Gillingham F.C. 165278 225961173 2008-07-16T05:45:07Z Thijs!bot 1392310 robot Adding: [[pt:Gillingham Football Club]] {{Featured article}} {{dablink|For the football team based in Dorset, see [[Gillingham Town F.C.]]}} {{Football club infobox | clubname = Gillingham | image = [[Image:gillingham.gif|120px]]| fullname = Gillingham Football Club | nickname = The Gills| founded = 1893 (as New Brompton) | ground = [[Priestfield Stadium|KRBS Priestfield Stadium]]<br />[[Gillingham, Medway|Gillingham]] | capacity = 11,582<ref name="FGG">{{Cite web | url = http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/park/yfh45/gilling.htm | title = Gillingham | accessdate = 2007-04-11 | publisher = The Internet Football Grounds Guide }}</ref> | chairman = {{flagicon|England}} [[Paul Scally]] | mgrtitle = Manager | manager = {{flagicon|England}} [[Mark Stimson]] <ref name="Stim">{{Cite web | url = http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10416~1157378,00.html | title = New manager at KRBS Priestfield | accessdate = 2007-11-01 | publisher = Gillingham F.C. |date=2007-11-01 }}</ref> | league = [[Football League Two|League Two]] | season = [[2007-08 in English football|2007&ndash;08]] | position = [[Football League One|League One]], 22nd<br>(relegated)<ref name="FCHD" /> |pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=_thinwhitesides|pattern_ra1=| leftarm1=0000FF|body1=0000FF|rightarm1=0000FF|shorts1=0000FF|socks1=0000FF| pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=_thinbluesides|pattern_ra2=| leftarm2=FFFF00|body2=FFFF00|rightarm2=FFFF00|shorts2=FFFF00|socks2=FFFF00| }} '''Gillingham Football Club''' is an [[England|English]] professional [[football (soccer)|football]] club based in the town of [[Gillingham, Medway|Gillingham]], [[Kent]]. The only Kent-based club in the [[Football League]], they play their home matches at [[KRBS Priestfield Stadium]]. In the [[2007-08 in English football|2007&ndash;08]] season, the club was relegated from [[Football League One]]. The club was founded in [[1893 in football (soccer)|1893]] and joined the Football League in [[1920 in football (soccer)|1920]]. They were voted out of the league in favour of [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]] at the end of the [[1937-38 in English football|1937–38]] season, but returned to it 12 years later after it was expanded from 88 to 92 clubs. Twice in the late 1980s they came close to winning promotion to the second tier of English football, but a decline then set in and in [[1993 in football (soccer)|1993]] they narrowly avoided relegation to the [[Football Conference]]. Between [[2000 in football (soccer)|2000]] and [[2005 in football (soccer)|2005]], Gillingham were in the second tier of the English league for the only time in their history, achieving a club record highest league finish of eleventh place in [[2002-03 in English football|2002–03]]. ==History== :{{details|History of Gillingham F.C.}} :''For a statistical breakdown by season, see [[Gillingham F.C. seasons]]'' ===Early years=== [[Image:Gills1913.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The official announcement of the club's change of name in 1913.]] In May 1893, the local success of a junior football side, '''Chatham Excelsior F.C.''', encouraged a group of businessmen to meet with a view to creating a football club which could compete in larger competitions.<ref name=p1>{{cite book | last = Triggs | first = Roger | coauthors = | title = Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984 | publisher = Kent County Libraries | year = 1984 | isbn = | pages = p1 }} </ref> '''New Brompton F.C.''' was formed from the meeting, incorporating a number of Excelsior players. The gentlemen also purchased the plot of land which would later become [[Priestfield Stadium]].<ref name="Triggs8">{{cite book | last = Triggs | title = Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984 | pages = p8 }} </ref> The new club played its first match on [[2 September]] [[1893]], losing 1&ndash;5 to [[Arsenal F.C.|Woolwich Arsenal]]'s reserve side in front of a crowd of 2,000.<ref name="Triggs4">{{cite book | last = Triggs | title = Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984 | pages = p4 }}</ref> New Brompton were among the founder members of the [[Southern Football League|Southern League]] upon its creation in 1894, and were placed in Division Two. They were named Champions in the first season ([[1894-95 in English football|1894–95]]) going on to defeat [[Swindon Town F.C.|Swindon Town]] in a [[test match (football)|test match]] to win promotion.<ref>{{cite book | last = Triggs | title = Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984 | pages = p5 }}</ref> In the seasons that followed, the club struggled in Division One, finishing bottom in the [[1907-08 in English football|1907–08]] season,<ref name="FCHD">{{Cite web | url = http://www.fchd.info/GILLINGH.HTM | title = Gillingham | accessdate = 2007-04-11 | publisher = The Football Club History Database }}</ref> avoiding relegation only due to expansion of the league. Whilst the club's league performance was disappointing, the side did manage a famous cup victory over [[Football League]] [[Football League First Division|First Division]] [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] and held [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] to a draw before losing in the replay.<ref>{{cite book | last = Triggs | title = Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984 | pages = p6 }}</ref> In 1913 the club renamed itself '''Gillingham F.C.'''