Gillingham's First 1000 league players | Vital Football

Gillingham's First 1000 league players

M

mick745

Vital Reserves Team
At the end of the 2018/2019 season Gillingham had used 1022 players in Football League Games.

Since 2002, 273 players have made their debuts, that is an average of more than 16 debuts per season over that period. In contrast between being reelected to the league in 1950 and 2002 (52 years), 492 players made a league appearance for Gills, an average of less than 9.5 debutants per season.

Looking at the list of players from the last 17 years i have to say i struggle to recall around 90% of them - i have been a supporter for more than 30 years and can conjure up images of most of the players from the mid to late 80s but not many from the last 15 years or so.

The top 5 appearance makers since 2002-2019 are:

1. Cody McDonald 201
2. Stuart Nelson 195
3. Max Ehmer 184
4. Andrew Crofts 179
5. Nicky Southall 176

Incidentally the 1000th player to play a Football League game for the Gills was in the opening game of the 2017/18 season, a 0-0 draw at Doncaster Rovers - the player concerned came on as a substitute for Tom Eaves in the 66th minute - that player was Conor Wilkinson.
 
mick745 said:
At the end of the 2018/2019 season Gillingham had used 1022 players in Football League Games.

Since 2002, 273 players have made their debuts, that is an average of more than 16 debuts per season over that period. In contrast between being reelected to the league in 1950 and 2002 (52 years), 492 players made a league appearance for Gills, an average of less than 9.5 debutants per season.

Looking at the list of players from the last 17 years i have to say i struggle to recall around 90% of them - i have been a supporter for more than 30 years and can conjure up images of most of the players from the mid to late 80s but not many from the last 15 years or so.

The top 5 appearance makers since 2002-2019 are:

1. Cody McDonald 201
2. Stuart Nelson 195
3. Max Ehmer 184
4. Andrew Crofts 179
5. Nicky Southall 176

Incidentally the 1000th player to play a Football League game for the Gills was in the opening game of the 2017/18 season, a 0-0 draw at Doncaster Rovers - the player concerned came on as a substitute for Tom Eaves in the 66th minute - that player was Conor Wilkinson.
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I think you have forgotten Mr Fuller with 203 appearances. :thumbup:
 
mick745 said:
At the end of the 2018/2019 season Gillingham had used 1022 players in Football League Games.

Since 2002, 273 players have made their debuts, that is an average of more than 16 debuts per season over that period. In contrast between being reelected to the league in 1950 and 2002 (52 years), 492 players made a league appearance for Gills, an average of less than 9.5 debutants per season.

Looking at the list of players from the last 17 years i have to say i struggle to recall around 90% of them - i have been a supporter for more than 30 years and can conjure up images of most of the players from the mid to late 80s but not many from the last 15 years or so.

The top 5 appearance makers since 2002-2019 are:

1. Cody McDonald 201
2. Stuart Nelson 195
3. Max Ehmer 184
4. Andrew Crofts 179
5. Nicky Southall 176

Incidentally the 1000th player to play a Football League game for the Gills was in the opening game of the 2017/18 season, a 0-0 draw at Doncaster Rovers - the player concerned came on as a substitute for Tom Eaves in the 66th minute - that player was Conor Wilkinson.
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Did any of them score a hat trick of penalties? Nobby wants to know.
 
mick745 said:
Since 2002, 273 players have made their debuts, that is an average of more than 16 debuts per season over that period. In contrast between being reelected to the league in 1950 and 2002 (52 years), 492 players made a league appearance for Gills, an average of less than 9.5 debutants per season.
Click to expand...

I reckon if the same figures were split between pre and post 1990 the difference would be even bigger.

My memory tells me there used to be far less turnover of players each year. For Gills maybe up to and including Keefy’s reign (1987). And this was probably the same across all clubs.

From 1990’s onward it seems almost a different IX every year and a bigger proliferation of loans. Plus the increase of bench size from 3 to 7 (not sure when that happened).
 
OneSirKeefy said:
I reckon if the same figures were split between pre and post 1990 the difference would be even bigger.

My memory tells me there used to be far less turnover of players each year. For Gills maybe up to and including Keefy’s reign (1987). And this was probably the same across all clubs.

