Jump to content

Gillingham F.C.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Gillingham F.C)

Gillingham
A shield with the words "Gillingham Football Club" in the top portion and the remainder divided into two sections, the left containing black and white vertical stripes and the right a depiction of a white horse rearing up on its hind legs on a blue background
Full nameGillingham Football Club
Nickname(s)The Gills
Founded1893; 131 years ago (1893)
(as "New Brompton")
GroundPriestfield Stadium
Capacity11,582[1]
OwnerBrad Galinson
ChairmanBrad Galinson
ManagerMark Bonner
LeagueEFL League Two
2023–24EFL League Two, 12th of 24
Websitehttp://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/
Current season

Gillingham Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent, England. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, the "Gills" play their home matches at Priestfield Stadium. The team competes in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system, in the 2023–24 season.

The club was founded in 1893 as New Brompton Football Club and renamed to Gillingham Football Club in 1912. The club played in the Southern League before joining the Football League in 1920. After 18 unsuccessful seasons, Gillingham were voted out of the league in favour of Ipswich Town at the end of the 1937–38 season, and returned to the Southern League. The club was voted back into the Football League in 1950, when it 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 they narrowly avoided relegation to the Football Conference. Between 2000 and 2005, Gillingham were in the second tier of the English football league system for the only time in their history, achieving a club record highest league finish of eleventh place in 2002–03.

The club originally played in black and white striped shirts but switched to blue shirts in the 1930s. The club crest has traditionally depicted the white horse symbol of the county of Kent. Priestfield Stadium has been the club's home ground throughout its existence; it once held up to 30,000 fans but in the modern era the capacity is less than half that figure. The club has twice won the championship of English football's fourth tier, in the 1963–64 and 2012–13 seasons, under managers Freddie Cox and Martin Allen respectively.

History

[edit]

Early years

[edit]
A document announcing that New Brompton Football Club has changed its name to Gillingham Football Club, dated 1913
The official announcement of the club's change of name in 1913

The local success of a junior football side, Chatham Excelsior F.C., encouraged a group of businessmen to meet with a view to creating a football club which could compete in larger competitions. New Brompton F.C. was formed at the meeting, held on 18 May 1893, New Brompton being a settlement adjacent to Gillingham.[2] The founders also purchased the plot of land which later became Priestfield Stadium.[3] The new club played its first match on 2 September 1893, losing 5–1 to Woolwich Arsenal's reserve side in front of a crowd of 2,000.[4] New Brompton were among the founder members of the Southern League upon its creation in 1894, and were placed in Division Two. They were named Champions in the first season (1894–95) going on to defeat Swindon Town in a test match to win promotion.[5]

In the seasons that followed, the club struggled in Division One, finishing bottom in the 1907–08 season,[6] avoiding relegation only due to expansion of the league. Whilst the club's league performance was disappointing, the side did manage a famous cup victory over Football League First Division Sunderland and held Manchester City to a draw before losing in the replay.[7] 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 1912–13 season, although the change was not officially ratified by the shareholders until the following year.[8] The team finished bottom of Division One in the 1919–20 season but for a third time avoided relegation, due to the subsequent elevation of all Southern League Division One clubs to form the new Football League Division Three.[9]

First spell in the Football League

[edit]

In the first season of the newly created Football League Division Three, the 1920–21 season, Gillingham again finished bottom, and in the years to follow there was little improvement on this, the club continually finishing in the lower reaches of the bottom division. In 1938 the team finished bottom of the Third Division (South) and were required to apply for re-election for the fifth time since joining the league. This bid for re-election failed, with Gillingham returning to the Southern League and Ipswich Town being promoted in their place.[10] Gillingham quickly established themselves as one of the stronger sides in the league, winning a local double of the Kent League and Kent Senior Cup in the 1945–46 season.[10] In the 1946–47 season the team won both the Southern League Cup and the Southern League championship, during which they recorded a club record 12–1 victory over Gloucester City.[11] The Gills also won the league title in 1948–49.[12]

Return to the Football League

[edit]

In 1950, plans were announced to expand the Football League Division Three (South) from 22 to 24 teams and, taking into account their local success in the interim, Gillingham were re-elected to the Football League with a landslide vote.[12] The team spent eight seasons in Division Three (South) before the restructuring of the league system for the 1958–59 season saw them placed in the newly created Fourth Division. They remained in this division until 1964, when manager Freddie Cox led them to promotion, winning the first championship in the club's history. The team finished the season level on 60 points with Carlisle United, but with a fractionally better goal average (1.967 against 1.948).[13]