<ref>{{cite book | last = Triggs | title = Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984 | pages = p9 }}</ref> but performances remained disappointing. The team finished bottom of Division One in the [[1919-20 in English football|1919–20]] season but for a third time avoided relegation, due to the subsequent elevation of all Southern League Division One clubs to form the new [[Football League Division Three]].<ref>{{cite book | last = Triggs | title = Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984 | pages = p10 }}</ref> ===First spell in the Football League=== In the first season of the newly-created Football League Division Three, the [[1920-21 in English football|1920–21]] season, Gillingham again finished bottom, and in the years to follow there was little improvement on this, the club continually finishing in the lower reaches of the bottom division. In [[1938 in football (soccer)|1938]] the team finished bottom of the [[Football League Third Division South|Third Division (South)]] and were required to apply for re-election for the fifth time since joining the league. This bid for re-election failed, with Gillingham returning to the Southern League and [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]] being promoted in their place.<ref name=p13>{{cite book | last = Triggs | title = Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984 | pages = p13 }}</ref> Gillingham quickly established themselves as one of the stronger sides in the league, winning a local double of the [[Kent League]] and [[Kent Senior Cup]] in the [[1945-46 in English football|1945–46]] season.<ref name=p13/> In the [[1946-47 in English football|1946–47]] season the team won both the [[Southern League Cup]] and the Southern League championship, during which they recorded a club record 12&ndash;1 victory over [[Gloucester City F.C.|Gloucester City]].<ref name="Triggs16">{{cite book | last = Triggs | title = Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984 | pages = p16 }}</ref> The Gills also won the league title in [[1948-49 in English football|1948–49]].<ref name=p19>{{cite book | last = Triggs | title = Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984 | pages = p19 }}</ref> ===Return to the Football League=== In [[1950 in football (soccer)|1950]] plans were announced to expand the Football League Division Three (South) from 22 to 24 teams and, taking into account their local success in the interim, Gillingham were re-elected to the Football League with a landslide vote.<ref name=p19/> The team spent eight seasons in Division Three (South) before the restructuring of the league system for the [[1958-59 in English football|1958–59]] season saw them placed in the newly-created [[Fourth Division]]. They remained in this division until [[1964 in football (soccer)|1964]], when manager [[Freddie Cox]] led them to promotion, winning the first and so far only championship in the club's history. The team finished the season level on 60 points with [[Carlisle United F.C.|Carlisle United]], but with a better [[goal average]] (1.967 against 1.948), which was the tightest league title finish in Football League history.<ref>{{cite book | last = Triggs | title = Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984 | pages = p26 }}</ref> After relegation back to the Fourth Division in [[1970-71 in English football|1970–71]], the Gills were soon promoted back to the Third Division in the [[1973-74 in English football|1973–74]] season.<ref>{{cite book | last = Triggs | title = Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984 | pages = p54 }}</ref> After this the club seemed to find its level in Division Three, regularly mounting a challenge for promotion which ultimately fell short each time, never more so than in [[1986-87 in English football|1986–87]] when they reached the [[Football League Play-Offs|play-offs]] only to lose in the final to [[Swindon Town F.C.|Swindon Town]].<ref name="GFCHist" /> During this period the club produced future stars [[Steve Bruce]] and [[Tony Cascarino]], who was famously bought from non-league [[Crockenhill F.C.|Crockenhill]] in exchange for a set of tracksuits.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/PastPlayers/0,,10416~63320,00.html | title = Past Players: Tony Cascarino | accessdate = 2008-01-07 |date=2007-09-24 |author=Matt Davison | publisher = Gillingham F.C. }}</ref> [[Image:Priestfield2.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Gillingham (blue shirts) in action in a match from the 1986–87 season.]] In [[1987 in football (soccer)|1987]] the Gills hit the headlines when, on consecutive Saturdays, they beat [[Southend United F.C.|Southend United]] 8&ndash;1 and [[Chesterfield F.C.|Chesterfield]] 10&ndash;0, the latter a club record for a [[Football League]] match. Just a few months later, however, manager [[Keith Peacock]] was controversially sacked<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.gillingham-mad.co.uk/news/loadfeat.asp?cid=EDW2&id=240761 | title = The Sacking Of Keith Peacock - Tuesday December 29th 1987 | accessdate = 2007-04-12 | publisher = www.gillingham-mad.co.uk }}</ref> and within 18 months the club had fallen into Division Four.<ref name="GFCHist" /> The ensuing spell in the lower division brought little success, and in the [[1992-93 in English football|1992–93]] Division Three campaign the Gills narrowly avoided relegation to the [[Football Conference]].<ref name="GFCHist" /> ===Recent highs and lows=== Beset with financial problems, the club went into administration in January 1995, and by the end of the [[1994-95 in English football|1994–95]] season faced the threat of being expelled from the Football League and closed down.