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...

NEWS...

1977 - The Gills went top of the Third Division table for the first time ever following their win at Plymouth 

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FIXTURES...

1898 - Chatham 1-1 New Brompton              SLD1
Jack Frettingham netted in the local derby

1904 - New Brompton 1-0 Watford               SLD1
Joe Turner scoring from the spot proved enough against the Hornets 

1910 - Portsmouth 1-0 New Brompton        SLD1

1921 - Merthyr Town 2-0 Gillingham           D3S

1927 - Gillingham 1-3 Northampton T         D3S     Att: 4,226
William Arblaster was on target in this home defeat

1932 - Gillingham 2-0 Crystal Palace           D3S     Att: 9,827
George Nicol scored both in a comfortable home win

1938 - Torquay Utd Res 3-1 Gillingham     SLD1
A goal from Reg Day couldn't prevent defeat at Plainmoor 

1947 - Gillingham 2-1 Dartford                   SLCQR  Att: 3,571
Goals from Tug Wilson and George Skinner blunted the Darts

1949 - Cheltenham T 1-2 Gillingham         SLD1    Att: 3,213
John Carr and Hughie Russell got the goals in Gloucestershire

1952 - Gillingham 2-0 Aldershot                D3S      Att: 6,670
A Dave Thomas double shot down the Shots

1955 - Gillingham 3-1 Norwich City          D3S      Att: 13,022
Eric Phoenix, Ernie Morgan and Paddy Sowden were the scorers as the Canaries had their wings clipped

1958 - Gillingham 3-2 Oldham Ath           D4       Att: 4,705
Two goals from John Edgar, including a penalty, plus another for Gordon Pulley saw off the Latics

1960 - Gillingham 4-4 Peterborough U    D4      Att: 11,840
Goals from Gordon Pulley, Alec Farrall, Pat Terry and an own goal from Jim Raynor weren't enough for victory as the sides shared eight goals 

1966 - Gillingham 5-1 Middlesbrough     D3     Att: 5,789
'Boro were blitzed by goals from Mel Machin (2), Brian Gibbs, Bill Brown and a Dave Smith own goal 

1969 - Gillingham 2-4 Southport              D3     Att: 4,876
The Gills scored twice through Brian Yeo and Gordon Riddick but the Sandgrounders eased to victory

1977 - Plymouth Arg. 1-3 Gillingham      D3    Att: 12,635
Two goals from Damien Richardson, including a penalty, and another from Ken Price earned the Gills a win at Home Park 

1983 - Gillingham 4-2 Brentford             D3     Att: 3,268
John Leslie and Dave Mehmet both scored twice as the Bees were stung

1985 - Plymouth Arg. 3-0 Gillingham    D3     Att: 4,135

1988 - Brentford 1-0 Gillingham            D3     Att: 4,839

1994 - Gillingham 0-2 Mansfield T        D3     Att: 2,569

1996 - Gillingham 1-0 Notts Co             D2     Att: 5,583
Iffy Onuora scored the only goal of the game

2002 - Stockport Co 1-2 Gillingham    WC2  Att: 2,396
Guy Ipoua and a cracking effort from Tommy Johnson netted as the visitors went through

2005 - Gillingham 1-2 Southend U       L1    Att: 8,128
Alan Pouton scored late on for the Gills but a Mark Bentley double had already done the damage for the Essex side

2011 - AFC Wimbledon 3-1 Gillingham  L2    Att: 4,606
Charlie Lee's strike counted for little in a poor performance at Kingsmeadow

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DEBUTS...

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

1958 - Dennis Hunt versus Oldham at Priestfield

1994 - Chris Pike at home to Mansfield

2011 - Jo Kuffour away at AFC Wimbledon

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BIRTHS...

1969 - Jason Lillis 

The Chatham born forward came through the ranks here at Priestfield and made his first-team debut as a substitute at home to Southend United in August 1987 - the game the Gills won 8-1.

After leaving Gillingham he played for a number of clubs, both league and non-league and is currently managing Kent Hurlimann League side Lordswood.

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DEATHS...

1984 - Bill Hales

The Gillingham born centre-forward played locally with Breach Rovers, Sittingbourne and his home-town club as an amateur playing twice in the Southern League Cup.

He joined the Gills on a permanent basis in August 1949 and was a regular scorer for the Reserves before finally getting his first Football League chance.

That came in the away game at Port Vale in March 1951 where Bill scored three times in a 4-3 defeat.

In November 1952 he joined Snowdown Colliery Welfare and later returned to Medway when signing for Chatham Town.

Bill died in Chatham on 1st October 1984.