After relegation back to the Fourth Division in 1970–71, the Gills were soon promoted back to the Third Division in the 1973–74 season.[14] After this the club seemed to find its level in Division Three, regularly mounting a challenge for promotion which ultimately fell short each time, coming particularly close to promotion in 1986–87 when they reached the play-offs only to lose in the final to Swindon Town.[15] During this period the club produced future stars Steve Bruce and Tony Cascarino, who was famously bought from non-league Crockenhill in exchange for a set of tracksuits.[16]

Two teams taking part in a football match, one in blue shirts and the other in yellow. Stands full of spectators are visible in the background.
Gillingham (blue shirts) in action in a match from the 1986–87 season

In 1987, the Gills hit the headlines when, on consecutive Saturdays, they beat Southend United 8–1 and Chesterfield 10–0, the latter a club record for a Football League match. Just a few months later, however, manager Keith Peacock was controversially sacked,[17][18] and within 18 months the club had fallen into Division Four.[15] The ensuing spell in the lower division brought little success, and in the 1992–93 Division Three campaign the Gills narrowly avoided relegation to the Football Conference.[15]

Recent highs and lows

[edit]
A stadium full of spectators. Those nearest the camera are waving blue and white flags.
Gillingham fans at the 2000 Division Two play-off final

Beset with financial problems, the club went into administration in January 1995, and by the end of the 1994–95 season faced the threat of being expelled from the Football League and closed down.[15] In June 1995, however, a London-based businessman, Paul Scally, stepped in and bought the club.[19] He brought in new manager Tony Pulis, who led Gillingham to promotion in his first season, finishing second in the old Division Three (now Football League Two).[6] In 1999 the Gills made the play-offs but lost in the final to Manchester City. The Gills were 2–0 up with less than two minutes left only to see City score twice, the equaliser in injury time, and go on to win 3–1 in a penalty shoot-out.[20][21] Soon after the play-off loss, Pulis was sacked for gross misconduct,[22] and Peter Taylor appointed manager.[23] In the 1999–00 season Gillingham qualified for the play-offs again, where they faced Wigan Athletic in the final at Wembley Stadium. The game finished 1–1 after 90 minutes, but, thanks to goals in extra time from substitutes Steve Butler and Andy Thomson, the Gills won 3–2 and were promoted to Division One for the first time.[24]

Taylor then left to manage Leicester City, and Andy Hessenthaler was appointed as player-manager.[25] He led the club to their best ever league finish of eleventh in the 2002–03 season,[6] but the following season saw the club narrowly avoid relegation on goal difference. Hessenthaler resigned as manager in November 2004,[25] and new boss Stan Ternent[26] was unable to prevent the Gills' relegation to League One. At the end of the 2007–08 season the club was relegated again, this time to League Two,[27] but an immediate return to the third level was secured via the play-offs after beating Shrewsbury Town in the final.[28] In the 2009–10 season, however, the Gills slipped into the bottom four on the last day, and were relegated back to League Two, having failed to win a single away game in the league all season.[29] This resulted in manager Mark Stimson having his contract terminated,[30] and Andy Hessenthaler was appointed as manager of the club for the second time.[31] At the start of the 2012–13 season Hessenthaler was replaced by Martin Allen, who led the club to promotion as League Two champions in his first season in charge.[32][33] However, shortly after winning League Two, Allen was sacked in what many saw as a surprise after a poor start to the season.[34] The club remained in League One from 2013 up until 2022, with a best finish of ninth, achieved in the 2015–16 season.[6] In the 2021–22 season, Gillingham were relegated back into League Two.[35] In December 2022, Florida-based property tycoon Brad Galinson acquired a majority shareholding in the club, with Scally retaining minority ownership.[36] In January 2023 the club confirmed that Galinson would also take on the position of Chairman.[37]

Stadium

[edit]
An external view of a sports stadium, with a large amount of blue detail on the facade.
Exterior shot of Priestfield Stadium (Medway Stand)

The Gills have played at Priestfield Stadium throughout their existence.[38] The ground was originally purchased by the founders of the club through an issue of 1,500 £1 shares.[3] Sources differ on whether the ground was named after the road on which the land stood, Priestfield Road,[3] or whether the road was named after the ground;[39] if the latter is the case then the origin of the ground's name is unknown. The ground was extensively developed prior to the 1930s, but there was then little change until the late 1990s and the arrival of Paul Scally as chairman. Three of the four stands were demolished and rebuilt between 1995 and 2000. The fourth stand, known as the Town End, was demolished to make way for a new stand, to be named the Brian Moore Stand after television sports commentator Brian Moore, who was a well-known Gills fan, but the club's financial situation has not allowed the new stand to be built. A temporary stand was erected in 2003 and remains in place as of 2024.[40][41] From 2007 until 2010 the stadium was officially named KRBS Priestfield Stadium as part of a sponsorship deal with the Kent Reliance Building Society.[42] In 2011 it was rebranded again, this time, to MEMS Priestfield Stadium under another such agreement.[43]

