1994–95 Gillingham F.C. season
Third round | |||
League Cup | First round | ||
---|---|---|---|
League Trophy | Second round | ||
Top goalscorer | League: Chris Pike (13) All: Chris Pike (18) | ||
Highest home attendance | 10,425 vs Sheffield Wednesday (7 January 1995) | ||
Lowest home attendance | 963 vs Brighton & Hove Albion (27 September 1994) | ||
| |||
During the
In addition to the Football League, Gillingham competed in three
Background and pre-season
The
At the start of the 1994–95 season, Mike Flanagan was the club's manager, a position he had held since the summer of 1993.[4] He was assisted by Neil Smillie, who held the position of player-coach.[5] Adrian Foster, a forward, was the only new player to join the club before the start of the season, arriving from Torquay United for a transfer fee of £60,000 (equivalent to £130,000 in 2021).[6] Gillingham lost their top goalscorer of the previous season, however, as Nicky Forster rejected the offer of a new contract and left to join Brentford of the Second Division, for which Gillingham received a fee of £320,000 (equivalent to £680,000 in 2021).[7]
The team prepared for the new season with a number of
Third Division
August–December
Gillingham's first match was at home to
Gillingham then began a run of consecutive defeats, losing at home to Preston North End and away to Hartlepool and Walsall.[14] With Foster still out of action and Ritchie due to return to Dundee, Flanagan signed experienced Welsh forward Chris Pike from Hereford United for £15,000 (equivalent to £30,000 in 2021);[19] he made his debut on 1 October at home to Mansfield Town.[16] The match resulted in a fourth consecutive league defeat, leaving Gillingham 20th in the table, only two places off the bottom of the entire Football League.[14][20] A week later, Pike scored his first goal at home to Torquay United as Gillingham won 1–0 to end the run of defeats.[17] He scored four more goals in the next four games, which resulted in two defeats, one win, and one draw,[14] after which Gillingham had risen to 17th in the table.[21]
Gillingham extended their unbeaten league run to four games with two more draws in the last two games of November, but then began December with consecutive defeats at home to Wigan Athletic and away to
January–May
On 9 January, after nearly a decade of financial difficulties and with debts estimated at £2 million (equivalent to £4.1 million in 2021), the club was declared insolvent and placed in
On 28 February, three days after Gillingham lost to Mansfield, the administrators made Flanagan redundant as a cost-saving measure; Smillie was appointed
Gillingham beat Barnet 2–1 at Priestfield on 15 April to climb slightly to 18th in the table,
Match details
- Key
|
|
Date | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|
13 August 1994 | Hartlepool United (H) | 0–0 | 2,959 | |
20 August 1994 | Wigan Athletic (A) | 3–0 | Foster, Reinelt, Watson | 1,514 |
27 August 1994 | Rochdale (H)
|
1–1 | Butler | 3,009 |
30 August 1994 | Scunthorpe United (A) | 0–3 | 2,098 | |
3 September 1994 | Exeter City (A) | 0–3 | 2,241 | |
10 September 1994 | Scarborough (H) | 3–1 | Palmer, Ritchie, Baker | 2,438 |
13 September 1994 | Preston North End (H) | 2–3 | Smith, Baker | 2,653 |
17 September 1994 | Hartlepool United (A) | 0–2 | 1,756 | |
24 September 1994 | Walsall (A) | 1–2 | Micklewhite | 3,654 |
1 October 1994 | Mansfield Town (H) | 0–2 | 2,569 | |
8 October 1994 | Torquay United (H) | 1–0 | Pike | 2,450 |
15 October 1994 | Hereford United (A) | 1–2 | Arnott | 2,470 |
22 October 1994 | Bury (A) | 2–3 | Pike (2, 1 pen.) | 2,976 |
29 October 1994 | Darlington (H) | 2–1 | Pike, Smillie | 2,841 |
5 November 1994 | Colchester United (A) | 2–2 | Reinelt, Pike | 3,817 |
19 November 1994 | Chesterfield (H) | 1–1 | Reinelt | 2,730 |
26 November 1994 | Lincoln City (A) | 1–1 | Arnott | 2,919 |
10 December 1994 | Wigan Athletic (H) | 0–1 | 2,257 | |
17 December 1994 | Rochdale (A)
|
1–2 | Foster | 1,665 |
26 December 1994 | Fulham (H) | 4–1 | Reinelt, Micklewhite, Foster (2) | 4,737 |
27 December 1994 | Barnet (A) | 0–1 | 2,074 | |
31 December 1994 | Carlisle United (H) | 0–1 | 3,709 | |
14 January 1995 | Northampton Town (A) | 0–2 | 5,529 | |
4 February 1995 | Lincoln City (H) | 0–0 | 4,191 | |
7 February 1995 | Doncaster Rovers (A) | 2–1 | Pike (2) | 1,740 |
