List of Gillingham F.C. records and statistics

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Ron Hillyard, Gillingham's appearance record holder, played a total of 655 games in a 17-year career with the club. Ron Hillyard.jpg
Ron Hillyard, Gillingham's appearance record holder, played a total of 655 games in a 17-year career with the club.

Gillingham Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Gillingham, Kent, playing in EFL League Two, the fourth level of the English football league system, as of the 2024–25 season. The club was formed in 1893 as New Brompton F.C., [1] a name which was retained until 1913, [2] and has played home matches at Priestfield Stadium throughout its history. [1] The club joined the Football League in 1920, [3] was voted out of the league in favour of Ipswich Town at the end of the 1937–38 season, [4] but returned to the league 12 years later after it was expanded from 88 to 92 clubs. [5] Between 2000 and 2005, Gillingham played in the second tier of the English league for the only time in the club's history, achieving a highest league finish of eleventh place in 2002–03. [6]

Contents

The record for most games played for the club is held by Ron Hillyard, who made 655 appearances between 1974 and 1991. Brian Yeo is the club's record goalscorer, scoring 149 goals during his Gillingham career. Andrew Crofts holds the record for the most international caps gained as a Gillingham player, having made 12 appearances for Wales. The highest transfer fee ever paid by the club is the £600,000 paid to Reading for Carl Asaba in 1998, and the highest fee received is the £1,500,000 paid by Manchester City for Robert Taylor in 1999. The highest attendance recorded at Priestfield was 23,002 for the visit of Queens Park Rangers in 1948. The club holds one Football League record, having conceded the fewest goals in a 46-match season, when the team conceded only 20 goals during the 1995–96 season.

All figures are correct as of 2024.

Honours and achievements

Gillingham fans at the 2000 play-off final Gillsplayoff2000.jpg
Gillingham fans at the 2000 play-off final

Gillingham have won two major honours in English football; first the Football League Fourth Division title in the 1963–64 season [7] and then the Football League Two title in the 2012–13 season. [8] The club has also achieved promotion on four other occasions, most recently in the 2008–09 season, when a 1–0 victory over Shrewsbury Town in the 2009 Football League Two play-off final at Wembley Stadium secured a return to League One following relegation the previous season. [9]

Gillingham's only previous victory at Wembley (at the original Wembley Stadium) came in the 1999–2000 season, when a 3–2 victory over Wigan Athletic in the Second Division play-off final clinched promotion to the second tier of English football for the first time in Gillingham's history. [10] Between 1938 and 1950, when the club played outside the Football League, Gillingham won the Southern Football League championship on two occasions and the Kent League once. [11]

The Football League

Other honours

The New Brompton team which won the Southern League Division Two championship in the 1894-95 season Gills1894.jpg
The New Brompton team which won the Southern League Division Two championship in the 1894–95 season

National cup competitions

Player records

Age

Appearances

All competitive peacetime first team matches are included. Statistics correct as of the end of the 2023–24 season. Appearances as substitute are in brackets. Players who played for the club prior to 1920 or between 1938 and 1950, when the club played in the Southern League and Kent League rather than the Football League, have appearances in those competitions included in their totals. [23]

#NameYearsLeaguea FA Cup League CupbOtherTotal
1 Ron Hillyard 1974–1991563 (0)34 (0)44 (0)14 (0)655 (0)
2 John Simpson 1957–1972571 (0)26 (0)19 (0)0 (0)616 (0)
3 Mark Weatherly 1974–1989458 (49)33 (5)38 (3)14 (1)543 (58)
4 Jimmy Boswell 1946–1958470 (0)36 (0)17 (0)0 (0)523 (0)
5 Charlie Marks 1943–1957392 (0)20 (0)22 (0)0 (0)434 (0)
6 Dick Tydeman 1969–1977
1981–1984		371 (3)22 (0)23 (1)3 (0)419 (4)
7 Max Ehmer [24] 2014–2020
2021–present		348 (6)23 (1)14 (0)15 (1)400 (8)
8 Paul Smith [25] 1997–2005
2005–2006		345 (4)21 (0)18 (0)12 (2)396 (6)
9 Jock Robertson 1919–1933365 (0)30 (0)0 (0)0 (0)395 (0)
10 Brian Yeo 1963–1975356 (11)16 (0)15 (0)0 (0)387 (11)

Goalscorers

Fred Cheesmur scored six goals in a match in 1930, a club record haul for a match in The Football League. Fred cheesmur001.jpg
Fred Cheesmur scored six goals in a match in 1930, a club record haul for a match in The Football League.

