Jerryattrick
Vital Football Hero
Lets be avin you - best gills era?
Sir keith
Dave Smith
Howard Pritchard
Harvey Lim
Paul Haylock
Carl Elsey
to name a few early doors
the Carl Elsey goal in the playoffs v Swindon away - similar from deep deep memory banks to Connors Goal against Charlton this year
There were some shocking managers, post Sir Keith, in that era. Paul Taylor, Burkinshaw, Roeder and (possibly the worst) Flanagan spring to mind. The jury’s out on Damien. It ended very badly, but was decent for a while. I believe it is he who signed the legend that was Brendan Place.
Has OSK gone to bed??!!
Has OSK gone to bed??!!
I think Jerry is having a larf at my expense
The we had the disastrous decision to sack Sir Keef and the (almost) terminal decline that ensued. Relegation to the basement the following season and then several seasons of fourth division mediocrity before we got really shit and flirted with relegation from the entire league. But then there was that historic match against Halifax and the party at Piainmoor the following Saturday.
Although the football was dire and the crowds down to the diehard three thousand or so, we still had the terraces and we had our gallows humour ("The football league is upside down!"). On top of that we had a fantastic award winning fanzine. Times were hard but I was always proud to be a Gill. And there were some special moments too, like the win at Carlisle after 18 months without an away win. Oh, and I nearly forgot the only ever Kent league derbies and the brief experience of having a proper local rival.
I'm with you on that Buddha. My first match was during Sir Keef's reign, but I didn't really start going properly until the early 90s under Damien Richardson. Like you say, the football was terrible much of the time, but plenty of great memories from that time. Always finding my mates in the Rainham End terrace no matter how busy it was, glory runs when a seemingly crowded terrace suddenly opened up in front of you when we scored. Beating Halifax to stay up. Pitch invasion at Torquay in what could've been our last ever game. Bouncy terrace at Colchester (scene of my first ever away game, where we went 3 up before HT only to very nearly throw it away at the end). Being the only one vaguely happy on the coach back from a heavy defeat at Exeter as Steve Banks saved a late penalty to win me the coach sweepstake. Missing a goal at Northampton because someone was passing a huge flag over our heads at the time. Extra-time winner from Robbie Reinelt in the pissing rain at Fulham.
Not sure I'd want to go back to those days again, but looking back now, they were great while they lasted, despite the football on offer.
Agree. My favourite season ever, by a mile. I have an enlarged framed photo of Wilks' winner at home to Exeter looking down on me as I type.For me, 1973/74 season when we almost, bloody almost went up as champions. Great season with many more ups than downs. Just a shame we lost the last, decisive match at Peterborough. I have no idea what the exact total was but there were thousands of Gills supporters there that night however, what started promisingly ended up being a right let-down as we lost 4-2. I think that was the only time I ever behaved badly after a match as on the way back to the car, some posh twats were giving it large and (allegedly) I lost my temper and may have reshaped his nose. Thankfully, I am now too old to remember and anyway the statute of limitations is only for crimes punishable with a life sentence and or a death penalty, not sure breaking a nose falls into either category. I would like to add that it never happened again - as far as I can remember.
Some great memories there, Madrid. And great shout re the glory runs on open and sparse terraces after we'd scored. They were great! As were the surges and celebrations when the ground was more full.
The Summers era does not get the attention it deserves in my book. Played some very nice football and were on the brink of glory under another manager who was also a gentleman.
Yes. I somehow specifically remember going to that game. Travelled down from Catford via picking up a mate in New Cross. Also remember that we hadn't scored a goal yet and Southend riding high. Stood between the old cow shed and the RE. A rare bright moment in those days.There were lots of memorable games during this period and some of them were really important games, either because they were play-off games or because they were survival games (obviously the Halifax game being the most important and memorable of these). There were also some great Cup games against higher division opposition. And as I mentioned before the 8-1 and 10-0 games.
But do any of you have in your memories, an unimportant, obscure and non-descript kind of game that for whatever reason stands out?
For me, for some reason, I can vividly recall the evening of Tuesday 26th September 1989 (no, I couldn't remember the actual date, I had to check that bit!) and we were at home to Southend. As it was September only a few games had been played so far that season. Southend were near the top and hadn't conceded for several games, we were near the bottom without a win or even a goal at home so far.
Well we all know what the Gills can do when the circumstances are such as those!
That night we were fantastic. I can still feel the buzz of excitement in the air that night as we played them off the park. 5-0 it ended with goals from Mike Trusson, Steve Lovell (2, 1pen), Tony Eeeles and the best of the lot from Billy Manuel.
Re-live it with me here
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There were some shocking managers, post Sir Keith, in that era. Paul Taylor, Burkinshaw, Roeder and (possibly the worst) Flanagan spring to mind. The jury’s out on Damien. It ended very badly, but was decent for a while. I believe it is he who signed the legend that was Brendan Place.