11 February 1995 | Chesterfield (A) | 0–2 | 3,070 | |
18 February 1995 | Northampton Town (H) | 3–1 | Ramage, Green, Foster | 4,072 |
21 February 1995 | Darlington (A) | 0–2 | 1,548 | |
25 February 1995 | Mansfield Town (A) | 0–4 | 3,182 | |
4 March 1995 | Walsall (H) | 1–3 | Foster | 3,757 |
11 March 1995 | Scarborough (A) | 0–0 | 1,949 | |
18 March 1995 | Scunthorpe United (H) | 2–2 | Foster, Pike | 2,501 |
25 March 1995 | Exeter City (H) | 3–0 | Foster, Pike (pen.), Butler | 3,364 |
1 April 1995 | Preston North End (A) | 1–1 | Dunne | 9,095 |
4 April 1995 | Bury (H) | 1–1 | Brown | 2,957 |
8 April 1995 | Carlisle United (A) | 0–2 | 6,786 | |
11 April 1995 | Colchester United (H) | 1–3 | Watson | 3,404 |
15 April 1995 | Barnet (H) | 2–1 | Brown, Pike | 3,457 |
17 April 1995 | Fulham (A) | 0–1 | 3,612 | |
22 April 1995 | Doncaster Rovers (H) | 4–2 | Kirby (o.g.), Pike (3) | 3,069 |
29 April 1995 | Hereford United (H) | 0–0 | 4,200 | |
6 May 1995 | Torquay United (A) | 1–3 | Stamps (o.g.) | 2,638 |
Partial league table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
17 | Northampton Town | 42 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 45 | 67 | −22 | 44 |
18 | Hartlepool United | 42 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 43 | 69 | −26 | 43 |
19 | Gillingham | 42 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 46 | 64 | −18 | 41 |
20 | Darlington | 42 | 11 | 8 | 23 | 43 | 57 | −14 | 41 |
21 | Scarborough | 42 | 8 | 10 | 24 | 49 | 70 | −21 | 34 |
22 | Exeter City | 42 | 8 | 10 | 24 | 36 | 70 | −34 | 34 |
Cup matches
FA Cup
As a Third Division team, Gillingham entered the
Match details
- Key
|
|
Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 November 1994 | First | Heybridge Swifts (A)[a] | 2–0 | Reinelt, Pike | 4,614 |
3 December 1994 | Second | Fulham (H) | 1–1 | Pike | 6,253 |
13 December 1994 | Second (replay) | Fulham (A) | 2–1 | Pike, Reinelt | 6,536 |
7 January 1995 | Third | Sheffield Wednesday (H) | 1–2 | Pike (pen.) | 10,425 |
a. ^ The match was played at Colchester United's Layer Road ground, but remained officially a home game for Heybridge rather than being considered to have taken place at a neutral venue.[42]
Football League Cup
As a Third Division team, Gillingham entered the
Match details
- Key
|
|
Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
16 August 1994 | First (first leg) | Reading (H) | 0–1 | 2,556 | |
23 August 1994 | First (second leg) | Reading (A) | 0–3 | 3,436 |
Football League Trophy
The 1994–95 Football League Trophy, a tournament exclusively for Second and Third Division teams, began with a round in which the teams were drawn into groups of three, contested on a round-robin basis. Gillingham were grouped with Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion, both of the Second Division. Gillingham's first match was at home to Brighton and resulted in a 1–1 draw;[48] the game drew an attendance of only 963, the lowest crowd for a competitive match at Priestfield since 1973.[49] Gillingham's second group match was away to Brentford, who had already won their match against Brighton to top the group with maximum points from their two games.[50] Gillingham lost 3–1 and finished the group stage with one point, the same as Brighton, but Pike's goal meant that his team finished second and qualified for the next round as they had scored more goals in total than Brighton. Gillingham's opponents in the second round were Birmingham City, another Second Division team.[51] The game was played at Birmingham's St Andrew's stadium and drew a crowd of 17,028, by far the largest attendance for a match involving Gillingham during the season.[36] Birmingham won 3–0 to eliminate Gillingham from the competition.[51]
Match details
- Key
|
|
Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
27 September 1994 | First (group) | Brighton & Hove Albion (H) | 1–1 | Carpenter | 963 |
8 November 1994 | First (group) | Brentford (A) | 1–3 | Pike | 1,795 |
29 November 1994 | Second | Birmingham City (A) | 0–3 | 17,028 |
Player details
During the course of the season, 31 players played for Gillingham in competitive matches. Watson made the most appearances, playing in 47 of the team's 50 games. He missed the final three Third Division matches of 1994,