Top goalscorers

All competitive first team matches are included. Appearances, including those as substitute, are in brackets. Players who played for the club prior to 1920 or between 1938 and 1950, when the club played in the Southern League and Kent League rather than the Football League, have goals in those competitions included in their totals. [23]

#NameYearsLeaguea FA Cup League CupbOtherTotal
1 Brian Yeo 1963–1975136 (356)4 (16)9 (15)0 (0)149(387)
2 Hughie Russell 1946–1952106 (186)12 (23)2 (0)0 (0)120(209)
3 Tug Wilson 1936–194991 (211)5 (16)17 (25)0 (1)113(253)
4 Tony Cascarino [D] 1981–198778 (219)11 (17)9 (18)12 (15)110(269)
5 Brian Gibbs 1962–1969101 (259)3 (9)6 (16)0 (0)110(284)
6 Steve Lovell 1986–199394 (233)5 (10)2 (17)3 (15)104(275)
7 Damien Richardson 1972–199194 (323)5 (14)3 (20)0 (0)102(357)
8 Ken Price 1976–198378 (255)7 (21)4 (18)0 (0)89(294)
9 Cody McDonald 2010–2011
2013–2017		77 (198)1 (7)1 (6)2 (9)81(220)
10 Ernie Morgan [D] 1953–195773 (155)4 (8)0 (0)0 (0)77(163)
11 Danny Westwood 1975–198274 (211)1 (12)2 (12)0 (3)77(238)

International caps

Andrew Crofts, the club's international caps record holder Me and Andrew Crofts2.jpg
Andrew Crofts, the club's international caps record holder

Transfer fees

Record transfer fees paid

#NameFeePaid toDateNotes
1 Carl Asaba £600,000 Reading 29 August 1998 [35]
2 Robert Taylor £500,000 Brentford 1 August 1998 [36]
3 Paul Shaw £450,000 Millwall 4 July 2000 [37]
4= Marlon King £250,000 Barnet 28 June 2000 [38]
4= Ade Akinbiyi £250,000 Norwich City 6 January 1997 [39]
4= Chris Hope £250,000 Scunthorpe United 4 July 2000 [40]

Record transfer fees received

#NameFeeReceived fromDateNotes
1 Robert Taylor £1,500,000 Manchester City 29 November 1999 [36]
2 Ade Akinbiyi £1,200,000 Bristol City 1 June 1998 [39]
3 Marlon King £950,000 Nottingham Forest 27 November 2003 [41]
4 Bradley Dack £750,000 Blackburn Rovers 27 June 2017 [42]
5 Jimmy Corbett £525,000 Blackburn Rovers 21 May 1998 [43]

Some media sources claimed that the transfer fee paid by Southampton for Paulo Gazzaniga in 2012 was higher than that paid for Taylor, but the fee was not officially disclosed by either club. [44]

Managerial records

William Ironside Groombridge, the club's first manager Groombridge.jpg
William Ironside Groombridge, the club's first manager

Club records

Goals

Points

Matches

The Gillingham team and officials pictured before the club's first ever Football League match in 1920 Gills1920.jpg
The Gillingham team and officials pictured before the club's first ever Football League match in 1920

Firsts

Record wins

Record defeat

Attendances

Notes

A. ^ Promoted via the play-off system after finishing in third place

B. ^ Promoted automatically by finishing in second place on both occasions

C. ^ Promoted via the play-off system after finishing in fifth place

D. ^ Cascarino is placed higher than Gibbs, and Morgan higher than Westwood, as they reached their goals totals in fewer matches.

E. ^ The club has in the past claimed that goalkeeper Freddie Fox made his one appearance for England in 1925 while registered with Gillingham. [51] It is possible that he was still with Gillingham when the team selection was announced, but he left the club to join Millwall nearly a month before the match actually took place. [52]

F. ^ This was the first match for the club's first team, but it was preceded by the first match for the club's reserve team, which occurred earlier on the same day.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gillingham F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Gillingham Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent, England. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, the "Gills" play their home matches at Priestfield Stadium. The team competes in League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system, in the 2023–24 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Priestfield Stadium</span> Association football stadium in Kent, England

Priestfield Stadium is a football stadium in Gillingham, Kent. It has been the home of Gillingham Football Club since the club's formation in 1893, and was also the temporary home of Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club for two seasons during the 1990s. The stadium has also hosted women's and youth international football matches and a London Broncos rugby league match.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Gillingham F.C.</span> History of an English football club

Gillingham Football Club is an English football club based in Gillingham, Kent. The club was formed in 1893, and played in the Southern League until 1920, when that league's top division was absorbed into the Football League as its new Division Three. The club was voted out of the league in favour of Ipswich Town at the end of the 1937–38 season, but returned 12 years later, when that league was expanded from 88 to 92 clubs. Twice in the late 1980s Gillingham came close to winning promotion to the second tier of English football, but a decline then set in and in 1993 the club narrowly avoided relegation to the Football Conference. In 2000, the "Gills" reached the second tier of the English league for the first time in the club's history and went on to spend five seasons at this level, achieving a club record highest league finish of eleventh place in 2002–03. The club has twice won the division comprising the fourth level of English football: the Football League Fourth Division championship in 1963–64 and the Football League Two championship in 2012–13.

