We look ahead to tomorrow's pre-season friendly against the Premiership newcomers
GILLINGHAM v CRYSTAL PALACEPre-season friendly
Tuesday July 23 2013
MEMS Priestfield Stadium
Kick-off: 7.30pm
TEAM NEWS
Manager Martin Allen is likely to name much the same squad that featured against Millwall at the weekend for tomorrow’s pre-season friendly against Premier League new boys Crystal Palace.
Myles Weston could come into contention if he has recovered from his hamstring problem that has recently kept him out, if he doesn’t then either Jake Hessenthaler, who made an appearance against the Lions, or Harry Grant could feature.
Following their long injury lay-offs Palace pair Paddy McCarthy and Jonathon Parr were amongst the first-team squad members that didn’t feature in the weekend game at Dagenham.
In that game the Eagles included four trialists, 6’ 6”Austrian Under-21 international striker Atdhe Nuhiu, former Arsenal winger Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, Elliot Grandin, a winger who is a free agent having left Blackpool, and Osman Sow, a Swedish striker from Syrianska FC who had recently been linked with Blackpool.
Boss Ian Holloway said afterwards: "I'll use some of them again on Tuesday, if their agents will let me. That's the first game and you should never judge anyone on their first game. They've bedded in with us and I quite like them as people, so we'll have some tough decisions to make."
It was revealed afterwards that midfielder Owen Garvan had a sore knee (patella tendonitis) due to the hard pitches and would be managed through pre-season.
EAGLES IN PRE-SEASON
Having been away for a pre-season training camp in Faro (Portugal), Ian Holloway’s side played their opening pre-season friendly at Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday (July 20), winning 2-1 thanks to goals from the aforementioned Nuhiu and an Owen Garvan penalty.
Holloway took the opportunity to give 23 players a run out against the Daggers which included a mixture of first-teamers, development players and four trialists.
Following their visit to Kent tomorrow evening the Eagles face away games at Crawley Town (Jul 27), Waterford United (Aug 3) and Dulwich Hamlet (Aug 6) before entertaining Italian Cup winners Lazio at Selhurst Park four days later.
SUMMER ARRIVALS AT SELHURST PARK
Since gaining promotion the club have been linked with numerous players during the summer months but at the time of writing there have been four summer arrivals at Selhurst Park, midfielders Jose Campana (Sevilla) and Stephen Dobbie (Brighton & HA), winger Jerome Thomas (WBA) and striker Dwight Gayle (Peterborough).
OFFICIALS
Referee: Gavin Ward
Assistants: Paul Kelly & Lee Venamore
Fourth Official: David Smart
TICKETS
Ticket details for tomorrow are as follows:
Adults - £15
Senior Citizen - £10
Under 18’s - £5
Under 12’s – FREE (when accompanied by a ticket holding adult.* )
*Please note that concession tickets are not available in block D, E & F of the Medway Stand Lower
PREVIOUS FRIENDLY MEETINGS
The two clubs have met a few times previously, and other than in competitive league fixtures which date back to the Southern League days of the 1906-07 season, the first Division Three (South)game was here in February 1921.
May 10 1970 - Gillingham 1-4 C. Palace Att: 9,118
Guest Rodney Marsh scored for the Gills in goalkeeper John Simpson’s Testimonial
January 26 1974 – Gillingham 0 – 1 C. Palace Att: 5,947
Don Rogers scored the only goal of the game for Malcolm Allison’s side
August 5 1975 - Gillingham 1-1 C. Palace Att 3,262
This Kent Challenge Cup tie was drawn with Damien Richardson netting for the Gills
August 6 1977 - Gillingham 1-1 C. Palace Att: 1,749
Damien Richardson scored against the Eagles
August 19 1986 – C. Palace XI 1-4 Gills XI BCD
David Smith, Mel Eves, Graham Westley and Joe Hinnigan were all on target in this 'private' friendly
July 19 1997 - Gillingham 2-2 C. Palace Att 3,662
An Ade Akinbiyi double saw four goals shared with the Eagles
July 29 1998 - Gillingham 1-2 C. Palace Att: 1,975
Matt Jansen and Clint Morrison netted for the Eagles with Steve Butler replying for the Gills
August 2 2009 - C. Palace 0-1 Gillingham Att: 1,980
The 230 Gillingham fans left Selhurst Park the happier after Jack Payne scored the only goal of the game in the 61st minute to give Mark Stimson’s side a confidence boosting victory.