<ref name="GFCHist" /> In June 1995, however, a London-based businessman, [[Paul Scally]], stepped in and bought the club for £1.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.gillingham-mad.co.uk/news/loadfeat.asp?cid=EDW2&id=253238 | title = The Magic Flowers - Sunday March 26th 1995 to Monday May 29th 2000 | accessdate = 2007-04-11 | publisher = www.gillingham-mad.co.uk }}</ref> He brought in new manager [[Tony Pulis]], who led Gillingham to promotion in his first season, finishing second in the old Division Three (now [[Football League Two]]).<ref name="FCHD" /> In 1999 the Gills made the play-offs but lost in the [[Football League Second Division|Division Two]] play-off final to [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]]. The Gills were 2&ndash;0 up with less than two minutes left only to see City score twice, the equaliser in injury time, and go on to win 3&ndash;1 in a [[penalty shoot-out]].<ref name="TFL">{{Cite web | url = http://www.football-league.premiumtv.co.uk/page/PlayOffsDetail/0,,10794~475418,00.html | title = Play-Off Finals | accessdate = 2007-04-11 | publisher = The Football League }}</ref> [[Image:Gillsplayoff2000.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Gillingham fans at the 2000 Division Two play-off final.]] Soon after the play-off loss, Pulis was sacked for gross misconduct,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20010427/ai_n14388172|title=Football: Pulis denies engineering Gills sacking|publisher=The Independent|author=Mike Taylor|date=2001-04-27|accessdate=2008-01-07}}</ref> and [[Peter John Taylor|Peter Taylor]] appointed manager.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2002/984825.stm | title = Taylor-made for top job | accessdate = 2007-04-18 | publisher = BBC Sport }}</ref> In the [[1999-00 in English football|1999&ndash;00]] season Gillingham qualified for the play-offs again, where they faced [[Wigan Athletic F.C.|Wigan Athletic]] in the final at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]]. The game finished 1&ndash;1 after 90 minutes, but, thanks to goals in extra time from substitutes [[Steve Butler (footballer)|Steve Butler]] and [[Andy Thomson (footballer born 1971)|Andy Thomson]], the Gills won 3&ndash;2 and were promoted to Division One for the first time.<ref name="TFL" /> Taylor then left to manage [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]], and [[Andy Hessenthaler]] was appointed as player-manager.<ref name="Hess out" /> He led the club to their best ever league finish of eleventh in the 2002–03 season,<ref name="FCHD" /> but the following season saw the club narrowly avoid relegation on [[goal difference]]. Hessenthaler resigned as manager in November 2004,<ref name="Hess out">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/4035041.stm|title=Hessenthaler steps down at Gills|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2007-04-12}}</ref> and new boss [[Stan Ternent]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/4071489.stm|title=Gills unveil Ternent as manager |publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2007-04-12}}</ref> was unable to prevent the Gills' relegation to [[Football League One|League One]]. [[Ronnie Jepson]] took over as manager and led the team to two successive mid-table finishes,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/4924366.stm|title=Jepson braced for crucial meeting |publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2007-04-12}}</ref> but resigned in September 2007.<ref name="Gillingham manager Jepson resigns">{{cite news | title = Gillingham manager Jepson resigns | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/6985975.stm | publisher = BBC Sport | date = [[2007-09-09]] | accessdate = 2007-09-09}}</ref> On [[1 November]] [[2007]] [[Mark Stimson]] was appointed as the club's new manager.<ref name="Stim" /> At the end of the [[2007-08 in English football|2007&ndash;08]] season the club was relegated from League One.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/7377686.stm|title=Leeds 2&ndash;1 Gillingham|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2008-05-03|date=2008-05-03}}</ref> ==Stadium== [[Image:453845602 2dfa24d41e.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Exterior shot of Priestfield Stadium]] {{main|Priestfield Stadium}} The Gills have played at [[Priestfield Stadium]] throughout their existence.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.soccerbase.com/grounds_history.sd?teamid=1098 | title = Ground history for Gillingham | accessdate = 2007-04-11 | publisher = [[Soccerbase]] }}</ref> The ground was originally purchased by the founders of the club through an issue of 1,500 £1 shares.<ref name="Triggs8" /> Sources differ on whether the ground was named after the road on which the land stood, Priestfield Road,<ref name="Triggs8" /> or whether the road was named after the ground;<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.medway.gov.uk/index/leisure/localhistory/timeline/17909/18624-2.htm | title = Local history: Gillingham Football Club | accessdate = 2007-04-11 | publisher = Medway Council }}</ref> if the latter is the case then the origin of the ground's name is unknown. The ground was extensively developed prior to the 1930s, but there was then little change until the late 1990s and the arrival of Paul Scally as chairman. Three of the four stands were demolished and rebuilt between 1995 and 2000. The fourth stand, known as the Town End, was demolished to make way for a new stand, to be named the Brian Moore Stand after television sports commentator [[Brian Moore (commentator)|Brian Moore]], who was a well-known Gills fan, but the club's financial situation has not allowed the new stand to be built and a temporary stand has been in place since 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/PriestfieldStadium/0,,10416,00.html|publisher=Gillingham F.C.