From 1990’s onward it seems almost a different IX every year and a bigger proliferation of loans. Plus the increase of bench size from 3 to 7 (not sure when that happened).
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Bosman rule change would have meant that players wishing to move could do so if they were out of contract. I believe it was 1995 or there abouts.
Take last season. Eaves and Holy would have almost certainly been forced to stay pre Bosman.Unless a club met our valuation.
 
nitram77 said:
I don't think you specified league in your original post, he was awarded a plaque the other week for his reaching his 200th match.
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He said "football league matches".
Loving these nerdy stats. Like you mick, I seem to remember players from the distant past more than recent ones. Alzheimers?
 
It would have been nice to have had a more auspicious player mark that occasion perhaps. However, unlike test cricket where players have the running numbers on their caps, Wilkinson won't be sporting the number at least publicly.
 
These are the players who have made their league debuts for Gills each season since 2002. Not so much a Who's Who but more of a Who? Who?

Many only made a handful of appearances. 24 only made appearances as substitutes. Another 25 only started one match. 166 of the 273 only made appearances in one season (nearly 61%)

Who has been most easily forgotten?

2002/03 (10 players making debuts)
Jones Awuah; Jason Brown; Akwasi Fobi-Edusei; Leon Johnson; Tommy Johnson; Simon Osborn; David Perpetuini; Mamady Sidibe; Danny Spiller; Rod Wallace;

2003/04 (13 players making debuts)
Patrick Agyemang; Trevor Benjamin; Bertrand Bossu; Wayne Brown; Ian Cox; Andrew Crofts; Darius Henderson; John Hills; Lars Hirschfeld; Matt Jarvis; Alan Pouton; Nico Vaesen; Gary Wales;

2004/05 (11 players)
Dean Beckwith; Matt Bodkin; Darren Byfield; Jonathon Douglas; Michael Flynn; Paul Gallacher; Dean Marney; James McEveley; Adam Nowland; Iwan Roberts; John Robinson;

2005/06 (19 players)
Moses Ashikodi; Tommy Black; Tony Bullock; Steve Claridge; Sean Clohessy; Justin Cochrane; Frannie Collin; Mark Corneille; Paul Crichton; Gavin Grant; Neil Harris; Steve Hislop; Danny Jackman; Gary Mulligan; Brent Sancho; Paul Shields; Craig Stone; John Wallis; Tommy Williams;

2006/07 (18 players)
Felix Bastians; Mark Bentley; Dean Brill; Ben Chorley; Luis Cumbers; Clint Easton; Scott Flinders; Luke Howell; Kelvin Jack; Duncan Jupp; Romain Larrieu; Dean McDonald; Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu; Andy Pugh; Darren Randolph; Simon Royce; Bas Savage; Dale Tonge;

2007/08 (28 players!)
Craig Armstrong; George Ba; Aaron Brown; Adam Bygrave; Barry Cogan; Danny Cullip; Chris Dickson; Delroy Facey; Luke Freeman; Barry Fuller; David Graham; Leroy Griffiths; Marvin Hamilton; Charlie Howard; Simeon Jackson; Simon King; Stuart Lewis; Steve Lomas; Kevin Maher; Adam Miller; John Nutter; Dennis Oli; Garry Richards; Craig Rocastle; Donovan Simmonds; Efe Sodje; Derek Stillie; Stuart Thurgood;

2008/09 (12 players)
Andy Barcham; Tyrone Berry; Charlie Daniels; Albert Jarrett; Alan Julian; Mark McCammon; Leigh Mills; Jack Payne; Jaime Peters; Rene Steer; Curtis Weston; Josh Wright;

2009/10 (13 players)
Febian Brandy; Darren Dennehy; Jacob Erskine; Matt Fry; Josh Gowling; Rene Howe; Chris Palmer; Tristam Plummer; Luke Rooney; Scott Vernon; James Walker; Tommy Wynter; Rashid Yussuff;

2010/11 (15 players)
Stanley Aborah; Adebayo Akinfenwa; Lance Cronin; Callum Davies; Bruce Inkango; Callum Kennedy; Matt Lawrence; Charlie Lee; Joe Martin; Cody McDonald; Ashley Miller; Stefan Payne; Tony Sinclair; Chris Whelpdale; Andy White;

