ON THIS DAY

Here is today's on this day...

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE FROM THE GILLS MEDIA TEAM

Richard Day looks back at news relevant to Gillingham FC on this day in history, games, players, debuts etc...

FIXTURES...


1905 - New Brompton 1-0 Brighton & HA   SLD1
A John Campbell penalty was the only goal of the game

1906 - Portsmouth 3-1 New Brompton       SLD1
William Lee scored the goal at Fratton Park

1907 - West Ham Utd 1-2 New Brompton  SLD1
F Spriggs and H Salter were on target in this victory

1908 - New Brompton 1-2 Plymouth Arg   SLD1
An Albert Court effort wasn't enough to earn a point

1909 - New Brompton 2-0 Watford             SLD1
Court again and John Taylor struck to beat the Hornets

1911 - New Brompton 1-0 Reading             SLD1
Abel Lee netted the winner

1912 - Gillingham 1-0 Norwich City             SLD1
Dick Goffin struck the only goal against the Canaries

1913 - Watford 0-2 Gillingham                     SLD1
Charlie Hafekost netted both in this Vicarage Road win

1914 - Gillingham 3-3 Norwich City            SLD1
Sam Gilligan, Don Weightman and P Glen were the marksmen in this home draw

1919 - Gillingham 1-2 Reading                    SLD1
B Read got the Gills effort at Priestfield

1920 - Gillingham 2-5 Northampton T       D3
Goals from Tom Gilbey and Tommy Hall couldn't prevent a hefty defeat

1922 - Gillingham 3-0 Millwall                     D3S
Hall again, Charlie Freeman and Bill Palmer all netted against the Lions

1923 - Gillingham 3-1 Norwich City           D3S
Joe North scored twice and Bill Cosgrove added another as City were beaten

1924 - Gillingham 3-1 Southend Utd         D3S
Albert Hook and Frank Marshall (2) saw off the Essex side

1925 - Gillingham 2-1 Luton Town            D3S   Att: 6,350
A brace of goals from Fred Brown ensured the points stayed at Priestfield

1926 - Charlton Athletic 3-0 Gillingham  D3S   Att: 8,514

1928 - Plymouth Argyle 3-0 Gillingham   D3S   Att: 15,608

1929 - Gillingham 1-5 Bournemouth        D3S   Att: 3954
Fred Castle hit the consolation in this one

1930 - Gillingham 3-1 Thames                  D3S   Att: 6,325
Bill White,Roy Bethell and Harold Jamieson all found the net

1931 - Gillingham 3-2 Northampton T     D3S   Att: 6,823
This time it was goals from White again, a George Scott penalty and Bert Williams that defeated the Cobblers

1933 - Bristol Rovers 4-2 Gillingham      D3S   Att: 17,582
Goals from Sim Raleigh and George Nicol weren't suffice at Eastville

1934 - Coventry City 4-0 Gillingham        D3S   Att: 24,226

1935 - Clapton Orient 3-1 Gillingham     D3S   Att: 9,480
The East London outfit won despite a George Tadman goal

1936 - Gillingham 1-0 Bristol Rovers     D3S   Att: 9,440
Tommy Robinson hit the winner at Priestfield

1946 - Colchester Utd 0-1 Gillingham    SLD1
Jackie Briggs scored the only goal at Layer Road

1947 - Colchester Utd 3-0 Gillingham    SLD1

1948 - Chelmsford C 3-3 Gillingham   SLD1
George Forrester struck a hat-trick as the two sides shared six goals

1950 - Gillingham 0-3 Reading             D3S     Att: 9,539

1951 - Gillingham 1-2 Colchester Utd  D3S   Att: 9,774
Briggs was on target again in this home defeat

1953 - Gillingham 2-0 Millwall              D3S   Att: 10,058
The Lions were beaten by goals from Ernie Morgan and Jimmy Scarth

1954 - Torquay Utd 1-3 Gillingham       D3S   Att: 5,761
The Gills won at Plainmoor thanks to two goals from Paddy Sowden and one from Les Riggs

1956 - Gillingham 0-0 Brighton & HA   D3S  Att: 5,237

1957 - Gillingham 1-1 Q.P.R                   D3S  Att: 7,233
Wendell Morgan got the goal in the draw with the R's

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DEBUTS...

The following players made their Gillingham debuts in the above games...

1920 - John Waugh at home to Northampton

1923 - Walter Barnard versus Norwich at Priestfield

1930 - Harold Jamieson against Thames at home

1935 - Bill Balsom and Alan Fowler at Clapton Orient

1951 - Ron Bean here against Colchester

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BIRTHS...

1896 - George Chance

The outside right joined Gillingham from Bristol Rovers in the summer of 1924 and made his debut on the opening day at Luton Town.

He was an ever-present, scoring four times in 47 games, before moving to Millwall in April 1925.
 

1946 - Derek Bellotti

Derek was at QPR as a youngster but was playing for Bedford Town when Gills boss Basil Hayward returned to his former club to bring the keeper to Priestfield in July 1966.

He made his debut against Walsall at home two months later.

In his four years with the Gills he made 43 appearances in total, due mainly to the fact legend John Simpson was at the club.

After spells at Charlton Athletic, Southend United and Swansea City he returned to Kent in July 1975 when signing for Maidstone United.

He then played for Margate before embarking on a personal tour of clubs in the West Country.


1947 - Bob Harrison

Forward Bob joined Gillingham on amateur forms in June 1963 and became a part-time professional in the summer of 1967 - he also worked in the dockyard.

Ironically his one and only appearance came as an amateur against Reading in April 1967.

After playing for Hastings United (loan), Margate, Brett Sports and Sheppey United, Bobby then spent 15 years with Chatham Town.


1995 – Charlie Webster

The young attacker made his debut in the Youth Alliance last season, scoring his first goal at Aldershot in March.

One of seven new scholars for 2012-13, Charlie was called up into the first-team squad for the Carling One Cup tie at Bristol City.

He celebrates his 17th birthday today.

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DEATHS...

1965 - Wally Battiste

The outside right arrived at Priestfield in August 1920 from Grimsby Town and made his debut against Southampton on the opening day of the season.

He went on to score eight times in 162 games for the Gills before moving to Millwall in May 1924.

Wally died in Windemere on this day in 1965

 
1971 - Albert Williams

Bert joined the Gills from Wrexham in July 1931 and made his debut at Southend United.

In his first season at Priestfield he played 40 times, scoring five times, but then left for York City.

However he returned to make a handful of appearances in both 1933-34 and 1934-35 which took his tally to 52 in all.

He died in Horsham on this day in 1971.