|title=The Changing Face of KRBS Priestfield|date=2007-09-07|accessdate=2008-01-09}}</ref> On [[1 June]] [[2007]] the stadium was officially renamed ''KRBS Priestfield Stadium'' as part of a new sponsorship deal with the [[Kent Reliance Building Society]].<ref name="KRBS" /> At its peak in the 1940s the official capacity of the stadium was listed as "between 25,000 and 30,000"<ref name=p1/> but subsequent redevelopments, the removal of terraces and building of new facilities have seen this reduced to a current capacity of 11,582.<ref name="FGG" /> In the [[2007-08 in English football|2007&ndash;08]] season, the average attendance at home matches was 6,077, just 52% of capacity.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/Attendance/0,,10794~200710416,00.html | title = Football League Official Stats | accessdate = 2008-06-25 | publisher = The Football League }}</ref> The ground has also hosted home fixtures of the [[England women's national football team]].<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/women/4931222.stm | title = Powell impressed with Kent crowd | accessdate = 2007-11-07 |date=2006-04-21 | publisher = BBC }}</ref> ==Colours and crest== {{Football kit box |align=left | pattern_la =_black_stripes | pattern_b = _blackstripes | pattern_ra =_black_stripes | leftarm = FFFFFF | body = FFFFFF | rightarm = FFFFFF | shorts = 000000 | socks = 000000 | title = New Brompton's original kit in 1893 }} Although Gillingham have long been associated with the colours blue and white, the original New Brompton side wore a strip consisting of black and white striped shirts with black shorts.<ref name="Triggs8" /> With the renaming of the club in 1913, the black and white strip was dropped in favour of red shirts with blue sleeves,<ref name="kits">{{Cite web | url = http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Gillingham/Gillingham.htm | title = Gillingham | accessdate = 2007-04-11 | publisher = www.historicalkits.co.uk }}</ref> emblazoned with the [[municipal borough|borough]]'s coat of arms. The striped shirts returned after World War One, before finally being replaced with the now-familiar combination of plain blue shirts and white shorts in 1931.<ref name="kits" /> More recent years have seen several variations on the blue and white colour scheme. Several late 1990s strips featured blue and black striped shirts, recalling the original New Brompton stripes.<ref name="kits" /> In the summer of 2003 it was controversially announced that the club's first choice shirts for the following season would be predominantly white, rather than blue. The announcement received such a hostile response from supporters that the white strip was replaced by one featuring blue and black hoops, which had originally been earmarked as the team's third choice kit.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/3004886.stm | title = Shirty fans win kit battle | accessdate = 2008-01-09 | date=[[2003-06-19]] | publisher = BBC }}</ref> [[Image:GFCOldBadge.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Prior to 1992 the club's crest was simply a portion of the county arms of Kent.]] The club's current crest is a shield divided vertically into halves of black and white stripes and solid blue, reflecting the club's original and modern kits. On the blue half is the county emblem of [[Kent]], a white horse rampant, albeit slightly altered from its normal form as its mane is stylised into the letters of the word "Gills". The club's motto, which appears on a scroll below the crest, is "Domus clamantium", the [[Latin (language)|Latin]] for "the home of the shouting men",<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://football.guardian.co.uk/theknowledge/story/0,13854,1294323,00.html | title = Which clubs have Latin on their badges? | accessdate = 2007-04-30 | date=[[2004-08-31]] |author=Lawrence Booth and Nial Briggs | publisher = Guardian Unlimited }}</ref> an epithet associated with the town of Gillingham for several hundred years.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19990529/ai_n14238814 | title = Football: Forgotten club ready to surprise | accessdate = 2007-04-30 | date=[[1999-05-29]] |author=Steve Tongue | publisher = The Independent }}</ref> The first sponsor's name to appear on Gillingham shirts was that of Italian [[home appliance]] manufacturers [[Zanussi]], who sponsored the club from 1984 to 1987. Subsequent sponsors have been Chatham Maritime (1987 to 1991), Medway Toyota (1991 to 1994), Cannon Tool Hire (1994 to 1995), [[Invicta FM]] (1995 to 1997), Kool (1997 to 1999), [[Medway News]] (1999 to 2001), [[SeaFrance]] (2001 to 2004) and MHS Homes Group (2004 to 2007).<ref name="kits" /> Since the start of the [[2007-08 in English football|2007–08]] season the team's shirts have been sponsored by the [[Kent Reliance Building Society]] as part of the deal which also involves the renaming of the club's stadium.<ref name="KRBS">{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/6465713.stm | title = Gillingham to change stadium name | accessdate = 2008-01-08 |date=2007-03-19 | publisher = BBC }}</ref> ==Players== ===Current squad=== :''As of [[11 July]] [[2008]]:''<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10416~1337172,00.html | title = 2008/09 squad numbers announced | accessdate = 2008-07-02|date=2008-07-02 | publisher = Gillingham F.C. }}</ref> {{football squad start}} <!