Jump to content
Main menu
Main menu
move to sidebar
hide
Navigation
Main page
Recent changes
Random page
Help about MediaWiki
Special pages
Niidae Wiki
Search
Search
Appearance
Create account
Log in
Personal tools
Create account
Log in
Pages for logged out editors
learn more
Contributions
Talk
Editing
Gillingham F.C.
(section)
Page
Discussion
English
Read
Edit
View history
Tools
Tools
move to sidebar
hide
Actions
Read
Edit
View history
General
What links here
Related changes
Page information
Appearance
move to sidebar
hide
Warning:
You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you
log in
or
create an account
, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
Anti-spam check. Do
not
fill this in!
==History== :{{Further|History of Gillingham F.C.}} :{{For|a statistical breakdown by season|List of Gillingham F.C. seasons}} ===Early years=== [[File:Gills1913.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.9|The official announcement of the club's change of name in 1913|alt=A document announcing that New Brompton Football Club has changed its name to Gillingham Football Club, dated 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, Kent|Brompton]] being a settlement adjacent to Gillingham.{{sfn|Triggs|1984|p=1}} The founders also purchased the plot of land which later became [[Priestfield Stadium]].{{sfn|Triggs|1984|p=8}} The new club played its first match on 2 September 1893, losing 5β1 to [[Arsenal F.C.|Woolwich Arsenal]]'s reserve side in front of a crowd of 2,000.{{sfn|Triggs|1984|p=4}} New Brompton were among the founder members of the [[Southern Football League|Southern League]] upon its creation in 1894, and were placed in Division Two. They were named Champions in the first season ([[1894β95 in English football|1894β95]]) going on to defeat [[Swindon Town F.C.|Swindon Town]] in a [[Test match (association football)|test match]] to win promotion.{{sfn|Triggs|1984|p=5}} In the seasons that followed, the club struggled in Division One, finishing bottom in the [[1907β08 in English football|1907β08]] season,<ref name="FCHD">{{cite web | url = https://www.fchd.info/GILLINGH.HTM | title = Gillingham | access-date = 3 October 2021 | publisher = The Football Club History Database | archive-date = 9 May 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080509173818/http://www.fchd.info/GILLINGH.HTM | url-status = live }}</ref> 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 A.F.C.|Sunderland]] and held [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] to a draw before losing in the replay.{{sfn|Triggs|1984|p=6}} 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 [[1912β13 in English football|1912β13]] season, although the change was not officially ratified by the shareholders until the following year.{{sfn|Elligate|2009|p=102}} The team finished bottom of Division One in the [[1919β20 in English football|1919β20]] 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]].{{sfn|Triggs|1984|p=10}} ===First spell in the Football League=== In the first season of the newly created Football League Division Three, the [[1920β21 in English football|1920β21]] 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 [[Football League Third Division South|Third Division (South)]] and were required to apply for [[Re-election (Football League)|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 F.C.|Ipswich Town]] being promoted in their place.{{sfn|Triggs|1984|p=13}} Gillingham quickly established themselves as one of the stronger sides in the league, winning a local double of the [[Kent Football League (1894β1959)|Kent League]] and [[Kent Senior Cup]] in the [[1945β46 in English football|1945β46]] season.{{sfn|Triggs|1984|p=13}} In the [[1946β47 in English football|1946β47]] season the team won both the [[Southern Football League Cup (England)|Southern League Cup]] and the Southern League championship, during which they recorded a club record 12β1 victory over [[Gloucester City F.C.|Gloucester City]].{{sfn|Triggs|1984|p=16}} The Gills also won the league title in [[1948β49 in English football|1948β49]].{{sfn|Triggs|1984|p=19}} ===Return to the Football League=== 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.{{sfn|Triggs|1984|p=19}} The team spent eight seasons in Division Three (South) before the restructuring of the league system for the [[1958β59 in English football|1958β59]] season saw them placed in the newly created [[Football League Fourth Division|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 F.C.|Carlisle United]], but with a fractionally better [[goal average]] (1.967 against 1.948).{{sfn|Triggs|1984|p=26}} After relegation back to the Fourth Division in [[1970β71 in English football|1970β71]], the Gills were soon promoted back to the Third Division in the [[1973β74 in English football|1973β74]] season.{{sfn|Triggs|1984|p=54}} 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 [[1986β87 in English football|1986β87]] when they reached the [[Football League play-offs|play-offs]] only to lose in the [[1987 Football League Third Division play-off Final|final]] to [[Swindon Town F.C.|Swindon Town]].<ref name="GFCHist">{{cite web|url=http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/page/ClubHistory/0,,10416,00.html |title=Gillingham FC History (1893β ) |access-date=4 February 2014 |publisher=Gillingham F.C. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120215161623/http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/page/ClubHistory/0%2C%2C10416%2C00.html |archive-date=15 February 2012 }}</ref> During this period the club produced future stars [[Steve Bruce]] and [[Tony Cascarino]], who was famously bought from non-league [[Crockenhill F.C.|Crockenhill]] in exchange for a set of tracksuits.{{sfn|Triggs|2001|p=82}} [[File:Priestfield2.jpg|upright=1.15|thumb|right|Gillingham (blue shirts) in action in a match from the 1986β87 season|alt=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.]] In 1987, the Gills hit the headlines when, on consecutive Saturdays, they beat [[Southend United F.C.|Southend United]] 8β1 and [[Chesterfield F.C.