History of Gillingham F.C.

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For a statistical breakdown by season, see List of Gillingham F.C. seasons.

The Gillingham team line up before their first ever Football League match in 1920.

Gillingham Football Club is an English football club based in Gillingham, Kent. The club was formed in 1893, and played in the Southern League until 1920, when that league's top division was absorbed into the Football League as its new Division Three. The club was voted out of the league in favour of Ipswich Town at the end of the 1937–38 season, but returned 12 years later, when that league was expanded from 88 to 92 clubs. Twice in the late 1980s Gillingham came close to winning promotion to the second tier of English football, but a decline then set in and in 1993 the club narrowly avoided relegation to the Football Conference. In 2000, the "Gills" reached the second tier of the English league for the first time in the club's history and went on to spend five seasons at this level, achieving a club record highest league finish of eleventh place in 2002–03. The club has twice won the division comprising the fourth level of English football: the Football League Fourth Division championship in 1963–64 and the Football League Two championship in 2012–13.

The early years: 1893–1920

The New Brompton team of 1894

The local success of a junior football side, Chatham Excelsior F.C., encouraged a group of businessmen to meet at the Napier Arms pub on 18 May 1893,

first team played their first match on 2 September 1893, with the new team, sporting Excelsior's black and white stripes, being defeated 5–1 by Woolwich Arsenal's reserve team in front of a crowd of 2,000. As a "curtain-raiser" immediately prior to this match, New Brompton's own reserves played a match against Grays, which was therefore technically the first match played by a team representing the club.[2][4]

New Brompton joined the

First World War.[7]

Stephen Smith managed New Brompton from 1906 to 1908.

New Brompton struggled in Division One, generally finishing close to the foot of the table, but did reach the first round proper of the

1899–1900, losing 1–0 to Southampton. In the same season the club was forced to play a league fixture at the home ground of Woolwich Arsenal when Priestfield was closed due to crowd trouble in a match against Millwall.[8]

In the

Stephen Smith,[9] New Brompton finished bottom of the table,[10] avoiding relegation only due to the expansion of the league, but did achieve a cup victory over First Division Sunderland, remembered for a hat-trick from Charlie McGibbon.[8]

In 1912 the directors passed a resolution to change the club's name to Gillingham F.C., and the team played under this name throughout the

First World War
.

Once the competition resumed after the war Gillingham, once again wearing black and white,[13] continued to fare poorly, again finishing bottom of Division One in the 1919–20 season. For a third time, however, the club avoided relegation, due to the subsequent elevation of all Southern League Division One clubs to form the new Football League Third Division.[14]

Into the Football League: 1920–1938

In the club's first match in the newly created Football League Division Three, Gillingham held

Albert Hoskins stepped down a division to manage the club,[19] but he could do little to change the team's fortunes and left in 1929 after Gillingham finished bottom of the table once again.[20]

Fred Maven led the club to its highest league finish to date, finishing the season in 7th place,[23] but it was a feat which could not be repeated and the team returned to struggling at the foot of the table the following season.[16]

Sim Raleigh died as a result of an injury sustained during a match in 1934.

In the

brain haemorrhage following a blow to the head in a match against Brighton & Hove Albion on 1 December. Although he played on he collapsed during the second half and died in hospital later the same day.[25] The club launched a fund which raised over £250 for his widow and child.[26]

In 1938 the Gills finished bottom of the now-regionalised Third Division South once more, and were required to apply for re-election to the Football League for the fifth time since joining it in 1920. This time the club's bid for re-election failed, with Ipswich Town registering 36 votes to Gillingham's 28 and being promoted into the League. At the time it was considered a distinct possibility that Gillingham, saddled with heavy debts incurred during the preceding unsuccessful seasons, might not survive,[27] but the club carried on, and returned to the Southern League the following season, albeit without manager Alan Ure, who was replaced by Bill Harvey.[28]

The wilderness years: 1938–1950

The club's second stint in the Southern League was interrupted by the outbreak of the

Gloucester City. Striker Hughie Russell scored nine goals in the match, and missed out on double figures when he hit the bar late in the game.[30]

Although Gillingham missed out on the Southern League title the following season, finishing as runners-up,[10] the team again captured the Kent Senior Cup, as well as setting a club record attendance of 23,002 for a cup match against Queens Park Rangers.[31] Gillingham applied for re-election to the Football League in the summer of 1948 but, despite producing a glossy brochure detailing the team's achievements, the club saw its application rejected, with only one vote cast in its favour.[30] Despite this disappointment, the team continued to perform strongly in the Southern League and successfully regained the league title in 1948–49.[10] In 1950 plans were announced to expand the Third Division South from 22 to 24 teams and, based on the team's local success in the interim, Gillingham gained re-election to the Football League, receiving the highest number of votes amongst the candidate clubs.[32]