During the 1894–95 English football season, New Brompton F.C. competed in the Southern Football League Division Two. It was the first season in which the team took part in a league competition. The club had been formed a year earlier but in its inaugural season played only friendly matches and games in the qualifying rounds of the FA Cup and FA Amateur Cup. In 1894, New Brompton turned professional and joined the newly-formed Southern League. The team dominated Division Two of the new league, winning all but one of their matches, and gained promotion to Division One by winning an end-of-season "test match" against Swindon Town, who had finished bottom of the higher division.

During the 1963–64 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League Fourth Division, the fourth tier of the English football league system. It was the 32nd season in which Gillingham competed in the Football League, and the 14th since the club was voted back into the league in 1950. Gillingham were undefeated in their first 13 games, the longest such run from the start of the season by any team in the Football League, and by the end of September were top of the league table, where they remained for much of the season, although some fans were unhappy with the team's defensive style of play.

During the 1999–2000 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division, the third tier of the English football league system. It was the 68th season in which Gillingham competed in the Football League, and the 50th since the club was voted back into the league in 1950. The team started the season in poor form, failing to win any of the first five league games, but then went on a much-improved run and began challenging for promotion to the Football League First Division. Robert Taylor scored 18 goals in 19 games by November, after which he was signed by Manchester City for £1.5 million, a new record fee for Gillingham. On the last day of the regular season, the team had a chance to gain automatic promotion, but lost and instead had to enter the play-offs. After defeating Stoke City in the semi-finals, Gillingham beat Wigan Athletic in the final to gain promotion to the second tier of the English football league system for the first time in the club's history.

During the 1986–87 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League Third Division. It was the 55th season in which the club competed in the Football League, and the 37th since the club was voted back into the league in 1950. Gillingham began the season strongly and were top of the Third Division table shortly before the mid-point of the season. The team's form declined in the second half of the season; to qualify for the play-offs for promotion to the Football League Second Division, the team needed to win their final game and both Bristol City and Notts County had to fail to win theirs. A victory over Bolton Wanderers, combined with both the other teams being held to draws, meant that Gillingham finished in fifth place and qualified for the play-offs. After beating Sunderland in the semi-finals, Gillingham faced Swindon Town in the final. The two teams drew 2–2 on aggregate, necessitating a replay at a neutral venue, which Swindon won 2–0 to claim a place in the Second Division.

During the 1996–97 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division, the third tier of the English football league system. It was the 65th season in which Gillingham competed in the Football League, and the 47th since the club was voted back into the league in 1950. In the previous season, the team had gained promotion from the Third Division. Prior to the new season, Gillingham signed seven new players, paying a new club record transfer fee for Watford's Andy Hessenthaler. The team's form was poor in the first half of the season and at the end of 1996, Gillingham were in 21st position in the 24-team league table, putting them in danger of relegation back to the fourth tier. The club signed Ade Akinbiyi from Norwich City for another record fee in early January. In the second half of the season the team's performances improved and they finished the season in 11th position in the table.

During the 1987–88 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League Third Division. It was the 56th season in which the club competed in the Football League, and the 38th since the club was voted back into the league in 1950. In the previous season, Gillingham had qualified for the final of the play-offs for promotion to the Football League Second Division but had been defeated. The team began the new season strongly, including winning matches 8–1 and 10–0 on consecutive Saturdays, but their performances quickly declined and by December the team had slipped down the league table. After a heavy loss to Aldershot in the last game of 1987, manager Keith Peacock was dismissed from his job and replaced by his former assistant Paul Taylor, a decision which was extremely unpopular with the club's supporters. Although the team's performances improved in the second half of the season, briefly bringing them close to a potential play-off place, their form declined once again and they finished the season 13th in the 24-team division, the same position as when Peacock lost his job.

During the 1985–86 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League Third Division, the third tier of the English football league system. It was the 54th season in which Gillingham competed in the Football League, and the 36th since the club was voted back into the league in 1950. After an unbeaten run of seven games, Gillingham were fourth in the league table in late September, just outside the top three places which would result in promotion to the Second Division. After slipping to ninth in October, the team climbed to third, but at the close of 1985 had fallen again to eighth. Although Gillingham continued to challenge for promotion in the second half of the season and were in second place at the end of January, their form continued to fluctuate. As the end of the season approached, the team were still in with a chance of finishing in a promotion position, however three defeats in the last six games meant that they ultimately fell short, finishing in fifth place.

