ^ Triggs 2001, p. 144.
  42. ^ Brown 2003, pp. 77–100.
  43. ^ "For the Record". The Times. 13 March 1991. Retrieved 1 May 2022 – via Gale.
  44. ^ a b Bradley, Andy (30 April 1991). "Carry on in the Middle Lovell". Chatham Standard. Retrieved 1 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  45. ^ Richardson, Damien (16 March 1991). "A Mistake I Shall Avoid Next Time". Gillingham Vs York City Matchday Programme.
  46. ^ Bradley, Andy (9 April 1991). "Agreeing with the Words of a Legend". Chatham Standard. Retrieved 1 May 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  47. ^ Triggs 2001, p. 243.
  48. ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 30 April 1991". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  49. ^ Blackmore, Keith (22 April 1991). "Blackpool rise on Ayre's formula; Football". The Times. Retrieved 1 May 2022 – via Gale.
  50. ^ Triggs 2001, p. 75.
  51. ^ Triggs 2001, p. 80.
  52. ^ "League Division Four table after close of play on 03 May 1991". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  53. ^ a b "Weekend Results and Goalscorers". The Times. 13 May 1991. Retrieved 3 May 2022 – via Gale.
  54. ^ "League Division Four end of season table for 1990-91 season". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  55. ^ a b Rollin 1991, p. 643.
  56. ^ Rollin 1991, p. 615.
  57. ^ Rollin 1991, p. 618.
  58. ^ Rollin 1991, pp. 615, 618.
  59. ^ Rollin 1991, p. 631.
  60. ^ Rollin 1991, p. 632.
  61. ^ Rollin 1991, p. 633.
  62. ^ Rollin 1991, pp. 631–633.
  63. ^ Triggs 2001, p. 199.
  64. ^ Triggs 2001, p. 332.
  65. ^ Triggs 2001, p. 102.
  66. ^ Triggs 2001, p. 178.
  67. ^ Triggs 2001, p. 348.
  68. ^ Bright, Barry (11 May 1991). "Realism". Gillingham Vs Doncaster Rovers Matchday Programme.
  69. ^ Triggs 2001, p. 207.
  70. ^ Rollin 1992, p. 234.
  71. ^ Elligate 2009, p. 72.

Works cited

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