At its peak in the 1940s the official capacity of the stadium was listed as "between 25,000 and 30,000"[2] but subsequent redevelopments, the removal of terraces and building of new facilities have seen this reduced to a current capacity of 11,582.[44] In the 2018–19 season, the most recent to be completed in full with full crowd capacity permitted, the average attendance at home matches was 5,128.[45] The ground has also hosted home fixtures of the England women's national football team.[46] The club's training ground is Beechings Cross, in Grange Road, Gillingham. In 2012 the club was involved in a dispute with the local council, who alleged that Gillingham owed over £30,000 in unpaid bills relating to the training facility.[47]

Colours and crest

[edit]
Fred Griffiths wearing the club's original striped shirt

Although Gillingham have long been associated with the colours blue and white, the original New Brompton side wore a strip consisting of black and white striped shirts with black shorts.[3] In 1913 the black and white strip was dropped in favour of red shirts with blue sleeves, emblazoned with the borough's coat of arms.[48] The striped shirts returned after World War One, before finally being replaced with the now-familiar combination of plain blue shirts and white shorts in 1931.[49] More recent years have seen several variations on the blue and white colour scheme. In the late 1990s the team wore blue and black striped shirts, recalling the original New Brompton stripes.[50] In the summer of 2003 it was controversially announced that the club's first choice shirts for the following season would be predominantly white, rather than blue. The announcement received such a hostile response from supporters that the white strip was replaced by one featuring blue and black hoops, which had originally been earmarked as the team's third choice kit.[51] In March 2010 the club announced a return to the black and blue stripes for the 2010–11 season.[52] In recognition of the centenary of the renaming of the club, the 2012–13 kit was red with blue sleeves and collar, and the club's crest was replaced by the town's crest. After winning the League Two title in 2012–13, the club gave season ticket holders the chance to vote on what colours the club would play in for the 2013–14 season, with the fans choosing to return to a blue and white kit.[53] Blue and white, or blue with black stripes, have been used since.[54]

An illustration of a white horse rearing up on its hind legs.
Until 1992 the club's crest was simply a portion of the county arms of Kent.

The club's current crest is a shield divided vertically into halves of black and white stripes and solid blue, reflecting the club's original and modern kits. On the blue half is the county emblem of Kent, a white horse rampant, albeit slightly altered from its normal form as its mane is stylised into the letters of the word "Gills". This side has been sometimes given a red or pink background, to coordinate with away kits featuring those colours. The club's motto, which appears on a scroll below the crest, is Domus clamantium, the Latin for "the home of the shouting men",[55] a traditional epithet associated with the town of Gillingham.[56] In keeping with the crest, the club's mascot, Tommy Trewblu, takes the form of a horse. He first appeared at a match against Macclesfield Town in October 1998.[57]

The first sponsor's name to appear on Gillingham shirts was that of Italian home appliance manufacturers Zanussi, who sponsored the club in the mid-1980s. Subsequent sponsors have included Chatham Maritime, Medway Toyota, Cannon Tool Hire, Invicta FM, Kool, Medway News, SeaFrance,[58][59] MHS Homes Group, Kent Reliance Building Society,[42] Automatic Retailing,[60] MEMS Power Generation,[61] and Medway Council.[62]

Players

[edit]

Current squad

[edit]
As of 30 August 2024[63]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK England ENG Glenn Morris
2 DF England ENG Remeao Hutton
3 DF England ENG Max Clark
4 DF Republic of Ireland IRL Conor Masterson
5 DF Germany GER Max Ehmer (captain)
6 MF England ENG Ethan Coleman
7 MF England ENG Jack Nolan
8 MF England ENG Armani Little (vice-captain)
9 FW England ENG Josh Andrews
10 MF Wales WAL Jonny Williams
11 MF England ENG Aaron Rowe
12 FW England ENG Oliver Hawkins
13 GK England ENG Luca Ashby-Hammond (on loan from Fulham)
14 DF England ENG Robbie McKenzie
17 MF England ENG Jayden Clarke
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 FW Cyprus CYP Marcus Wyllie
20 FW England ENG Elliott Nevitt
21 MF Northern Ireland NIR Euan Williams
22 DF Republic of Ireland IRL Shadrach Ogie
23 MF England ENG Bradley Dack
24 FW England ENG Jacob Wakeling (on loan from Peterborough United)
25 GK England ENG Jake Turner
29 FW England ENG Joseph Gbode
31 DF England ENG Alex Giles
32 MF England ENG George Lapslie
33 GK England ENG Taite Holtam
35 FW Scotland SCO Joshua Bayliss
38 MF France FRA Timothée Dieng
40 DF England ENG Harry Webster
42 MF England ENG Harry Waldock

