ON THIS DAY....

News relevant to Gillingham FC on this day previously

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

FIXTURES...

1969 - Southend United 1-3 Gillingham     Fr     Att: 3,675
Ken Pound and Brian Yeo (2) were on the mark at Roots Hall 

1977 - Sittingbourne 0-8 Gillingham           Fr     
The Gills enjoyed a 'behind closed doors' romp at the Bull Ground with goals from Ken Price, a hat-trick, Danny Westwood (2), Damien Richardson (2) and Terry Nicholl 

1979 - Dartford 0-5 Gills XI                            Fr
A young side won at Watling Street through Micky Adams (2), Charlie Young, Nigel Donn and Pat Walker from the spot 

1980 - Dagenham 2-2 Gillingham                Fr    Att: 260
Damien Richardson and new signing Peter Henderson were the scorers at Victoria Road 

1991 - Gills XI 3-1 Dover Res                        Fr
A youthful Gillingham side proved too good thanks to goals from Paul Golden (pen), Lee Ealham and Nicky Cropper at the training ground in Eccles 

1993 - Dover 2-1 Gillingham                          Fr   Att: 850
Andy Arnott netted for the Gills at the Crabble but goals from Colin Blewden and Richmond Donker won it for the home side  

1993 - Purfleet 0-1 Gills XI                             Fr
On the same day as the first team were losing, Paul Sykes scored the only goal of the game at Ship Lane 

1994 - Witham Town 0-0 Gills XI                  Fr
Boss Mike Flanagan included a number of trialists at the Essex Senior League outfit including Italian sweeper Velsanto Mauro



















Roland Edge in action at Ramsgate


1997 - Ramsgate 0-5 Gillingham                  Fr   Att: 500
Steve Butler struck a hat-trick with James Pinnock and Leo Fortune-West also finding the net against the Rams  

2001 - Lordswood 0-5 Gills XI                       Fr
The Gills outclassed their neighbours with goals from Marlon King (3), Guy Ipoua and Michael Phillips 

2003 - Gravesend & N 1-5 Gillingham         Fr   Att: 1,460
Tommy Johnson, Ian Cox, Jones Awuah and Nyron Nosworthy (2) were on target for the visitors while Leroy Huggins hit the 'Fleet consolation  

2005 - Millwall 2-2 Gillingham                       Fr  Att: 1,463
Darius Henderson and Darren Byfield scored for the Gills at the New Den  

2008 - Gillingham 0-2 Birmingham C          Fr  Att: 1,742
Alex McLeish's Blues won through goals from Cameron Jerome and Martin Taylor  

2008 - Folkestone Invicta 2-1 Gills XI         Fr
With the first-team playing at Priestfield a young team were beaten at the Buzzlines Stadium, Tayler Thomas netting 

2011 - Gillingham 0-1 L.Orient                     Fr
Dave Mooney hit the winner for the League One O's 

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BIRTHS...

The following former Gillingham players were born on this day..... 

1895 - James Batchelor

Born in Strood, James joined the Gills from neighbours Chatham Town in September 1922 and made the first appearance (of just three in total) against Brighton the following month. 

The following summer the outside-left moved on to Brentford.  

1902 - Charles Record

A local lad, Charles played just three games for the club in January 1926, with the forward marking his debut against Bristol Rovers in a 6-3 home win  

1907 - Bill White

Gillingham was the Scots fifth club when he joined from Charlton Athletic in December 1930 and he made his debut against QPR. 

The forward netted his first goal for the club in his third game, a 3-1 home win against Thames, and he was a regular scorer during his two seasons here with 18 goals in his 65 games.  

He went on to add another seven to his list  of clubs after leaving Priestfield for Aldershot in June 1932. 

1921 - George Baldwin

George played for Gravesend & Northfleet and Dartford before manager Archie Clark brought him to Gillingham in August 1951. 

His one and only first-team Gills appearance came in an away game at Leyton Orient in October 1952. 

1970 - Andy Polston

The right-back came through the ranks at Tottenham Hotspur, joining them initially as a schoolboy in October 1984 and it was from the North London club that he came to Priestfield on a one month loan in November 1991. 

He made his debut against Fulham at Craven Cottage in an Autoglass Trophy tie and went on to play in four further games for the Gills although one, a home game with Aldershot, was expunged from records after the Shots resigned from the Football League. 

He later had a spell with Brighton & Hove Albion before dropping into non-league football appearing for St Albans City, Braintree Town, Boreham Wood, Ford United and Billericay. 

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DEATHS...

1982 - Jack Williams

The centre-half made nine appearances for the Gills after arriving from home-town club Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 1928.  

Three months later he moved to Brighton & Hove Albion and it was in the seaside town that he died in July 1982, eight days after his 86th birthday