Bill Brown | Vital Football

Bill Brown

alphabet_king

Vital 1st Team Regular
So i was only speaking to an ex gill player tonight. Bill Brown. Anybody remember him?

He only had 3 years at the gills but he said the one club that had his heart was the gills. He met his mrs in gillingham, they've been married 50 years. Was really interesting to hear him talking of the times of Basil Hayward. I'm sure some of you oldies will know about him?

Ive got a copy of the HOTSM and hes very prominent in the book in the few years he was there!
 
Yes, one of my first heroes. Poor old Basil. My mum fixed it for him to show me round the ground/main stand circa 1968. I was awestruck of course (although we had just lost 4 0 to Grimsby at the end of the season).
 
Poor old Basil???? He came from Bedford Town and took over Freddie Cox's promotion side the following January and Gills decline began.
 
My first game was Cox's last (1 0 v Swine). Then Basil arrived. Bought Bill Brown from Bedford shortly after.

So basically my support coincided with Gills' steady decline. We've had worse (somehow), Burkenshaw/Pennock?
 
Ah yes .......... Billy Brown. As I recall, he was one of those players fans would either love or hate. For me, he was an unusually skilful centre forward, rather than the more bustling type who was perhaps more common in that era. He could appear to drift out of a game, but then suddenly create an opening with a deft touch or turn. For others, he was a lazy player who lacked passion. Overall though, I think his record of 33 goals in 105 appearances was a pretty good return.
 
Not one of my favorites I'm afraid. Although I'm sure he's a lovely bloke.

Scored a lot of goals against weak sides but couldn't score against anything of reasonable quality.

Also I recall that for some reason, when he headed a ball, it was liable to shoot off in any direction. A very odd phenomenon that gained him the nickname from those around where we used to stand at the Priestfield end (ah, those were the days)
 
Bill Brown was a very exciting player as far as I am concerned. Scored a hat trick in his first (non FL game). The Pig Farmer from Bedford was a real character on the pitch and nice guy.

Overheard Dr Grossmark talking about him - ‘great guy, pity his football skill is not so good’ lol.

He or Simmo would supply tickets for my mate and I at all away games.

Bas Hayward gave the two of us a lift on the team coach to a midweek game at stockport or southport or summit similar lol. On the way parked at the other side of Dartford tunnel and picked up Woodley (first game after signing from southend) and then picked up Billy further on.
Also bought us dinner on the way so happy days :)
 
So i was only speaking to an ex gill player tonight. Bill Brown. Anybody remember him?

He only had 3 years at the gills but he said the one club that had his heart was the gills. He met his mrs in gillingham, they've been married 50 years. Was really interesting to hear him talking of the times of Basil Hayward. I'm sure some of you oldies will know about him?

Ive got a copy of the HOTSM and hes very prominent in the book in the few years he was there!
So i was only speaking to an ex gill player tonight. Bill Brown. Anybody remember him?

He only had 3 years at the gills but he said the one club that had his heart was the gills. He met his mrs in gillingham, they've been married 50 years. Was really interesting to hear him talking of the times of Basil Hayward. I'm sure some of you oldies will know about him?

Ive got a copy of the HOTSM and hes very prominent in the book in the few years he was there!
 
Remember B W great defender only thing that used to wind me up was the fact that he was guaranteed to foul the guy he was marking in a head to head high ball towards Gills end. Bless Him
 
Interesting AK
Classy and catastrophic in the same game
Picked up a big dog and carried off the pitch when everyone else dithered IF I remember correctly
I last saw him playing for Pompey at Charlton
 
Bill Brown was a very exciting player as far as I am concerned. Scored a hat trick in his first (non FL game). The Pig Farmer from Bedford was a real character on the pitch and nice guy.

Overheard Dr Grossmark talking about him - ‘great guy, pity his football skill is not so good’ lol.

He or Simmo would supply tickets for my mate and I at all away games.

Bas Hayward gave the two of us a lift on the team coach to a midweek game at stockport or southport or summit similar lol. On the way parked at the other side of Dartford tunnel and picked up Woodley (first game after signing from southend) and then picked up Billy further on.
Also bought us dinner on the way so happy days :)
That match was a friendly against Portsmouth; they played in blue; we played in white shirts and red shorts and the shirts had two thin lines around the chest - blue I think. Brown was good but never quite as good as in that friendly.
 
Massive fan of Bill Brown at the time. He perhaps never delivered fully on his undoubted skill but he provided more entertainment than half a dozen sluggers. Looked like he enjoyed his football.

" Scored a lot of goals against weak sides but couldn't score against anything of reasonable quality. "

Nothing could be further from the truth. Probably the only player to score home and away against Middlesborough and Watford and he got one against that great QPR side too.
 
Wonderful free kick from edge of area towards Rainham End at home to Mansfield towards the end of season, think he got a hat trick in that game. As someone mentioned, very marmite you either loved him or hated him
 
When we played away at Colchester I travelled on the supporters’ coach. Imagine my surprise when we went through Brentwood to see Bill Brown waiting on a corner holding his boots ! He did play in the game.
 
If my memory serve me well proably not, he dribble past Ian Ure and put a through ball for Charlie Crickmore to score at the Arsenal. One nil up until ten minutes from time, Derek Balotti in goal played well also