Out on loan

[edit]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
19 FW England ENG Ashley Nadesan (on loan at Sutton United until 30 June 2025)
30 DF England ENG Sam Gale (on loan at Chelmsford City until October 2024)
34 MF England ENG Stanley Skipper (on loan at Bowers & Pitsea)

Former players

[edit]

Player of the Season

[edit]

Gillingham's Player of the Season award is voted for by the club's supporters. It was first introduced in the 1968–69 season.[64]

Club officials

[edit]
Paul Scally (holding trophy) was the club's chairman from 1995 until 2022.

As of June 2024[112]

Management

[edit]
Position Name
Chairman/Owner Brad Galinson
Board of Directors Brad Galinson, Shannon Hogan Galinson
Director of Football Kenny Jackett

Technical staff

[edit]
Position Name
Manager Mark Bonner
Assistant manager Anthony Hayes
First-team coach Peter Gill
Goalkeeping coach Deren Ibrahim
Head of recruitment Andy Hessenthaler
Recruitment co-ordinator Selim Gaygusuz
Physiotherapist Paul Timson
Fitness coach James Russell
First team strength and conditioning Jake Griffiths
Kit manager Brad Haywood
Academy Manager Bryan Bull
Head of academy coaching Ebun Thomas
Youth team manager Mark Moss
Academy physiotherapist TBC
Head of academy education Jason Lillis

Managers

[edit]
A middle-aged man in a suit
Tony Pulis served as the club's manager from 1995 until 1999

For the first three years of the club's existence, team matters were handled by a committee. In 1896 William Ironside Groombridge, the club's secretary, took sole charge of team affairs to become Gillingham's first recognised manager.[113] Former England international Stephen Smith was appointed as full-time manager in 1906,[114] but left in 1908, with Groombridge once again taking on team responsibilities. Groombridge was associated with the club, as manager and secretary, for over 25 years. When the club was admitted to the Football League in 1920, Robert Brown was appointed as manager, but he resigned a month later before the season had even begun.[115] His replacement, Scotsman John McMillan, thus became the first manager to take charge of the team in a Football League match.[115]

In 1939, a year after the club was voted back out of the Football League, Archie Clark took over as manager, and was still in charge when the club was elected back to the Football League in 1950. Clark remained in the job until 1957.[116] Freddie Cox took over in 1962 and led the club to the Football League Fourth Division championship in the 1963–64 season, making him the first manager to win a Football League divisional title with the club.[117] Basil Hayward was sacked in 1971 after the club was relegated back to the Fourth Division in the 1970–71 season,[117] but his successor Andy Nelson led the club to promotion back to Division Three three years later before controversially resigning.[118]

Tony Pulis took over in 1995, with Gillingham once again in the bottom division, and managed the club to promotion in his first season in charge. Three years later he led the team to the Second Division play-off final, but was sacked immediately after this after being accused of gross misconduct.[22] Peter Taylor replaced him and took the club to a second consecutive play-off final, where Gillingham gained promotion to the second tier of English football for the first time.[119] In 2013 Martin Allen became the second manager to lead the Gills to a divisional title in the Football League, as the team won the championship of League Two.[34]

Chairmen

[edit]

The following have been chairman of the club's board of directors:[120]

A heavy-set man with a large beard, wearing a jacket and tie
Local alderman James Barnes was an early chairman of the club
  • 1893–1895: Horace Croneen
  • 1895–1897: E.C. Warren
  • 1897–1902: W.H. Checksfield
  • 1902–1912: James Barnes
  • 1912–1922: Edward Crawley
  • 1922–1930: Jack Knight
  • 1930–1932: S.J. Chippick
  • 1932–1934: J.A. Crumbie
  • 1934–1947: Jack Knight
  • 1947–1959: Charles Cox Sr.
  • 1959–1961: J.W. Leech Jnr
  • 1961–1983: Clifford Grossmark
  • 1983–1986: Charles Cox Jr.
  • 1986–1989: Roy Wood
  • 1989–1991: M.G. Lukehurst
  • 1991–1995:[121] Bernard Baker
  • 1995–2022:[122] Paul Scally
  • 2022: Paul Fisher (co-chairman)
  • 2022–present: Brad Galinson

Honours

[edit]

Sources:[6][14][123]

League

Cup

Statistics and records

[edit]
Yearly table positions of Gillingham in the Football League.