-- For help using the below template, please see [[Template talk:Football squad player]] --> {{fs player| no=1 | nat=England | pos=GK | name=[[Simon Royce]]}} {{fs player| no=2 | nat=England | pos=DF | name=[[Barry Fuller]]}} {{fs player| no=3 | nat=England | pos=DF | name=[[John Nutter]]}} {{fs player| no=4 | nat=England | pos=MF | name=[[Stuart Lewis]]}} {{fs player| no=5 | nat=England | pos=DF |name=[[Simon King (footballer)|Simon King]] }} {{fs player| no=6 | nat=England | pos=DF | name=[[Garry Richards]]}} {{fs player| no=7 | nat=Wales | pos=MF | name=[[Andrew Crofts (footballer)|Andrew Crofts]]|other=[[Captain (football)|team captain]] }} {{fs player| no=8 | nat=England | pos=MF | name=[[Mark Bentley]]|other=[[Captain (football)|club captain]] }} {{fs player| no=9 | nat=Republic of Ireland | pos=FW | name=[[Gary Mulligan]] }} {{fs player| no=10 | nat=Canada | pos=FW | name= [[Simeon Jackson]]}} {{fs player| no=11 | nat=England | pos=MF | name=[[Nicky Southall]]}} {{fs player| no=13 | nat=England | pos=GK | name=Chris Kiely}} {{fs player| no=14 | nat=England | pos=MF | name=[[Adam Miller (footballer)|Adam Miller]]}} {{football squad mid}} {{fs player| no=15 | nat=England | pos=MF | name=Rory Hill}} {{fs player| no=16 | nat=England | pos=MF | name=[[Stuart Thurgood]]}} {{fs player| no=17 | nat=England | pos=FW | name=[[Andy Pugh]]}} {{fs player| no=18 | nat=England | pos=MF | name=Tayler Thomas}} {{fs player| no=19 | nat=England | pos=DF | name=[[Sean Clohessy]] }} {{fs player| no=20 | nat=England | pos=MF | name=[[Charlie Howard (footballer)|Charlie Howard]]}} {{fs player| no=21 | nat=England | pos=FW | name= [[Dennis Oli]]}} {{fs player| no=22 | nat=England | pos=DF | name=Tom Wynter}} {{fs player| no=23 |nat=Northern Ireland |pos=GK | name=[[Alan Julian]]}} {{fs player| no=24 | nat=England | pos=DF | name=Danny Walder}} {{fs player| no=25 | nat=England | pos=FW | name= [[Luis Cumbers]]}} {{fs player| no=30 | nat=Barbados | pos=FW |name=[[Mark McCammon]]}} {{fs player| no=–– | nat=England | pos=FW |name=[[Delroy Facey]]}} {{football squad end}} The club also fields a youth team at Under-18 level<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/YouthIndex/0,,10416,00.html | title = Youth Fixtures | accessdate = 2007-09-08 | publisher = Gillingham F.C. }}</ref> and operates a Centre of Excellence for boys in the Under-9 to Under-16 age groups.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/COEIndex/0,,10416,00.html | title = Centre of Excellence | accessdate = 2007-09-08 | publisher = Gillingham F.C. }}</ref> The club does not currently field a reserve team, but will do as of the 2008&ndash;09 season. ===Notable former players=== {{main|List of Gillingham F.C. players}} ===International players=== The club recognises nine players as having gained full international [[Cap (football)|caps]] during their time at Priestfield, although the status of one of these (that of [[Freddie Fox]]) is disputed. ====Current squad==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" | '''Player''' | | '''Country''' | '''Caps while at club''' | '''Goals while at club''' | '''Total no. of caps''' | '''Total no. of goals''' |- | [[Andrew Crofts (footballer)|Andrew Crofts]] | {{flagicon|Wales}} | [[Wales national football team|Wales]] | 12<ref name="Crofts">{{cite web|url=http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10416~1322050,00.html|title=Crofts collects twelfth cap|publisher=Gillingham F.C.|accessdate=2008-06-02|date=2008-06-01}}</ref> | 0 | 12<ref name="Crofts" /> | 0 |} [[Mark McCammon]] gained international caps earlier in his career but has not yet gained further caps since signing for Gillingham. ====Former players==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" | '''Player''' | | '''Country''' | '''Caps while at club''' | '''Goals while at club''' | '''Total no. of caps''' | '''Total no. of goals''' |- | [[Ian Cox]] | {{flagicon|Trinidad and Tobago}} | [[Trinidad and Tobago national football team|Trinidad and Tobago]] | 11 <ref name="GFCHist">{{Cite web | url = http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ClubHistory/0,,10416,00.html | title = Gillingham FC History (1893– ) | accessdate = 2008-01-09 | publisher = Gillingham F.C. }}</ref> | 0 | 19 <ref name="Soca Warriors Online">{{Cite web | url=http://www.socawarriors.net/Goal_scorers_since_2000.htm | title = TnT Senior Team Goal Scorers & Games Played (Appearances) Since 2000. | accessdate = 2007-04-11 | publisher = www.socawarriors.net }}</ref> | 0 |- | [[Mamady Sidibe]] | {{flagicon|Mali}} | [[Mali national football team|Mali]] | 7 <ref name="GFCHist" /> | 1+ <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/cup_of_nations/2326711.stm | title = Mali too good for Seychelles | accessdate = 2007-04-23 |date=2002-10-14 | publisher = BBC Sport }}</ref> | ''tbc'' | ''tbc'' |- | [[Brent Sancho]] | {{flagicon|Trinidad and Tobago}} | [[Trinidad and Tobago national football team|Trinidad and Tobago]] | 6 <ref name="GFCHist" /> | 0 | 62 <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.socawarriors.net/Goal_scorers_since_2000.htm | title = TnT Senior Team Goal Scorers & Games Played (Appearances) Since 2000. | accessdate = 2007-06-10 | publisher = www.socawarriors.net |}}</ref> | 0 |- | [[Tony Cascarino]] | {{flagicon|Republic of Ireland}} | [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]] | 3 <ref name="GFCHist" /> | 0 | 88 <ref name="Casbk">{{cite book | first=Roger|last= Triggs | title=The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club| publisher=Tempus Publishing Ltd | year=2001| id=ISBN 0-7524-2243-X|pages=p84}}</ref> | 19 <ref name="Casbk" /> |- | [[Terry