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...


1903 - New Brompton 1-1 Millwall Ath.  SLD1

Tom Boucher scored to ensure a point was taken from this derby fixture 


1908 - Watford 2-1 New Brompton          SLD1

A Reid penalty wasn't enough for a point 


1914 - Gillingham 2-4 Luton Town          SLD1

Tom Leslie from the spot and Harry Lee were on target but couldn't prevent defeat 


1925 - Gillingham 4-1 Reading                 D3S     Att: 6,211

Goals from Fred Brown, Bill Berry and Reg McKee (2) were sufficient to defeat the Royals 


1931 - Exeter City 4-0 Gillingham           D3S     Att: 5,353


1934 - Gillingham 1-3 Luton Town         D3SC1

Bert Williams goal couldn't stave off this loss to the Hatters 


1936 - Gillingham 2-0 Crystal Palace     D3S     Att: 6,441

Jim Watson and Edwin Scott were on target to shatter the Glaziers 


1953 - Northampton T 1-1 Gillingham    D3S    Att: 12,096

 Ernie Morgan was on target at the County Ground


1956 - Gillingham 2-1 Brentford              D3S    Att: 7,903

 A James Taylor double stung the Bees


1959 - Gillingham 4-1 Southport              D4     Att: 7,265

 Two goals apiece from Bill Albury, including a penalty, and Sammy Moore were more than enough for the Sandgrounders


1960 - York City 0-0 Gillingham              D4     Att: 8,577


1962 - Gillingham 0-0 York City              D4     Att: 6,240


1964 - Bristol City 1-2 Gillingham           D3      Att: 11,556

Brian Gibbs and Alec Farrall netted in this win at Ashton Gate 


1970 - Gillingham 2-2 Mansfield T          D3      Att: 4,706

The Stags got a point despite goals from Brian Yeo and Mike Green 


1970 - C.Palace 3-0 Gills Res                    FC


1972 - Gillingham 1-2 Cambridge U       D4     Att: 2,173

George Jacks was on target as the U's won at Priestfield 


1978 - Blackpool 2-0 Gillingham            D3     Att: 5,772


1981 - Gillingham 2-3 Exeter City         D3     Att: 4,158

Goals from Richie Bowman and Ken Price couldn't prevent a home defeat 


1987 - Bristol City 3-3 Gillingham         D3    Att: 10,080

 Steve Lovell, David Smith and Karl Elsey all netted in this high-scoring away draw


1989 - Gillingham 5-0 Southend Utd     D4    Att: 3,840

 Goals from MikeTrusson, Tony Eeles, Billy Manuel and two more from Lovell, including a penalty, saw the Essex side rocked


1992 - Gillingham 0-1 Walsall                D3    Att: 2,714


1998 - Preston NE 1-1 Gillingham         D2    Att: 10,506

 Carl Asaba scored for the Gills at Deepdale


2000 - Gillingham 2-4 Manchester C  WC2-2L  Att: 6,520

 Andy Thomson got both Gills goals but it was City who went through after extra-time


2006 - Leyton Orient 3-3 Gillingham     L1    Att: 3,978

 Mark Bentley, Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu and Matt Jarvis put Gills 3-0 up but the O's hit back in the final 13 minutes with left-back Adam Lockwood hitting a hat-trick


2009 - Gillingham 1-1 Norwich City      L1    Att: 7,550

Simeon Jackson scored from a 36th minute penalty which had seen City keeper Fraser Forster sent off. The Canaries however hit a last minute equaliser through Darel Russell 


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DEBUTS...


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


  Roger Challis at York1960 -


Kenny Rogers versus Cambridge at home 1972 -


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BIRTHS...


1962 - Mark Morris


The experienced central defender, who had played for Wimbledon, Aldershot (loan), Watford, Sheffield United and Bournemouth, came in on a month's loan from the Cherries in September 1996 and made his debut at Stockport County. 


Mark made a total of eight league and cup appearances for the Gills before joining Brighton & HA and he later spent a number of years with Dorchester Town in both playing and managerial roles. 

  

1979 - David Perpetuini


The left-back graduated through the ranks at then Premier League Watford before a £100,000 deal saw him move to Priestfield in August 2001. 


After making his debut as a substitute in the opening day thrashing of Preston David went on to make 98 appearances for the Gills before moving to Wycombe Wanderers in January 2001. 


He has since played for quite a number of non-league clubs and was most recently at Arlesley Town.  



1990 - Matt Fry


He’d played for his home-town club Gravesend & Northfleet before moving to Upton Park aged 11, and the central defender progressed through the ranks with the Hammers signing professional terms in the summer of 2009. 


Matt arrived at Priestfield on loan from West Ham United in October 2009 and he made his debut at MK Dons, going on to make 13 appearances in his three-month spell. 


Since leaving here he has played for both Charlton Athletic and Bradford City. 

  

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DEATH...


1956 - Alex Smeaton


Alex came to Priestfield from Luton Town in June 1930 and made his debut against Brighton & HA on the opening day of the season but only made two further appearances for the club. 


He died in Bristol on 26 September 1956