Seventeen players scored at least one goal for Gillingham during the season. Pike was the top scorer with 13 goals in the Third Division and 18 in total. Foster was the only other player to reach double figures, scoring 8 goals in Third Division matches and 10 in total.[36]
Player | Position | Third Division
|
FA Cup | League Cup | League Trophy | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Andy Arnott | FW | 28 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 2 |
Paul Baker | FW | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 |
Steve Banks | GK | 38 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 0 |
Scott Barrett | GK | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
Mick Bodley | DF | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
Steve Brown | FW | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 |
Tony Butler | DF | 33 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 2 |
Richard Carpenter | MF | 29 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 35 | 1 |
Joe Dunne | DF | 35 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 1 |
Adrian Foster | FW | 29 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 35 | 10 |
Darren Freeman | FW | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Richard Green | DF | 37 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 1 |
Jon Hooker | FW | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Ian Hutchinson | MF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
Abdul Kamara
|
FW | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Andy Kennedy | FW | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Gareth Knott | MF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
Scott Lindsey | MF | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
Eliot Martin | DF | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
Gary Micklewhite | MF | 35 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 2 |
Lee Palmer | DF | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 1 |
Chris Pike | FW | 27 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 33 | 18 |
Andy Ramage | MF | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 1 |
Robbie Reinelt | FW | 27 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 6 |
Paul Ritchie | FW | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
Neil Smillie | MF | 15 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 1 |
Neil Smith | MF | 33 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 1 |
Robin Trott | DF | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
Paul Watson | DF | 39 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 2 |
Grant Watts | FW | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Paul Wilson
|
FW | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
FW = Forward, MF = Midfielder, GK = Goalkeeper, DF = Defender
Aftermath
At the end of the 1994–95 season, with no rescue deal finalised, fans were unsure whether the club would still be in existence to start the next season;[55] one takeover bid had already collapsed when the leader of the consortium resigned after adverse publicity surrounding his financial status.[56][57] In early June, however, shareholders and creditors voted overwhelmingly to accept a takeover bid from Sevenoaks-based businessman Paul Scally, who paid a nominal fee to purchase the club.[58][59] The deal was finalised at the end of the month, one day before a deadline imposed on the club by the Football League to be out of receivership or face expulsion, and Scally was officially named as the club's new chairman.[60][61] Having signed many new players, Gillingham began the 1995–96 season strongly and remained in the top three positions in the Third Division for the entire season, finishing in second place.[62] The club thus gained promotion to the Second Division seven years after being relegated from the third tier.[63]
References
- ^ Rollin 1995, p. 23.
- ^ a b c Rollin & Rollin 1999, p. 175.
- ^ "League Division 3 end of season table for 1993–94 season". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ Bateson 1994, p. 13.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 299.
- ^ a b Triggs 2001, p. 123.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 122.
- ^ "Match Points". Gillingham Vs Hartlepool United Matchday Programme: 15. 13 August 1994.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 158.
