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...


1896 - New Brompton 9-1 Ilford                   SLD1
David Hutcheson, Scottish forward Jim Strachan and Harry Buckland all hit hat-tricks in an impressive rout

1903 - New Brompton 2-0 West Ham Utd  SLD1
Forwards George Smith and Charlie Satterthwaite were both on target in a home win

1908 - Norwich C 2-1 New Brompton         SLD1
Charlie McGibbon was on target in Norfolk

1914 - Swindon T 5-1 Gillingham                 SLD1
Charles Hafekost netted the consolation in Wiltshire

1925 - Charlton Ath 2-0 Gillingham              D3S

1931 - Watford 1-0 Gillingham                      D3S   Att: 3,665

1936 - Q.P.R 5-2 Gillingham                           D3S   Att: 11,119
Goals from Fred Fisher and George Tadman weren't enough at Loftus Road

1953 - Torquay Utd 3-2 Gillingham              D3S   Att: 6,278
Charlie Marks and Rex Cherry found the net at Plainmoor

1959 - York City 3-1 Gillingham                    D4   Att: 5,246
Ronnie Bacon scored the Gills goal against the Minstermen

1964 - Gillingham 2-1 Chester                    D4   Att: 5,274
Bob Ridley and John Ballagher were the marksmen as the visitors were edged out by the odd-goal in three

1978 - Gillingham 1-4 Bury                           D3   Att: 8,095
The Gills were severely shaken and Ken Price's goal was little consolation

1981 - Gillingham 3-1 Blackpool                 D3   Att: 3,424
A Dean White brace plus another Ken Price effort made the visitors rock

1984 - Lincoln City 4-0 Gillingham              D3   Att: 1,575
The Gills put in a poor performance on this midweek trip to Sincil Bank

1987 - Gillingham 0-0 Port Vale                  D3   Att: 3,929

1992 - Rochdale 2-1 Gillingham                 D4   Att: 1,941
The Gills lost at Spotland despite a David Crown goal

1998 - Millwall 1-0 Gillingham                     D2   Att: 8,241
Brian Laws struck the winner just after half-time

2000 - Gillingham 0-1 Notts Co                   D2   Att: 6,915
Ian Richardson's 60th-minute goal won it for the Magpies

2009 - Accrington S 0-2 Gillingham           L2   Att: 1,308
Goals from Simeon Jackson and Dennis Oli won the points at the Fraser Eagle Stadium

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DEBUTS...

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

1925 - Harold Crockford against Charlton at the Valley 

1953 - Rex Cherry away at Torquay 

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BIRTHS...

1953 - Kenny Hill

Kenny was born in Aylesham and had played with the local youth club and Canterbury City before signing apprentice forms with Gillingham in December 1968.

The centre-half signed professional terms in March 1971 and made his debut against Reading at Priestfield in a League Cup tie early in the 1971-72 campaign.

He spent almost six years in the first team here at Priestfield Stadium scoring eight goals in 139 appearances.

During the summer of 1974 he had played in the USA with Baltimore Comets and returned again in 1977, this time he joined Washington Diplomats.

By that time he had moved to Maidstone United where he was to spend almost seven years, winning England honours at semi-professional level.


1959 - George Shipley

The Geordie progressed through the ranks at Southampton after moving south to join them as a trainee in August 1975.

He signed professional terms with the Saints nearly two years later and went on to make his debut at Crystal Palace in August 1979.

While at the Dell he made just three league appearances but was loaned out to both Reading and Blackpool but in January 1980 he joined Lincoln City for a club record £45,000.

George spent five years at Sincil Bank scoring 52 goals in 274 games before moving to Charlton Athletic in the summer of 1985.

Two years later he arrived here at Priestfield under Keith Peacock and made his debut on the opening day of the season against Blackpool at home.

Unfortunately, just 10 games into his Gillingham career, he suffered a knee injury against York City at Priestfield. The injury was to sideline him for five months and ultimately forced him into retirement in September 1989 following a number of attempted comebacks with the Gills and later both Walsall and Lincoln. He had scored three goals in 36 games for the club prior to returning North.

After scouting for Maidstone United and coaching back at Southampton he returned to Priestfield in July 1991 when appointed youth-team coach by Damien Richardson but the lure of the North East proved too much and within two months he had taken a similar role at Middlesbrough.

George is currently employed as Personnel Manager in Newcastle United's Football in the Community scheme.