Ron Newman has sadly passed away at the age of 84.
RON NEWMAN
Born: 19/01/1934
Died: 27/08/2018 (Aged 84)
Winger Ron joined Gillingham from Crystal Palace in September 1963, netting the winner on his debut in a 2-1 home victory over Darlington that month, one of eleven goals he scored in 1963-4, including a hat-trick in a 5-1 victory over Southport at Priestfield, as he helped the Gills win the Fourth Division title that season. Ron became our first-ever substitute when he replaced Gordon Pulley at Peterborough on the opening day of 1965-6.
Newman scored 22 times in 102 competitive appearances for us, before leaving in January 1967 to move to the United States to play for the Atlanta Chiefs in the National Professional Soccer League. The following year he joined Dallas Tornado, combining playing duties with the role of assistant coach. Ron retired from playing in 1974, by which time he was the club’s head coach.
His coaching career, which included both indoors and outdoors football, with titles won in each format, continued until his retirement in 1999, seven years after his induction into the U.S Soccer Hall of Fame.