ON THIS DAY...

Richard Day reviews this day in the club's history

News relevant to Gillingham FC on this day in history, games, players, debuts etc...

FIXTURES…


1897 - New Brompton 1-3 Southampton SLD1
Former Hearts player John MacMillan scored in his own net to account for the home goal

1915 - Gillingham 3-1 Portsmouth           SLD1
Don Weightman, Bill Thomas and Sam Gilligan all found the net against Pompey

1926 - Reading 1-0 Gillingham                  D3S   Att: 12,307

1932 - Gillingham 0-1 Exeter City             D3S   Att: 8,233

1937 - Aldershot T 3-0 Gillingham           D3S   Att: 3,797

1954 - Torquay Utd 3-3 Gillingham         D3S   Att: 6,017
Goals from Billy Millar, Paddy Sowden and Derek Lewis earned a point at Plainmoor

1960 - Chester 4-2 Gillingham                 D4     Att: 5,022
Bill Albury and Jack Hannaway were on target in the defeat at Sealand Road

1965 - Gillingham 2-0 Bristol City           D3     Att: 10,867
Ron Newman scored both goals against the Robins

1971 - Gillingham 2-1 Preston                 D3    Att: 4,798
The scorers against the Lilywhites were Brian Yeo and Ken Pound

1971 - Chelsea 6-1 Gills Res                     FC

1982 - Chester 0-0 Gillingham                 D3   Att: 1,707

1984 - Gillingham 0-3 Everton            FAC4 2R   Att: 17,817
The Toffee trilogy came to an end in the wind at Priestfield as Kevin Sheedy (2) and Adrian Heath netted for the visitors

1988 - Chesterfield 1-4 Gillingham          D3     Att: 2,141
Steve Lovell notched a hat-trick and a Les Hunter own goal in this romp at Saltergate

1993 - Northampton T 2-2 Gillingham     D3     Att: 3,812
Goals from Paul Baker and Paul Ritchie earned a point at the County Ground

1999 - Gillingham 3-1 Chesterfield          D3     Att: 6,582
Carl Asaba, Andy Hessenthaler and Nicky Southall were on the scoresheet against the Spireites

2010 - Brentford 4-0 Gillingham               L2     Att: 6,036
Charlie MacDonald and Myles Weston both scored twice as the Gills had an off day in West London
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DEBUTS...

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

1982 - Mark Miller against Chester at Sealand Road

1993 - Paul Ritchie away at Northampton

2010 - James Walker at Brentford

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BIRTHS...

1938 - Charlie Livesey

Born in West Ham, Charlie played youth football for the Hammers and Custom House before joining Southampton, then a Division Three (South) side, in March 1956 following a trial.

A player exchange deal involving Cliff Huxford took him to Chelsea in May 1959 where he went on to score 18 times in 42 appearances before Gillingham manager Harry Barratt paid £5,500 for the pacey and skilful forward in August 1961.

He made his Gills debut against Doncaster Rovers just days later and his first goal for the club was just two games away, albeit a consolation in a 5-1 defeat at Workington.

His Priestfield career was short, netting 17 goals in 47 games, mainly because Barratt was dismissed and the more defensive style of new boss Freddie Cox didn't suit the centre-forward and in October 1962 Watford boss Ron Burgess signed him in a £6,000 deal.

He later played for Northampton Town, Brighton & HA and non-league Crawley Town before retiring and returning to his native East London

Charlie had scored 106 goals in 329 Football League appearances, playing in all four divisions.

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DEATHS...

1958 - Len Darling

Born in Gillingham, he came to Priestfield Stadium from Chatham Town in May 1932 and he made his Gills debut at  Brighton & HA on the opening day of the 1932-33 campaign.

He went on to make 15 appearances before moving to Brighton the following summer.

Len died in Felixstowe on this day in 1958.