Cochrane]] | {{flagicon|Northern Ireland}} | [[Northern Ireland national football team|Northern Ireland]] | 2 <ref name="GFCHist" /> | 0 | 26 <ref>{{cite book | last= Triggs | title=The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club | pages=p92}}</ref> | 1 <ref>{{cite book | first=Bill|last=Bateson |coauthors=Albert Sewell | title=News of the World Football Annual 1992/93| publisher=Harper Collins | year=1992| id=ISBN 0-85543-188-1|pages=p208}}</ref> |- | [[Damien Richardson]] | {{flagicon|Republic of Ireland}} | [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]] | 2 <ref name="GFCHist" /> | 0 | 3 <ref>{{cite book | last=Bateson | coauthors= Sewell | title=News of the World Football Annual 1992/93 | pages=p205 }}</ref> | 0 <ref>{{cite book | last=Bateson | coauthors= Sewell | title=News of the World Football Annual 1992/93 | pages=p210 }}</ref> |- | [[Jason Brown (goalkeeper)|Jason Brown]] | {{flagicon|Wales}} | [[Wales national football team|Wales]] | 1 <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/profile?id=4903& | title = Jason Brown | accessdate = 2008-01-09 | publisher = ESPN }}</ref> | 0 | 2 <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://live.faw.netxtra.net/teams/1/86 | title = Men - A Squad - Jason Brown | accessdate = 2008-01-09 | publisher = The Football Association of Wales }}</ref> | 0 |- | [[Freddie Fox]] | {{flagicon|England}} | [[England national football team|England]] | 1 <ref>[http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ClubHistory/0,,10416,00.html The history page] on the official Gillingham FC website lists Fox as having gained his one England cap whilst with the club, however [http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrs/Plyr_F.html EnglandFootballOnline] states that he was a [[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]] player at the time of his cap. Triggs (2001) states that he was transferred from Gillingham to Millwall in April 1925, a month before his England appearance. Triggs (1984) gives the date of the England match as May 1924, but this appears to be an error as every other source gives 1925.</ref> | 0 | 1 <ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrs/Plyr_F.html | title = England's Players - Fairclough to Furness | accessdate = 2007-04-11 | publisher = England Football Online }}</ref> | 0 |} In 2006 Sancho became the first Gillingham player ever to play in the [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup finals]], and technically the first to score in the World Cup finals when he scored an [[own goal]] in the [[2006 FIFA World Cup - Group B|2-0 group defeat]] to [[Paraguay national football team|Paraguay]].<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4853292.stm | title = Paraguay 2-0 Trinidad and Tobago | accessdate = 2007-04-11 | publisher = BBC Sport }}</ref> ==Back room staff== ''As at [[14 April]] [[2008]]:''<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/WhosWho/0,,10416,00.html | title = Who's Who at Gillingham Football Club | accessdate = 2007-08-09 | publisher = Gillingham F.C. }}</ref> ===Directors=== *Chairman/Chief Executive: [[Paul Scally]] *Chief Executive: Mark Jones *Vice chairman: Peter Spokes *Non-executive director: Mike Quarrington *Associate director: Yvonne Paulley ===Management=== *Team manager: [[Mark Stimson]] *Assistant manager: [[Scott Barrett (footballer)|Scott Barrett]] *Fitness coach: Danny Ellis *Youth team manager: [[Mark Patterson (footballer born 1968)|Mark Patterson]] *Senior physiotherapist: Paul Smith ==Managers== {{details|List of Gillingham F.C. managers}} As of November 2007, a total of 30 men have been appointed as manager of Gillingham since the post was first established, not including caretaker managers.<ref name="SBManager">{{Cite web | url = http://www.soccerbase.com/manager_history.sd?teamid=1098 | title = Manager History for Gillingham | accessdate = 2007-04-11 | publisher = [[Soccerbase]] }}</ref> [[Image:Groombridge.jpg|150px|thumb|right|William Ironside Groombridge, the first known Gillingham manager]] [[Image:Ronnie jepson.jpg|150px|thumb|right|Ronnie Jepson, Gillingham's manager from 2005 to 2007]] {| border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 | valign="top"| {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" | 1896–1906 | [[William Ironside Groombridge|William Groombridge]]<ref>A 1906 document reprinted in Triggs (1984) gives Groombridge's title as "secretary" rather than the modern "manager". This was generally the case during the early years of the twentieth century, and may also apply to some of Groombridge's successors.</ref> |- | 1906–08 | [[Stephen Smith (footballer)|Stephen Smith]] |- | 1908–19 | [[William Ironside Groombridge|William Groombridge]] |- | 1919–20 | [[George Collins (footballer)|George Collins]] |- | 1920–23 | [[John McMillan (footballer)|John McMillan]] |- | 1923–26 | [[Harry Curtis]] |- | 1926–29 | [[Albert Hoskins]] |- | 1929–31 | [[Dick Hendrie]] |- | 1932–37 | [[Fred Maven]] |- | 1937–38 | [[Alan Ure]] |- | 1938–39 | [[Bill Harvey]] |- | 1939–58 | [[Archie Clark (footballer)|Archie Clark]] |- | 1958–62 | [[Harry Barratt]] |- | 1962–65 | [[Freddie Cox]] |- | 1965–71 | [[Basil Hayward]] |- | 1971–74 | [[Andy Nelson (footballer)|Andy Nelson]] |- | 1974–75 | [[Len Ashurst]] |} | valign="top"| {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" | 1975–81 | [[Gerry Summers]] |- | 1981–87 | [[Keith Peacock]] |- | 1987–88 | [[Paul Taylor (footballer)|Paul Taylor]] |- | 1988–89 | [[Keith Burkinshaw]] |- | 1989–92 | [[Damien Richardson]] |- | 1992–93 | [[Glenn Roeder]] |- | 1993–95 | [[Mike Flanagan (footballer)|Mike Flanagan]] |- | 