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...


1899 - Thames Ironworks 1-2 New Brompton     T&MC

1907 - Norwich C 2-2 New Brompton     SLD1
One goal from Danny Cunliffe and an own goal from Thompson earned a point at Carrow Road

1912 - Leyton 0-2 New Brompton     SLD1
Arthur Johnson and F Corbett found the net in East London

1923 - Gillingham 1-0 Luton Town     D3S
Horace Williams was the match winner in this one

1927 - Gillingham 1-2 Brentford     D3S     Att: 2,947
A Bill Arblaster goal effort couldn't prevent a home reversal

1929 - Northampton T 1-0 Gillingham     D3S     Att: 10,058

1934 - Crystal Palace 3-2 Gillingham     D3S     Att: 12,836
Alan Scott and Sim Raleigh netted in the defeat at Selhurst Park

1935 - Southend Utd 0-0 Gillingham     D3S     Att: 5,936

1946 - Gravesend Utd 0-3 Gillingham     KL
George Piper, Johnny Warsap and Eddie Chapman all struck in a decent away victory

1956 - Gillingham 1-2 Southampton     D3S     Att: 9,764
A Dave Hawkins goal couldn't prevent a win for the Saints

1957 - Newport Co 4-0 Gillingham     D3S     Att: 7,017

1963 - Gillingham 5-1 Hartlepool Utd     D4     Att: 5,330
There were five different scorers, Alec Farrall, John Arnott, Jim Towers, Brian Gibbs and George Francis, as the Gills crushed the side from the North-East

1964 - Aldershot 1-1 Gillingham     D4     Att: 7,174
Ron Newman was on target at the Recreation Ground

1966 - Shrewsbury T 2-1 Gillingham     D3     Att: 4,023
A Bill Brown effort couldn't stop a loss at Gay Meadow

1968 - Gillingham 2-0 Bury     D3     Att: 6,201
Bill Brown again and Brian Gibbs scored to the Shakers promotion charge

1974 - Gillingham 0-1 Reading     D4     Att: 7,340

1991 - Walsall 0-0 Gillingham     D4     Att: 3,074

1996 - Rochdale 2-0 Gillingham     D3     Att: 2,098

2002 - Walsall 1-1 Gillingham     C     Att: 6,190
Mark Saunders scored his only goal of the season at the Bescot Stadium

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DEBUTS...

The following player made his Gillingham debut in the above games...
 
1996 - Andy Ansah at Rochdale

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DEATHS...

1967 - George Needham

George, born in Stavely, was signed from Derby County in July 1920  and he made his debut at Merthyr Town in September 1920.

After scoring 15 times in 131 games for the Gills he moved to Northampton Town in February 1924 and later played for Worksop Town.

On this day in 1967 George died in Banbury.


1991 - Dave Thomas

The centre-forward played for Romford, Plymouth Argyle, Fulham and Grimsby Town before turning out for the Gills in our Kent League days while serving in the Royal Navy, joining in May 1945.

In that spell he scored 24 goals in 21 games which included five goals in a 6-1 win versus the Royal Marines and hat-tricks against Snowdown Colliery Welfare and Gravesend United.

He returned to Plymouth in the summer of 1946 and had played for Watford prior to his return to Priestfield in October 1950.

Over the next three seasons he scored 46 goals, including another treble against Aldershot, in 87 games.

After a spell playing at Sittingbourne he became manager of Chatham Town in December 1954 and was later trainer at Gravesend & Northfleet.