Goalkeeper Ron Hillyard holds the record for Gillingham appearances, having played 657 matches in all competitions between 1974 and 1990,[124] while the record for appearances solely in the Football League is held by another goalkeeper, John Simpson, with 571 between 1957 and 1972.[125] Brian Yeo is the club's all-time leading league goalscorer, having scored a total of 136 goals between 1963 and 1975.[126] He also jointly holds the club record for the most Football League goals scored in a single season, having scored 31 goals in the 1973–74 season,[126] equalling the record set by Ernie Morgan in 1954–55.[127] The highest number of goals scored by a player in a single game at a professional level is the six registered by Fred Cheesmur against Merthyr Town in April 1930.[128] The highest transfer fee received by the club is £1.5 million for Robert Taylor, paid by Manchester City in 1999, and the highest fee paid by Gillingham is £600,000 for Carl Asaba, signed from Reading in 1998.[125]

The club's record home attendance is 23,002, for an FA Cup match against Queens Park Rangers on 10 January 1948,[125] a record which will almost certainly never be broken unless the club relocates to a larger ground, given that Priestfield Stadium's current capacity is approximately half that figure. The team's biggest ever professional win was a 10–0 defeat of Chesterfield in September 1987,[125] although they had previously registered a 12–1 win against Gloucester City in the Southern League in November 1946.[15] The Gills hold the record for the fewest goals conceded by a team in the course of a 46-game Football League season, set in the 1995–96 season, during which goalkeeper Jim Stannard kept 29 clean sheets.[129]

Rivalries

[edit]

The 2003 Football Fans Census revealed that no other team's supporters considered Gillingham to be among their club's main rivals.[130] Millwall are considered to be the closest the Gills have to local rivals.[131] Swindon Town are seen by many fans as the club's biggest rivals, stemming from bad-tempered matches between the teams in the past.[132] While Swindon fans generally do not consider Gillingham among their biggest rivals, there was violence when they met at Priestfield in the 2005–06 season, their first meeting since a promotion play-off match in 1987.[133] Following their promotion in 1989, Maidstone United became Kent's second League side. A rivalry with Gillingham developed over the following seasons, until Maidstone's financial troubles forced them to resign from the League in 1992.[134] A minor rivalry between Gillingham and Fulham has developed arising from the death of a Fulham fan who was killed during a clash between both sets of fans outside Priestfield Stadium in March 1998.[135]

[edit]

In 1956, comedian Fred Emney filmed a scene for his sitcom Emney Enterprises prior to the start of a match between Gillingham and Brighton & Hove Albion. The footage featured the overweight Emney, wearing a flat cap and monocle and smoking a cigar, dribbling the ball past the entire Gills defence and scoring a goal.[136] The 2005 film Green Street makes use of action sequences filmed during a match between Gillingham and West Ham United, although the dialogue states that the team playing West Ham is Birmingham City to align with the narrative of the film.[137] A film entitled The Shouting Men, released in March 2010, centres on a group of Gillingham fans and features scenes shot at Priestfield.[55]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Third Division South from 1920 to 1958, Third Division from 1958 to 1992, Second Division from 1992 to 2004, League One since 2004)
  2. ^ Fourth Division from 1958 to 1992, Third Division from 1992 to 2004, Football League Two since 2004

