ON THIS DAY

News relevant to the club on this day previously

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

FIXTURES...


1893 - New Brompton 1-3 Dartford                 Fr

1899 - New Brompton 0-0 Thames Ironworks  FAC4Q

1905 - Southampton 1-1 New Brompton          SLD1
James McKie scored against the Saints

1922 - Gillingham4-0 Aberdare Athletic           D3S
Tommy Hall (2) and Horace Williams (2) saw the Welsh side soundly beaten

1933 - Brighton & HA 5-2 Gillingham               D3S    Att: 5,186
The Gills scorers on the South Coast were George Nicol and George Purcell

1944 - Dartford Amateurs 1-4 Gillingham        KL
Vic Hole netted a hat-trick with Tug Wilson adding the other

1950 - Nottm Forest 9-2 Gillingham                D3S   Att: 20,639
Bobby Veck and Dave Thomas netted for the Gills in this heavy loss at the City Ground

1961 - Gillingham 4-0 Hartlepool Utd              D4     Att: 6,562
Two goals from Alec Farrall plus others from Gordon Pulley and Charlie Livesey eased the Gills to a comfy triumph

1964 - Guildford City 0-1 Gillingham              FAC1R   Att: 10,959
Brian Gibbs scored the replay winner

1967 - Colchester United 2-2 Gillingham        D3      Att: 4,190
Two goals from Gibbs earned a point at Layer Road

1972 - Gillingham 1-2 Reading                     FAC1   Att: 4,432
Dick Tydeman netted but the Gills went out

1978 - Gillingham 3-3 Bury                          D3      Att: 6,291
Terry Jolley netted two and Damien Richardson the other as the Gills blew a 3-1 lead against the 10-man Shakers

1989 - Gillingham 0-0 Welling Utd                FAC1   Att: 5,598

1991 - Brentford 3-3 Gillingham                  FAC1   Att: 5,838
Two goals from Alan Walker and one from Neil Smith earned a replay in a game televised by Sky at Griffin Park - the Gills twice coming from behind

1995 - Scarborough 0-2 Gillingham             D3      Att: 1,546
Richard Green and Leo Fortune-West got the goals in the win at the McCain Stadium

1997 - Gillingham 1-1 Blackpool                 D2      Att: 5,040
A Guy Butters spot-kick helped the Gills take a point

2000 - W.B.A 3-1 Gillingham                      C       Att: 16,410
It was defeat at the Hawthorns but Marlon King did score his first goal for the club

2001 - Gillingham 0-0 Watford                   C       Att: 8,733

2003 - Liverpool 0-1 Gills Yth                    FAYC2
Akwasi Edusei was the scorer as the young Gills won at Anfield

2006 - Bristol City 3-1 Gillingham              L1      Att: 11,823
Michael Flynn put the Gills ahead before City hit back

2007 - Yeovil Town 2-1 Gillingham             L1   Att: 4,408
The Gills were beaten by James Walker's 88th minute effort. Chris Dickson had earlier equalised after Lloyd Owusu had put the Glovers ahead.

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DEBUTS...

The following player made his Gillingham debut in the above games...

2007 - Leroy Griffiths at Yeovil

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BIRTHS...

1927 - Joe Hutton

The Dundee born striker had played for Albion Rovers, Reading, Ayr United, and Stoke City before Archie Clark paid £3000 for the forward in August 1957.

He made his Gills debut at Torquay United early in the season and scored seven goals in 38 appearances in his one season at Priestfield.

After a spell at Millwall he joined Poole Town where injury ended his playing career.


1937 - Dave Huddart

Dave joined the Gills in the summer of 1962 from Aldershot but found himself playing mainly for the reserves with the legendary John Simpson being first choice.

The keeper made his debut at home at Newport County in the League Cup and went on to make a total of 12 games before going to Ramsgate in July 1967 where he was to make a record number of appearances.


1967 - Gavin Peacock

After never really commanding a regular place at QPR, Gavin was signed by his father Keith, the then Gillingham boss in October 1987, initially on loan and just two months later he joined the Gills on a permanent basis for a £40,000 fee.

The midfielder-cum-striker, made his debut in a 3 - 0 win over Bristol Rovers and netted his first goal in the New Years Day victory at Southend United which ironically came just three days after Peacock senior was sacked following a 6 - 0 thumping at Aldershot.

In his first season he named as the Gills Young Player of the Year and then in the relegation season of 1988-89 his displays saw him recognised by the supporters who named him Player of the Year.

In the summer of 1989, after scoring 12 goals in 81 league and cup games for the Gills, Bournemouth boss Harry Redknapp paid £250,000 for him in a deal that also saw goalkeeper Phil Kite move to Dean Court.

Spells at Newcastle United and Chelsea followed before his career turned full circle when he re-joined Q.P.R in November 1996.

After retiring from playing, he regularly worked with the BBC appearing as a pundit on Football Focus, Final Score, Match of the Day 2, amongst other things, he also hosted a weekly podcast on the official Chelsea website.

His Christian faith later became a focal point to his life and in September 2008, after completing his commentary duties at Euro 2008, Gavin and his family moved to Calgary in Canada for a three-year master's course in Divinity at Ambrose Seminary. His aim is to become a pastor, vicar or minister depending on which denomination he chooses to follow.