- ^ "Match Points". Gillingham Vs Reading Matchday Programme: 15. 16 August 1994.
- ^ Elligate 2009, p. 135.
- ^ a b Rollin 1995, p. 167.
- ^ Triggs 1999, p. 12.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Rollin 1995, p. 168.
- ^ Brown 2003, pp. 101–104.
- ^ a b c d Rollin 1995, p. 169.
- ^ a b c d Rollin 1995, pp. 168–169.
- ^ a b Triggs 2001, p. 276.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 255.
- ^ "League Division 3 table after close of play on 01 October 1994". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
- ^ "League Division 3 table after close of play on 05 November 1994". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ "Match Points". Gillingham Vs Sheffield Wednesday Matchday Programme: 15. 7 January 1995.
- ^ "League Division 3 table after close of play on 31 December 1994". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
- ^ "League Division 3 table after close of play on 31 December 1994 (home matches only)". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
- ^ "League Division 3 table after close of play on 31 December 1994 (away matches only)". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
- ^ Elligate 2009, p. 14.
- ^ Moore, Glenn (27 March 1995). "Football Commentary : Little pity for the poor relations". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
- ^ Bateson 1994, p. 27.
- ^ "League Division 3 table after close of play on 04 February 1995". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ Elligate 2009, p. 43.
- ^ "Administrators make Flanagan redundant; Football". The Times. 1 March 1995. p. 40. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2021 – via Gale.
- ^ Barnes, Simon (27 March 1995). "Taste of life on the receiving end; Football". The Times. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2021 – via Gale.
- ^ Brown 2003, p. 120.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 68.
- ^ "League Division 3 table after close of play on 15 April 1995". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ a b c d Brown 2003, p. 104.
- ^ Elligate 2009, p. 74.
- ^ a b Rollin 1995, p. 555.
- ^ Sewell 1995, p. 119.
- ^ Rollin 1995, pp. 605–607.
- ^ Powell, David (12 November 1994). "Heybridge denied glory by Banks; Football". The Times. p. 39. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2021 – via Gale.
- ^ a b c Rollin 1995, p. 608.
- ^ Rollin 1995, pp. 611–612.
- ^ Brown 2003, pp. 97–104.
- .
- ^ Rollin 1995, pp. 608, 611–613.
- ^ a b Rollin 1995, pp. 578, 581.
- ^ Rollin 1995, p. 596.
- ^ Brown 2003, pp. 84–104.
- ^ Rollin 1995, p. 598.
- ^ a b Rollin 1995, p. 599.
- ^ Rollin 1995, pp. 596, 598–599.
- ^ Triggs 2001, p. 124.
- ^ Brown 2003, p. 127.
- ^ Elligate 2009, p. 81.
- ^ Redding, Mark (3 April 1995). "Soccer: Kendall shock at 'ruthless' dismissal". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2021 – via Gale.
- ^ Hodgson, Guy (2 April 1995). "United in row over injections". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- ^ Elligate 2009, p. 105.
- ^ Kelso, Paul (15 February 2002). "Scally's rocky road to Highbury". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 January 2008. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
- ^ Elligate 2009, p. 109.
- ^ Farrell, John (13 August 1995). "Football: Inglorious for Wigan". The Observer. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2021 – via Gale.
- ^ Rollin 1996, p. 175.
- ^ Rollin 1996, p. 174.
Works cited
- Bateson, Bill; Sewell, Albert, eds. (1994). News of the World Football Annual 1994–95. London: Invincible Press. ISBN 978-0-85543-223-2.
- Brown, Tony (2003). The Definitive Gillingham F.C.: A Complete Record. ISBN 978-1-89946-820-1.
- Elligate, David (2009). Gillingham FC On This Day. ISBN 978-1-9054-1145-0.
- Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (1995). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1995–96. London: ISBN 978-0-74727-823-8.
- Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (1996). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1996–97. London: ISBN 978-0-74727-781-1.
- Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (1999). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1999–2000. London: ISBN 978-0-74722-166-1.
- Sewell, Albert, ed. (1995). News of the World Football Annual 1995–96. London: Invincible Press. ISBN 978-0-85543-233-1.
- 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.