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Gillingham". English Football League. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  2. ^ a b Triggs, Roger (1984). Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. Kent County Libraries. p. 1.
  3. ^ a b c d Triggs. Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. p. 8.
  4. ^ Triggs. Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. p. 4.
  5. ^ Triggs. Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. p. 5.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Gillingham". The Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  7. ^ Triggs. Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. p. 6.
  8. ^ Elligate, David (2009). Gillingham FC On This Day. Pitch Publishing. p. 102. ISBN 978-1-905411-45-0.
  9. ^ Triggs. Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. p. 10.
  10. ^ a b Triggs. Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. p. 13.
  11. ^ Triggs. Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. p. 16.
  12. ^ a b Triggs. Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. p. 19.
  13. ^ Triggs. Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. p. 26.
  14. ^ a b Triggs. Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984. p. 54.
  15. ^ a b c d e "Gillingham FC History (1893– )". Gillingham F.C. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  16. ^ Triggs, Roger (2001). The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. Tempus Publishing Ltd. p. 82. ISBN 0-7524-2243-X.
  17. ^ "Football: Gillingham respond to protest". The Times. 4 January 1988. Retrieved 11 September 2021 – via Gale.
  18. ^ "Football: Gillingham dismiss Peacock as manager". The Times. 30 December 1987. Retrieved 19 September 2021 – via Gale.
  19. ^ Elligate, David (2009). Gillingham FC On This Day. Durrington: Pitch Publishing. p. 105. ISBN 978-1-9054-1145-0.
  20. ^ Haylett, Trevor (31 May 1999). "Now City turn lost cause into a triumph". The Guardian. p. 25. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ Pike, Keith (31 May 1999). "City stage another Manchester late show". The Times. p. 31. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2021 – via Gale.
  22. ^ a b Jon Brodkin (26 April 2001). "Pulis 'drank champagne' after sacking". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 March 2007. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  23. ^ "Taylor-made for top job". BBC Sport. 14 November 2000. Archived from the original on 7 April 2003. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  24. ^ "Second time lucky for Gills". BBC Sport. 28 May 2000. Archived from the original on 3 March 2003. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  25. ^ a b "Hessenthaler steps down at Gills". BBC Sport. 23 November 2004. Archived from the original on 27 July 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2007.
  26. ^ "Gills unveil Ternent as manager". BBC Sport. 7 December 2004. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  27. ^ "Leeds 2–1 Gillingham". BBC. 3 May 2008. Archived from the original on 5 May 2008. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  28. ^ "Gillingham 1–0 Shrewsbury". BBC Sport. 3 October 2021. Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2009.
  29. ^ "Wycombe 3–0 Gillingham". BBC. 8 May 2010. Archived from the original on 11 May 2010. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  30. ^ "Manager Mark Stimson leaves Gillingham". BBC. 10 May 2010. Archived from the original on 13 May 2010. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  31. ^ "Andy Hessenthaler named new Gillingham Manager". BBC. 21 May 2010. Archived from the original on 24 May 2010. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  32. ^ Cawdell, Luke (22 April 2013). "Manager Martin Allen pays tribute to club's fans as sell-out crowd see Gillingham crowned League 2 champions". KentOnline. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  33. ^ Cawdell, Luke (20 April 2020). "Looking back at the day Gillingham won the League 2 title at Priestfield in front of a sell-out crowd". KentOnline. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  34. ^ a b "Peter Taylor drafted in following sacking of Martin Allen at Gillingham". The Independent. 13 October 2013. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  35. ^ "Gillingham 0–2 Rotherham United". BBC. 20 April 2022. Archived from the original on 30 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  36. ^ "Gillingham: Brad Galinson completes takeover after buying majority stake". BBC Sport. 23 December 2022. Archived from the original on 23 December 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  37. ^ Cawdell, Luke (3 January 2023). "Scally 'remains a big asset to Gillingham' says new owner". Kent Online. Archived from the original on 3 January 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  38. ^ "Ground history for Gillingham". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 27 November 2007. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  39. ^ "Local history: Gillingham Football Club". Medway Council. Archived from the original on 19 June 2004. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  40. ^ "The Changing Face of KRBS Priestfield". Gillingham F.C. 7 September 2007. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  41. ^ "Opposition: Gillingham". Southend United F.C. 26 November 2010. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  42. ^ a b "Gillingham to change stadium name". BBC. 19 March 2007. Archived from the original on 22 March 2007. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  43. ^ "New sponsor named..." Gillingham F.C. 23 May 2011. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  44. ^ "Gillingham – Priestfield Stadium". Yorkshire Evening Post. 27 June 2007. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  45. ^ "League One 2018/2019 » Attendance » Home matches". worldfootball.net. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  46. ^ "Powell impressed with Kent crowd". BBC. 21 April 2006. Archived from the original on 28 September 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  47. ^ "Gillingham ordered to leave training ground by council". BBC. 4 July 2012. Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  48. ^ Bradley, Andy; Roger Triggs (1994). Home of the Shouting Men: Complete History of Gillingham Football Club 1893–1993. Gillingham F.C. p. 54. ISBN 0-9523361-0-3.