2011/12 (15 players)
Alex Brown; Connor Essam; Jack Evans; Matt Fish; Ross Flitney; Andy Frampton; Paulo Gazzaniga; Danny Kedwell; Jo Kuffour; Oliver Lee; Lewis Montrose; Frank Nouble; Jordan Obita; Gavin Tomlin; Rowan Vine;

2012/13 (25 players)
Charlie Allen; Adam Barrett; Adam Birchall; Deon Burton; Bradley Dack; Danny East; Robbie Findley; Tom Flanagan; Tommy Forecast; Antonio German; Harry Grant; Steven Gregory; Kane Haysman; Leon Legge; Devante McKain; Sam Muggleton; Stuart Nelson; Nathan Nyafli; Michael Richardson; Anton Robinson; Mahlon Romeo; Ben Strevens; Romain Vincelot; Myles Weston; David Wright;

2013/14 (14 players)
Stephen Butcher; Donervon Daniels; Craig Fagan; Michael Harriman; Jake Hessenthaler; Elliott Hewitt; Danny Hollands; Ryan Inniss; Amine Linganzi; Jack Marriott; Aaron Millbank; John Mousinho; Joe Pigott; Connor Smith;

2014/15 (22 players)
Amari Bell; Stephen Bywater; Adam Chicksen; Brennan Dickenson; Michael Doughty; John Egan; Max Ehmer; Michael Freiter; Daniel Galbraith; Bradley Garmston; Josh Hare; Kortney Hause; Gavin Hoyte; Harry Lennon; Doug Loft; John Marquis; Jermaine McGlashan; Aaron Morris; Glenn Morris; Oliver Muldoon; Luke Norris; Josh Pritchard;

2015/16 (10 players)
Rory Donnelly; Adam El-Abd; Jordan Houghton; Ryan Jackson; Elliott List; Emmanuel Osadebe; Adedeji Oshilaja; Dominic Samuel; George Williams; Ben Williamson;

2016/17 (20 players)
Jonathan Bond; Mark Byrne; Baily Cargill; Harry Cornick; Gregory Cundle; Mitch Dickenson; Jay Emmanuel-Thomas; Chris Herd; Tomas Holy; Ryan Jackson; Billy Knott; Paul Konchesky; Lee Martin; Jamie O'Hara; Darren Oldaker; Josh Parker; Josh Pask; Joe Quigley; Zesh Rehman; Scott Wagstaff;;

2017/18 (18 players)
Billy Bingham; Sean Clare; Tom Eaves; Tom Hadler; Alex Lacey; Franck Moussa; Rhys Murphy; Liam Nash; Navid Nasseri; Ben Nugent; Connor Ogilvie; Finn O'Mara; Luke O'Neill; Callum Reilly; Jesse Starkey; Jack Tucker; Conor Wilkinson; Gabriel Zakuani;

2018/19 (10 players)
Graeme Burke; Tahvon Campbell; Regan Charles-Cook; Leonardo Da Silva Lopes; Brandon Hanlon; Billy King; Noel Mbo; Dean Parrett; Josh Rees; Bradley Stevenson;
 
mick745 said:
Bruce inkango.

"This kid can turn a game with his pace and his trickery" - Andy Hessenthaler.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/9006141.stm

After leaving the Gills he played in Albania, Romania, Turkey and Bulgaria before really hitting rock bottom signing for East Fife.
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I remember watching a Gills reserve game at Priestfield (I must have been at a very loose end that afternoon) in which Bruce Inkango played on trial- against a Brentford reserve side that featured Leon Legge.

I have a very clear memory of Inkango beating his man and putting a cross into the box, which was very well received by the Gills bench- the assistant at the time (I think Scott Barrett) shouted across the pitch, "Oi, Bruce- tres bien!" Presumably Bruce's English was no better than Scott's French.
 
While each year has its own "hits" and misses", 2007/08 list is an absolute craptacular selection.

Armstrong, Brown, Cogan, Facey, Graham, Griffiths, Lomas, Stillie and Thurgood - *shudder*
 
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