1995 | [[Neil Smillie]]<br />''(caretaker)'' |- | 1995–99 | [[Tony Pulis]] |- | 1999–2000 | [[Peter John Taylor|Peter Taylor]] |- | 2000–04 | [[Andy Hessenthaler]] |- | 2004 | [[John Gorman (footballer)|John Gorman]] ''(caretaker)'' |- | 2004–05 | [[Stan Ternent]] |- | 2005 | [[Neale Cooper]] |- | 2005–07 | [[Ronnie Jepson]] |- |2007 |[[Iffy Onuora]] ''(caretaker,<br />initially jointly with [[Mick Docherty]])'' |- |2007&ndash; |[[Mark Stimson]] |} |} ==Chairmen== The following men have been chairman of the club's Board of Directors:<ref>{{cite book | last = Bradley | first = Andy | coauthors = Roger Triggs | title = Home of the Shouting Men: Complete History of Gillingham Football Club 1893&ndash;1993 | publisher = Gillingham F.C. | year = 1994 | isbn = 0-9523-3610-3 | pages =p.392}}</ref> {| border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 | valign="top"| {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" |1893&ndash;95||H.G. Croneen |- |1895&ndash;97||Dr E.C. Warren |- |1897&ndash;1902||W.H. Checksfield |- |1902&ndash;12||J. Barnes |- |1912&ndash;22||E.N. Crawley |- |1922&ndash;30||J.J. Knight |- |1930&ndash;32||S.J. Chippick |- |1932&ndash;34||J.A. Crumbie |- |1934&ndash;47||J.J. Knight |} | valign="top"| {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" |- |1947&ndash;59||W.S.C. Cox |- |1959&ndash;61||J.W. Leech Jnr |- |1961&ndash;83||Dr C.S. Grossmark |- |1983&ndash;86||C.A.L. Cox |- |1986&ndash;89||R.J. Wood |- |1989&ndash;91||M.G. Lukehurst |- |1991&ndash;95<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19950110/ai_n9629592|title=Everton fail to win Saunders|publisher=The Independent|date=1995-01-10|accessdate=2008-06-26|author=Trevor Haylett}}</ref> ||Bernard Baker |- |1995<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/mar/26/sport.comment?commentpage=1|title=Uncertain future turns fans green about the Gills|publisher=The Guardian|date=2008-03-26|accessdate=2008-06-26|author=David Conn}}</ref>||Tony Smith |- |1995&ndash;''present''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2002/feb/15/sport.facup|title=Scally's rocky road to Highbury|publisher=The Guardian|date=2002-02-15|accessdate=2008-06-26|author=Paul Kelso}}</ref>||[[Paul Scally]] |} |} ==Honours== *'''[[Football League Fourth Division]]''' :Champions [[1963-64 in English football|1963–64]], runners-up [[1973-74 in English football|1973–74]] *'''[[Football League Third Division]]''' :Runners-up [[1995-96 in English football|1995–96]] *'''[[Football League Second Division]]''' :Play-off winners [[1999-00 in English football|1999–00]], finalists [[1986-87 in English football|1986–87]] & [[1998-99 in English football|1998–99]] *'''[[Southern Football League]]''' :Champions [[1946-47 in English football|1946–47]] & [[1948-49 in English football|1948–49]], runners up [[1947-48 in English football|1947–48]] *'''Southern Football League Division Two''' :Champions [[1894-95 in English football|1894–95]] *'''[[Southern League Cup]]''' :Winners [[1946-47 in English football|1946–47]] *'''[[Kent League]]''' :Champions [[1945-46 in English football|1945–46]] *'''Kent League Cup''' :Winners [[1945-46 in English football|1945–46]] *'''[[Kent Senior Cup]]''' :Winners [[1945-46 in English football|1945–46]] & [[1947-48 in English football|1947–48]], runners-up [[1938-39 in English football|1938–39]], [[1948-49 in English football|1948–49]], [[1949-50 in English football|1949–50]] & [[1994-95 in English football|1994–95]] ==Statistics and records== {{details|Gillingham F.C. records}} [[Image:GFCrecord.jpg|400px|thumb|right|League positions since the 1950–51 season.<br />''Horizontal grey lines indicate league divisions.'']] Goalkeeper [[Ron Hillyard]] holds the record for Gillingham appearances, having played 657 matches in all competitions between 1974 and 1990,<ref>{{cite book | last= Triggs | title=The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club | pages=p158}}</ref> while the record for appearances solely in the [[Football League]] is held by another goalkeeper, [[John Simpson (footballer born 1933)|John Simpson]], with 571 between 1957 and 1972.<ref name="SB" /> [[Brian Yeo]] is the club's all-time leading league goalscorer, having scored a total of 136 goals between 1963 and 1975.<ref name="yeo" /> He also jointly holds the record for the most [[The Football League|Football League]] goals scored in a single season, having scored 31 goals in the [[1973-74 in English football|1973–74]] season,<ref name="yeo">{{cite book | last= Triggs | title=The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club | pages=p344}}</ref> equalling the record set by [[Ernie Morgan]] in [[1954-55 in English football|1954&ndash;55]].<ref>{{cite book | last= Triggs | title=The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club | pages=p226}}</ref> The highest number of goals scored by a player in a single game at a professional level is the six registered by [[Fred Cheesmur]] against [[Merthyr Town F.C.|Merthyr Town]] in April 1930.<ref>{{cite book | last= Triggs | title=The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club |pages=p349}}</ref> The club's record home attendance is 23,002, for an [[FA Cup]] match against [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|QPR]] on 10 January 1948,<ref name="SB">{{Cite web | url = http://www.soccerbase.com/team_records.sd?teamid=1098 | title = Gillingham all time records | accessdate = 2007-04-11 | publisher = [[Soccerbase]] }}</ref> a record which will almost certainly never be broken unless the club relocates to a larger ground, given that Priestfield Stadium's current capacity is approximately half that figure. The team's biggest ever professional win was a 10-0 defeat of [[Chesterfield F.C.