Return to the Football League: 1950–1974

Gillingham's first game back in the Football League saw the Kent club hold fellow new entrants Colchester United to a 0–0 draw at Priestfield in front of 19,542 fans.[33] The 1950–51 season saw the Gills both concede and score nine goals in individual matches,[34] and finished with them bottom of the table, a performance which was repeated the following season.[16] In 1952 striker Jimmy Scarth set a Football League record when he scored a hat-trick in approximately 2 minutes 30 seconds against Leyton Orient, which was officially recognised as the fastest hat-trick in the history of the Football League until February 2004.[35]

Gillingham's fortunes on the field gradually improved and the team finished in the top half of the Third Division South on three occasions, helped by the goals of

Second World War, with Harry Barratt taking over.[28]

The top of the Division 4 table for the 1963–64 season, showing the tight finish between Gillingham and Carlisle

The Gills were still in the Fourth Division in 1962 when Barratt was replaced as manager by

goal average, and so claimed the title.[39]

Gillingham initially performed well at the higher level, twice coming close to promotion, but performances then declined and the club was relegated back to the Fourth Division in 1970–71.[40] The Gills quickly bounced back, however, and were promoted back to the Third Division in 1973–74 under the management of Andy Nelson.[41] With the help of players such as Brian Yeo, who equalled Ernie Morgan's record for most league goals in a season with 31, Gillingham scored a club record total of 90 league goals and finished as runners-up to Peterborough United.[42]

Consolidation, then collapse: 1974–1995

Steve Bruce and Tony Cascarino starred for Gillingham in the early 1980s.

After guiding the club to promotion Andy Nelson left to take over as manager of Charlton Athletic[43] and was replaced by Len Ashurst, but his managerial reign lasted only 16 months.[28] Gerry Summers took over and was to take the club the closest it had ever come to promotion to Division Two when, in 1978–79, Gillingham finished just one point off a promotion place,[44] but two years later Summers was replaced by Keith Peacock.[45] Peacock put together a team which developed a reputation for exciting, attacking play,[46] and also brought through the ranks a number of young players who went on to achieve success at a higher level, including Micky Adams,[47] Steve Bruce,[48] and Tony Cascarino, who was famously bought from non-league Crockenhill in exchange for a set of tracksuits.[49] Gillingham came close to promotion several times during Peacock's reign, with four top-six finishes in six years,[16] and in 1986–87 reached the play-offs (in their first year of existence) only to lose in the final to Swindon Town.[37] Deadlocked at 2–2 after the home and away legs of the final, the two teams had to play a third match at a neutral venue, which Swindon won 2–0.[16]

Paul Taylor, was promoted to manager, but after an unsuccessful spell in charge Taylor was himself replaced in October 1988 by former Tottenham Hotspur manager Keith Burkinshaw.[28] Burkinshaw was unable to turn the team's fortunes around, however, and departed shortly before the club's relegation to Division Four was confirmed at the end of the 1988–89 season.[37]

Former Gillingham player

Halifax Town ensured the club's league status.[37] Nonetheless, the financial crisis continued at Priestfield, and steadily improving league form over the next two seasons did little to disguise the fact that the club was in real danger of going out of existence.[54]

The club eventually went into

receivership in January 1995,[55] and by the end of the 1994–95 season, with Gillingham facing the threat of being expelled from the Football League and closed down, fans were wondering whether they had seen the last ever Gills match.[55] However, help was on its way in the form of a last-ditch purchase of the club.[37][54]

Revival: 1995–2000

Gillingham fans at the 2000 Division Two play-off final

In June 1995 a London-based former office supplies salesman, Paul Scally, stepped in and bought the club for a nominal fee.[54] Scally brought in new manager Tony Pulis, who signed almost a complete new team and led Gillingham to promotion in his first season, finishing second in Division Three (now Football League Two).[16] This season was also notable for the fact that the team only conceded 20 league goals – a league record for a 46-game season.[56] In 1999 Gillingham reached the playoffs, but lost in the Second Division play-off final against Manchester City. Following goals by the prolific partnership of Robert Taylor and Carl Asaba, the Gills led 2–0 with less than two minutes left, only to see Manchester City score twice, the equaliser in injury time, and then win a penalty shoot-out 3–1.[57]

Soon after the play-off loss, Pulis was sacked for gross misconduct,

Premiership
, approached him to be their new manager.

The Division One years: 2000–2005

Nicky Southall slumps to the ground in despair after the Gills' relegation in 2005.