|Chesterfield]] 10β0, the latter a club record for a [[Football League]] match. Just a few months later, however, manager [[Keith Peacock]] was controversially sacked,<ref name=keith>{{Cite web | url = https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A117506930/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=32a48136 | work = [[The Times]] | access-date = 11 September 2021 | via = [[Gale (publisher)|Gale]] | title = Football: Gillingham respond to protest| date = 4 January 1988|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url = https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A117544809/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=e43f2e13 | work = [[The Times]] | access-date = 19 September 2021 | via = [[Gale (publisher)|Gale]] | title = Football: Gillingham dismiss Peacock as manager| date = 30 December 1987|url-access=subscription }}</ref> and within 18 months the club had fallen into Division Four.<ref name="GFCHist" /> The ensuing spell in the lower division brought little success, and in the [[1992β93 in English football|1992β93]] Division Three campaign the Gills narrowly avoided relegation to the [[Football Conference]].<ref name="GFCHist" /> ===Recent highs and lows=== [[File:Gillsplayoff2000.jpg|upright=1.15|thumb|right|Gillingham fans at the 2000 Division Two play-off final|alt=A stadium full of spectators. Those nearest the camera are waving blue and white flags.]] Beset with financial problems, the club went into administration in January 1995, and by the end of the [[1994β95 in English football|1994β95]] season faced the threat of being expelled from the Football League and closed down.<ref name="GFCHist" /> In June 1995, however, a London-based businessman, [[Paul Scally]], stepped in and bought the club.{{sfn|Elligate|2009|p=105}} 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]]).<ref name="FCHD" /> In 1999 the Gills made the play-offs but lost in the [[1999 Football League Second Division play-off Final|final]] to [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]]. The Gills were 2β0 up with less than two minutes left only to see City score twice, the equaliser in injury time, and go on to win 3β1 in a [[Penalty shootout (association football)|penalty shoot-out]].<ref name=guardrep>{{Cite web | url = https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/74999921/the-guardian/ | work = [[The Guardian]] | via = [[Newspapers.com]] | access-date = 3 October 2021 | title = Now City turn lost cause into a triumph | first = Trevor | last = Haylett | date = 31 May 1999 | page = 25 | archive-date = 27 July 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210727150752/https://theguardian.newspapers.com/clip/74999921/the-guardian/ | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name=timesrep>{{Cite news | url = https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/IF0500231797/TTDA?u=wikipedia&sid=TTDA&xid=5f472bb6 | work = [[The Times]] | via = [[Gale (publisher)|Gale]] | title = City stage another Manchester late show | page = 31 | date = 31 May 1999 | first = Keith | last = Pike | url-access = subscription | access-date = 3 April 2021 | archive-date = 27 July 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210727150804/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=TTDA&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CIF0500231797&v=2.1&it=r&sid=TTDA&asid=5f472bb6 | url-status = live }}</ref> Soon after the play-off loss, Pulis was sacked for gross misconduct,<ref name="cham">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2001/apr/26/newsstory.sport1|title=Pulis 'drank champagne' after sacking|work=The Guardian|author=Jon Brodkin|date=26 April 2001|access-date=3 October 2021|archive-date=9 March 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070309141237/http://www.football-league.premiumtv.co.uk/page/PlayOffsDetail/0%2C%2C10794~475418%2C00.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Peter John Taylor|Peter Taylor]] appointed manager.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2002/984825.stm | title = Taylor-made for top job | access-date = 3 October 2021 | publisher = BBC Sport | date = 14 November 2000 | archive-date = 7 April 2003 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20030407071458/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2002/984825.stm | url-status = live }}</ref> In the [[1999β00 in English football|1999β00]] season Gillingham qualified for the play-offs again, where they faced [[Wigan Athletic F.C.|Wigan Athletic]] in the [[2000 Football League Second Division play-off Final|final]] at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]]. The game finished 1β1 after 90 minutes, but, thanks to goals in extra time from substitutes [[Steve Butler (footballer)|Steve Butler]] and [[Andy Thomson (footballer born 1971)|Andy Thomson]], the Gills won 3β2 and were promoted to Division One for the first time.<ref name=lucky>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/767702.stm|title=Second time lucky for Gills|publisher=[[BBC Sport]]|date=28 May 2000|access-date=3 October 2021|archive-date=3 March 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030303203928/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/767702.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> Taylor then left to manage [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]], and [[Andy Hessenthaler]] was appointed as player-manager.<ref name="Hess out" /> He led the club to their best ever league finish of eleventh in the 2002β03 season,<ref name="FCHD" /> but the following season saw the club narrowly avoid relegation on [[goal difference]]. Hessenthaler resigned as manager in November 2004,<ref name="Hess out">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/4035041.stm|title=Hessenthaler steps down at Gills|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=12 April 2007|date=23 November 2004|archive-date=27 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220727175320/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/4035041.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> and new boss [[Stan Ternent]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/4071489.stm|title=Gills unveil Ternent as manager|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=3 October 2021|date=7 December 2004|archive-date=4 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504213802/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/4071489.