  49. ^ Bradley, Andy; Roger Triggs. Home of the Shouting Men: Complete History of Gillingham Football Club 1893–1993. p. 92.
  50. ^ "Shoot-out success for City". BBC. 30 May 1999. Archived from the original on 2 April 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  51. ^ "Shirty fans win kit battle". BBC. 19 June 2003. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  52. ^ "Gills Go Back to Black". Gillingham F.C. 5 March 2010. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  53. ^ "Back in Blue". Gillingham F.C. 4 June 2013. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  54. ^ "Gillingham". Historical Football Kits. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  55. ^ a b "Movie blockbuster to score with Gills fans plot". Eastern Daily Press. 28 December 2008. Archived from the original on 22 April 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  56. ^ Steve Tongue (29 May 1999). "Football: Forgotten club ready to surprise". The Independent. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  57. ^ Elligate, David (2009). Gillingham FC On This Day. Durrington: Pitch Publishing. p. 152. ISBN 978-1-90541-145-0.
  58. ^ Triggs, Roger (2001). The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. Tempus Publishing Ltd. pp. 87, 134, 140, 170, 211, 292. ISBN 0-7524-2243-X.
  59. ^ "Fans could decide kit colour". BBC. 19 March 2007. Archived from the original on 21 June 2004. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  60. ^ "Automatic Retailing sponsor Gills". Gillingham F.C. 1 July 2010. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  61. ^ "New sponsor named". Gillingham F.C. 23 May 2011. Archived from the original on 30 January 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  62. ^ Nickalls, Amy (5 May 2018). "Medway Council confirmed as new sponsor for Gillingham Football Club". Kent Online. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  63. ^ "First Team". Gillingham F.C. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  64. ^ a b "Past Masters - Brian Yeo". Gillingham F.C. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  65. ^ a b "Choose Your Greatest XI". Gillingham F.C. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  66. ^ Triggs. The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. p. 336.
  67. ^ "Past Masters - Dick Tydeman". Gillingham F.C. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  68. ^ Triggs. The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. p. 171.
  69. ^ Gillingham Football Club 1975-76 Supporters Handbook. The Blue Supporter's Association. 1975. p. 25. Damien Richardson is current Player-of-the-Year. He earned the award with some great performances last season.
  70. ^ a b c d "Vote For Your Greatest Centre-Half". Gillingham F.C. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  71. ^ a b Triggs. The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. p. 331.
  72. ^ a b "Vote for Your Greatest Left Back". Gillingham F.C. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  73. ^ "King Bruce". Kent Evening Post. May 1982. Steve [Bruce], who has already won the supporter's association award, won this year's Player of the Year title with a landslide victory.
  74. ^ Triggs. The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. p. 289.
  75. ^ "On This Day... - News - Gillingham". Gillingham F.C. Archived from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  76. ^ "Choose Your Greatest No.2". Gillingham F.C. Archived from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  77. ^ a b "Choose Your Greatest Striker". Gillingham F.C. Archived from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  78. ^ Triggs. The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. p. 251.
  79. ^ Triggs. The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. p. 326.
  80. ^ Triggs. The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. p. 199.
  81. ^ Triggs. The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. p. 89.
  82. ^ Triggs. The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. p. 139.
  83. ^ a b Hudd, Tony (May 1994). "Emotional night as Banks scoops pool". Kent Evening Post. Skipper Richard Green bidding for an unprecedented third successive accolade, had to be content with being runner up.
  84. ^ Triggs. The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. p. 306.
  85. ^ "Start of the Season". Official Matchday Magazine of Gillingham Football Club. Gillingham vs. Preston North End: 28. 9 August 1997. Andy Hessenthaler - Gillingham Player of the Year
  86. ^ Triggs, Roger (1999). Images of England: Gillingham Football Club. Tempus Publishing Limited. p. 128.
  87. ^ "Super Bob to Launch Legends Lounge". Gillingham F.C. Archived from the original on 9 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  88. ^ "Hessenthaler quits as Gills boss". Kent Online. 23 November 2004. Archived from the original on 9 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  89. ^ "Smith signs four-year contract". Kent Online. 17 September 2001. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  90. ^ "Gills skipper collects glittering prizes". Kent Online. 14 April 2002. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  91. ^ "Gillingham 2-1 Palace". BBC Sport. 4 May 2003. Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  92. ^ "Gills: only big fee would buy Spiller". Kent Online. 10 June 2004. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  93. ^ "Players sweat on futures". Kent Online. 8 May 2005. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  94. ^ "Keeper Brown wins player accolade". Kent Online. 30 April 2006. Archived from the original on 29 August 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  95. ^ "Lions try to tempt Gills midfielder". Kent Online. 20 May 2007. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  96. ^ "Royce crowned player of the year". Kent Online. 26 April 2008. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  97. ^ "Simon King is named Gillingham Player of the Year". Kent Online. 27 April 2009. Archived from the original on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  98. ^ "Andy Barcham collects four trophies at sombre Gillingham awards night". Kent Online. 10 May 2010. Archived from the original on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  99. ^ "Gillingham striker Cody McDonald takes plaudits with coveted player-of-the-year honour at club's awards ceremony". Kent Online. 9 May 2011. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  100. ^ "Adam Barrett, Stuart Nelson, Bradley Dack and Matt Fish scoop awards at the Gillingham player-of-the-year event". Kent Online. 30 April 2013. Archived from the original on 12 November 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  101. ^ "Keeper Stuart Nelson wins Gills' player-of-the-year award". Kent Online. 6 May 2014. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  102. ^ "John Egan Wins Player of the Year". Gillingham F.C. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  103. ^ "Bradley Dack Dominates the Player of the Year Awards". Gillingham F.C. Archived from the original on 24 January 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  104. ^ "Gillingham player-of-the-year for 2016-17 season is Josh Wright". Kent Online. 22 April 2017. Archived from the original on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  105. ^ "Mark Byrne named Gillingham player-of-the-year for the 2017/18 season". Kent Online. 6 May 2018. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  106. ^ "Barry Fuller is named Gillingham player-of-the-year for the 2018/19 season". Kent Online. 5 May 2019. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  107. ^ "Connor Ogilvie named Player of the Year". Gillingham F.C. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  108. ^ "Kyle Dempsey named Player of the Year". Gillingham F.C. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  109. ^ Cawdell, Luke (1 May 2022). "Stuart O'Keefe voted Gillingham supporters' player of the year 2021/22; Chairman Paul Scally insists they will be a better club next season". Kent Online. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  110. ^ Cawdell, Luke (1 May 2023). "Morris takes top award at Gillingham". Kent Online. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  111. ^ "Conor Masterson voted Player of the Year". Gillingham F.C. 13 April 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  112. ^ "Who's Who". Gillingham F.C. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  113. ^ Bradley, Andy; Roger Triggs. Home of the Shouting Men: Complete History of Gillingham Football Club 1893–1993. p. 20.
  114. ^ "Manager History for Gillingham". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 22 June 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  115. ^ a b Bradley, Andy; Roger Triggs. Home of the Shouting Men: Complete History of Gillingham Football Club 1893–1993. p. 394.
  116. ^ Bradley, Andy; Roger Triggs. Home of the Shouting Men: Complete History of Gillingham Football Club 1893–1993. p. 396.
  117. ^ a b Bradley, Andy; Roger Triggs. Home of the Shouting Men: Complete History of Gillingham Football Club 1893–1993. p. 397.
  118. ^ Bradley, Andy; Roger Triggs. Home of the Shouting Men: Complete History of Gillingham Football Club 1893–1993. p. 398.
  119. ^ "Taylor-made for top job". BBC Sport. 14 November 2000. Archived from the original on 7 April 2003. Retrieved 29 December 2008.
  120. ^ Bradley, Andy; Roger Triggs. Home of the Shouting Men: Complete History of Gillingham Football Club 1893–1993. p. 392.
  121. ^ Trevor Haylett (10 January 1995). "Everton fail to win Saunders". The Independent. Archived from the original on 9 November 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  122. ^ Paul Kelso (3 October 2021). "Scally's rocky road to Highbury". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 27 February 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2008.
  123. ^ "New Brompton Football Club". Sporting Life. 9 May 1900. Retrieved 3 February 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  124. ^ Triggs. The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. p. 158.
  125. ^ a b c d "All Time Gillingham Records & Achievements". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 2 May 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  126. ^ a b Triggs. The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. p. 344.
  127. ^ Triggs. The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. p. 226.
  128. ^ Triggs. The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. p. 349.
  129. ^ Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (1996). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1996–97. London: Headline Publishing Group. p. 167. ISBN 978-0747277811.
  130. ^ "Rivalry Uncovered!" (PDF). The Football Fans Census. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2009. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  131. ^ "Millwall 1–2 Gillingham". BBC. 24 November 2001. Archived from the original on 29 August 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  132. ^ "Gillingham vs Swindon Town". Gillingham F.C. 14 January 2006. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  133. ^ "Town set to pay price for crowd trouble". Swindon Advertiser. Archived from the original on 22 July 2010. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  134. ^ Simon O'Hagan (10 January 1996). "Butler's hat-trick lifts Gillingham to top". The Independent. Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  135. ^ "BBC News | UK | Football fan jailed for killing rival supporter". news.bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 August 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  136. ^ Elligate, David (2009). Gillingham FC On This Day. Pitch Publishing. p. 22. ISBN 978-1-9054-1145-0.
  137. ^ Elligate. Gillingham FC On This Day. p. 54.
[edit]