Former team captain Andy Hessenthaler was appointed player-manager, having previously served as player-coach,[59] and led the club to league finishes of 13th, 12th and 11th in his first three seasons in charge.[16] In contrast, the 2003–04 season saw the club escape relegation by the narrowest of margins, with a last day goalless draw keeping Gillingham above Walsall on goal difference, with just one goal separating the two teams.[60] John Gorman was appointed to help Hessenthaler as the side started the 2004–05 season poorly, but as the team continued to struggle at the wrong end of the table Hessenthaler resigned as manager in late November. Somewhat unusually he continued to be employed as a player.[59] Gorman succeeded Hessenthaler in a caretaker capacity but left the club to take the manager's job at Wycombe Wanderers.[61] Gillingham then appointed former Burnley boss Stan Ternent as manager,[62] but despite a late run of positive results, he could not prevent the Gills' relegation to League One on the last day of the season. In a reversal of the previous season's fortunes, Crewe Alexandra, the team immediately above Gillingham in the table, survived by just one goal.[63]

Return to the lower divisions: 2005–present

Simeon Jackson's goal won Gillingham promotion from the League Two play-offs in 2009.

The

final against Shrewsbury Town at Wembley Stadium.[73] In the 2009–10 season, however, the Gills were relegated back to League Two,[74]
with Stimson leaving the club by mutual consent two days after the end of the season.[75] Within two weeks, Andy Hessenthaler returned for a second spell as manager.[76]

For two consecutive seasons the Gills finished just outside the play-off places in League Two,

Peter Taylor was appointed manager for a second time.[80] Taylor was sacked after fourteen months in the job,[81] and his successor Justin Edinburgh lasted until January 2017.[82] Former Gillingham player Adrian Pennock returned as manager, but the team came close to relegation at the end of the 2016–17 season. Pennock left the club by mutual consent in September 2017,[83] and Steve Lovell, another former Gills player, took charge.[84] Lovell left the club two games before the end of the 2018–19 season.[85]

References

  1. ^ Triggs, Roger (1984). Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. Kent County Libraries. p. 1.
  2. ^
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  3. ^ Triggs, Roger (1984). Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. Kent County Libraries. p. 8.
  4. ^ Triggs, Roger (1984). Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. Kent County Libraries. p. 4.
  5. ^ Triggs, Roger (1984). Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. Kent County Libraries. p. 5.
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  7. ^ Bradley, Andy; Roger Triggs. Home of the Shouting Men: Complete History of Gillingham Football Club 1893–1993. p. 394.
  8. ^ a b Triggs, Roger (1984). Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. Kent County Libraries. p. 6.
  9. ^ "Player Profile: Stephen Smith". England FC. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 17 August 2007.
  10. ^ a b c "England – Southern League Final Tables". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2007.
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  13. ^ Bradley, Andy; Roger Triggs. Home of the Shouting Men: Complete History of Gillingham Football Club 1893–1993. p. 59.
  14. ^ Triggs, Roger (1984). Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. Kent County Libraries. p. 10.
  15. ^ Triggs, Roger (1984). Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. Kent County Libraries. p. 11.
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  27. ^ Triggs, Roger (1984). Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. Kent County Libraries. p. 14.
  28. ^
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  29. ^ Triggs, Roger (1984). Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. Kent County Libraries. p. 54.
  30. ^ a b Triggs, Roger (1984). Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. Kent County Libraries. p. 16.
  31. Soccerbase. Archived from the original
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  32. ^ Triggs, Roger (1984). Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. Kent County Libraries. p. 19.
  33. ^ Triggs, Roger (1984). Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. Kent County Libraries. p. 20.
  34. ^ Triggs, Roger (1984). Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. Kent County Libraries. p. 44.
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  41. ^ "Season 1973–74". RSSSF. Retrieved 24 August 2007.
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  43. ^ "Andy Nelson". Charlton Athletic F.C. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 21 August 2007.
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  46. ^ Haydn Parry (24 September 2007). "Past players; Terry Cochrane". Gillingham F.C. Archived from the original on 21 January 2008. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
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  55. ^ a b Glenn Moore (27 March 1995). "Football Commentary : Little pity for the poor relations". The Independent. Retrieved 22 August 2007.
  56. ^ The official Football League website Archived 10 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine lists this achievement in second place on the overall list of teams who have conceded the fewest goals in a season, behind Liverpool, who conceded 16 in the 1978–79 season, however, as evidenced by the final 1978–79 First Division table Archived 1 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Liverpool played only 42 matches, giving Gillingham the record for a 46-match season.
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  58. ^ Steve Rogers (8 May 2004). "Football: Pulis in blast at Scally". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 1 October 2008.
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  76. ^ "Andy Hessenthaler named new Gillingham boss". BBC Sport. 21 May 2010. Retrieved 21 May 2010.
  77. ^ "Martin Allen appointed new Gillingham manager". BBC Sport. 5 July 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  78. ^ "Martin Allen proud to make Gillingham history". BBC Sport. 23 February 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  79. ^ "Gillingham 1–0 Torquay". BBC Sport. 6 April 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  80. ^ "Gillingham: Peter Taylor named interim boss after Martin Allen exit". BBC. 14 October 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
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  82. ^ "Gillingham sack manager Justin Edinburgh after Oxford United defeat". The Guardian. 3 January 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
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  84. ^ "Steve Lovell: Gillingham manager signs new contract until 2020". BBC. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  85. ^ "Steve Lovell Leaves Gillingham FC". BBC. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2019.

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