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> was unable to prevent the Gills' relegation to [[Football League One|League One]]. At the end of the [[2007β08 in English football|2007β08]] season the club was relegated again, this time to League Two,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/7377686.stm|title=Leeds 2β1 Gillingham|publisher=BBC|access-date=3 October 2021|date=3 May 2008|archive-date=5 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080505092607/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/7377686.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> but an immediate return to the third level was secured via the play-offs after beating [[Shrewsbury Town F.C.|Shrewsbury Town]] in the [[2009 Football League Two play-off Final|final]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/8048284.stm|title=Gillingham 1β0 Shrewsbury|publisher=BBC Sport|date=3 October 2021|access-date=23 May 2009|archive-date=25 May 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090525150909/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/8048284.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> In the [[2009β10 in English football|2009β10]] 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.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/8632662.stm|title=Wycombe 3β0 Gillingham|publisher=BBC|date=8 May 2010|access-date=3 October 2021|archive-date=11 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100511160330/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/8632662.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> This resulted in manager [[Mark Stimson]] having his contract terminated,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/8672351.stm|title=Manager Mark Stimson leaves Gillingham|publisher=BBC|date=10 May 2010|access-date=3 October 2021|archive-date=13 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100513085349/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/8672351.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> and Andy Hessenthaler was appointed as manager of the club for the second time.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/8698075.stm|title=Andy Hessenthaler named new Gillingham Manager|publisher=BBC|date=21 May 2010|access-date=3 October 2021|archive-date=24 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100524102958/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/8698075.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> At the start of the [[2012β13 in English football|2012β13]] season Hessenthaler was replaced by [[Martin Allen (footballer)|Martin Allen]], who led the club to promotion as League Two champions in his first season in charge.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cawdell |first1=Luke |title=Manager Martin Allen pays tribute to club's fans as sell-out crowd see Gillingham crowned League 2 champions |url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/news/manager-martin-allen-pays-tribut-a53675/ |access-date=3 October 2021 |work=KentOnline |date=22 April 2013 |archive-date=25 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925212657/https://www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/news/manager-martin-allen-pays-tribut-a53675/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Cawdell |first1=Luke |title=Looking back at the day Gillingham won the League 2 title at Priestfield in front of a sell-out crowd |url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/sport/the-day-gills-won-the-league-in-pictures-225911/ |access-date=3 October 2021 |work=KentOnline |date=20 April 2020 |archive-date=25 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925220853/https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/sport/the-day-gills-won-the-league-in-pictures-225911/ |url-status=live }}</ref> However, shortly after winning League Two, Allen was sacked in what many saw as a surprise after a poor start to the season.<ref name="MA out">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/peter-taylor-drafted-in-following-sacking-of-martin-allen-at-gillingham-8877756.html|title=Peter Taylor drafted in following sacking of Martin Allen at Gillingham|work=[[The Independent]]|date=13 October 2013|access-date=3 October 2021|archive-date=17 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717184606/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/peter-taylor-drafted-in-following-sacking-of-martin-allen-at-gillingham-8877756.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The club remained in League One from 2013 up until 2022, with a best finish of ninth, achieved in the [[2015–16 in English football|2015–16]] season.<ref name="FCHD" /> In the [[2021β22 in English football|2021β22]] season, Gillingham were relegated back into League Two.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61198302|title=Gillingham 0–2 Rotherham United|publisher=BBC|date=20 April 2022|access-date=20 April 2022|archive-date=30 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220430075220/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61198302|url-status=live}}</ref> In December 2022, Florida-based property tycoon Brad Galinson acquired a majority shareholding in the club, with Scally retaining minority ownership.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64079960|title=Gillingham: Brad Galinson completes takeover after buying majority stake|work=[[BBC Sport]]|accessdate=23 December 2022|date=23 December 2022|archive-date=23 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223184835/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64079960|url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2023 the club confirmed that Galinson would also take on the position of Chairman.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cawdell |first=Luke |date=2023-01-03 |title=Scally 'remains a big asset to Gillingham' says new owner |url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/sport/gillingham-brad-galinson-279806/ |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=[[Kent Online]] |language=en |archive-date=3 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103220249/https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/sport/gillingham-brad-galinson-279806/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
Summary:
Please note that all contributions to Niidae Wiki may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here.
You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see
Encyclopedia:Copyrights
for details).
Do not submit copyrighted work without permission!
Cancel
Editing help
(opens in new window)
Search
Search
Editing
Gillingham F.C.
(section)
Add topic