|Chesterfield]] in September 1987,<ref name="SB" /> although they had previously registered a 12-1 win against [[Gloucester City F.C.|Gloucester City]] in the [[Southern Football League|Southern League]] in November 1946.<ref name="GFCHist" /> The Gills hold the record for the fewest goals conceded by a team in the course of a 46 game season,<ref>[http://www.football-league.premiumtv.co.uk/page/RecordGoals/0,,10794,00.html The official Football League website] lists this achievement in second place on the overall list of teams who have conceded the fewest goals in a season, behind [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]], who conceded 16 in the 1978–79 season, however, as evidenced by [http://www.soccerbase.com/league2.sd?competitionid=5&seasonid=108&x=17&y=6 the final 1978–79 First Division table], Liverpool played only 42 matches, giving Gillingham the record for a 46-match season.</ref> having conceded just 20 in the [[1995-96 in English football|1995–96]] season,<ref name="FCHD" /> during which goalkeeper [[Jim Stannard]] kept 29 clean sheets.<ref name="SB">{{Cite web | url = http://www.football-league.premiumtv.co.uk/page/RecordGoals/0,,10794,00.html | title = Football League Records: Goals | accessdate = 2007-04-10 | publisher = [[The Football League]] }}</ref> ==Rivalries== Due to Gillingham's position geographically, there have traditionally not been fierce local rivalries with neighbouring clubs, as the closest other League teams are based in [[London]] and [[Essex]]. The closest League team is [[Southend United F.C.|Southend United]], across the mouth of the [[River Thames]]. A 2003 fan survey<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.footballfanscensus.com/issueresults/Club_Rivalries_Uncovered_Results.pdf | title = Rivalry Uncovered! | accessdate = 2007-04-11 | publisher = The [[Football Fans Census]] }}</ref> revealed that Gillingham (along with [[Macclesfield Town F.C.|Macclesfield Town]], [[Stockport County F.C.|Stockport County]], [[Torquay United F.C.|Torquay United]] and [[York City F.C.|York City]]) were not considered to be rivals by supporters of any other club. [[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]] are currently considered to be the closest the Gills have to local rivals.<ref name="FGG" /> [[Swindon Town F.C.|Swindon Town]] are seen by many fans as the club's biggest rivals, stemming from bad-tempered matches between the two teams in 1979 and 1987.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.gillingham-mad.co.uk/news/loadfeat.asp?cid=EDW3&id=183555 | title = Swindon Town: 25 years of hate | accessdate = 2007-04-11 | publisher = www.gillingham-mad.co.uk }}</ref> While Swindon fans generally do not consider Gillingham their biggest rivals, there was violence when they met at Priestfield in the [[2005-06 in English football|2005–06]] season, their first meeting since a promotion play-off match in 1987.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://archive.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/2006/1/17/259405.html | title = Town set to pay price for crowd trouble | accessdate = 2007-04-11 | publisher = Swindon Advertiser }}</ref> Following their promotion in 1989, [[Maidstone United F.C.|Maidstone United]] became Kent's second League side. A friendly rivalry with Gillingham developed over the following seasons, with several Kent derby games, until Maidstone's financial troubles forced them to resign from the League in 1992.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.leicestercity-mad.co.uk/news/loadfeat.asp?cid=ED12&id=179902 | title = Opposition Chat - Gillingham | accessdate = 2007-04-11 | publisher = www.leicestercity-mad.co.uk }}</ref> ==Gillingham in popular culture== The 2005 film ''[[Green Street]]'' (known as ''Green Street Hooligans'' in the USA) makes use of action sequences filmed during a match between Gillingham and [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]], although for unknown reasons the dialogue states that the team playing West Ham is [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]].<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0385002/ | title = Hooligans | publisher = [[Internet Movie Database]] | accessdate = 2007-04-12 }}</ref> ==See also== *[[Brian Moore's Head|Brian Moore's Head Looks Uncannily Like London Planetarium]] - [[webzine]] devoted to the club, which previously existed from 1988 to 2006 as a paper [[fanzine]]. Named in honour of the club's most famous supporter, the late commentator [[Brian Moore (commentator)|Brian Moore]]. ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== {{Spoken Wikipedia|Gillingham_FC.ogg|2007-05-19}} *[http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com Official club website] *{{BBC Football Info|BBClinkname=g/gillingham}} *[http://www.gillsconnect.com Gills Connect fansite] <!------WIKIPEDIA POLICY ON EXTERNAL LINKS ONLY PERMITS ONE FAN SITE, SO DO NOT ADD ANY MORE---------------> {{fb start}} {{Gillingham F.C.}} {{Football League Two}} {{fb end}} [[Category:English football clubs]] [[Category:Gillingham F.C.| ]] [[Category:Sport in Kent]] [[Category:Football (soccer) clubs established in 1893]] [[Category:Medway]] [[Category:Football League clubs]] [[de:FC Gillingham]] [[es:Gillingham Football Club]] [[fr:Gillingham Football Club]] [[it:Gillingham F.C.]] [[he:מועדון הכדורגל ג'ילינגהאם]] [[lb:Gillingham FC]] [[nl:Gillingham FC]] [[ja:ジリンガムFC]] [[no:Gillingham FC]] [[pl:Gillingham F.C.]] [[pt:Gillingham Football Club]] [[simple:Gillingham F.C.]] [[sv:Gillingham FC]] [[zh:吉林汉姆足球俱乐部]]