During the 1993–94 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League Third Division, the fourth tier of the English football league system. It was the 62nd season in which Gillingham competed in the Football League, and the 44th since the club was voted back into the league in 1950. Prior to the season, Glenn Roeder resigned as the club's manager and was replaced by Mike Flanagan. The team struggled in August and September, and did not win a Third Division match until the eighth league game of the season. A week later, Gillingham won away from home in the Football League for the first time in 18 months. Gillingham's form remained inconsistent and, although they climbed to 10th in the 22-team league table in October, the team spent most of the season in the bottom half and finished 16th.

During the 1994–95 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League Third Division, the fourth tier of the English football league system. It was the 63rd season in which Gillingham competed in the Football League, and the 45th since the club was voted back into the league in 1950. In January 1995, after several seasons spent near the bottom of the Football League and nearly a decade of financial difficulties, the club was declared insolvent and placed in receivership. Mike Flanagan was made redundant as the club's manager and replaced by player-coach Neil Smillie for the remainder of the season. Gillingham finished the season 19th in the Third Division, but the club's continued existence remained in doubt until June, when it was purchased by businessman Paul Scally.

During the 1989–90 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League Fourth Division, the fourth tier of the English football league system. It was the 58th season in which Gillingham competed in the Football League and the 40th since the club was voted back into the league in 1950. In the previous season, the team had been relegated from the Third Division, after which a number of players left the club, resulting in several teenagers playing in the opening games of the new season. Gillingham began their league campaign in poor form but a run of five consecutive wins in October and November took them into the top six. In December, the team lost to Maidstone United in the first Football League match between two Kent-based teams. Gillingham remained in contention for promotion until early March, but then lost six consecutive games; the team finished the season 14th in the Fourth Division.

During the 1997–98 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division, the third tier of the English football league system. It was the 66th season in which Gillingham competed in the Football League, and the 48th since the club was voted back into the league in 1950. The team started the season strongly and by the end of October were challenging for promotion, but then went on a lengthy run of games without a win which saw them slip into the bottom third of the league table in December. Results improved in the second half of the season, and Gillingham were sixth in the table with one game remaining, which would be sufficient for a place in the promotion play-offs. Results on the final day of the regular season meant that they finished in a four-way tie for the final two play-off places and missed out as they had scored the fewest goals of the four teams involved; a goalbound shot from Nicky Southall in the final seconds of the last game of the season which could have given Gillingham a win and a play-off place instead struck the goalpost and rebounded away.

During the 1937–38 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League Third Division South, the third tier of the English football league system. It was the 18th season in which Gillingham competed in the Football League. The team won only three times in nineteen Football League matches between August and December; in November and December they played six league games and lost every one without scoring a goal, leaving them bottom of the division at the end of 1937. Although Gillingham's performances improved in the second half of the season, with seven wins between January and May, they remained in last place at the end of the season, meaning that the club was required to apply for re-election to the League. The application was rejected, and as a result the club lost its place in the Football League and joined the regional Southern League.

During the 1905–06 English football season, New Brompton F.C. competed in the Southern League Division One. It was the 12th season in which the club competed in the Southern League and the 11th in Division One. The team began the season in poor form; they failed to score any goals in six of their first eight Southern League games. By the midpoint of the season, the team had won only three times and were close to the bottom of the league table. The team's form improved in the new year, with three wins in the first seven Southern League games of 1906, but they ended the season in similar fashion to how they had started it, failing to score in eight of the final nine league games. New Brompton finished the season in 17th place out of 18 teams in the division.

During the 1912–13 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Southern League Division One. It was the 19th season in which the club competed in the Southern League and the 18th in Division One. The team competed under the name Gillingham for the first time, having previously been called New Brompton, and also adopted red and blue shirts, replacing the previous black and white stripes. Gillingham began the season in poor form and did not score a single goal in their first six home matches. The team achieved a four-game unbeaten run in November but at the end of December were 16th out of 20 teams in the league table. In the second half of the season the team's form remained inconsistent: they lost every league game in January but had a six-game unbeaten run in March and April. Gillingham finished the season 15th in the table.

During the 1949–50 English football season, Gillingham F.C. played in the Southern League Division One. It was the fourth season of the club's third spell in the league.

References

General

Specific

  1. 1 2 Triggs (1984), p8
  2. ↑ Triggs (1984), p9
  3. ↑ Triggs (1984), p10
  4. ↑ Triggs (1984), p13
  5. ↑ Triggs (1984), p19
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Gillingham". The Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 17 September 2008.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Brown, p3
  8. 1 2 "Gillingham 2–2 AFC Wimbledon". BBC Sport. 20 April 2013. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  9. ↑ "Gillingham 1–0 Shrewsbury". BBC Sport. 23 May 2009. Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2009.
  10. ↑ "Second time lucky for Gills". BBC Sport. 28 May 2000. Archived from the original on 3 March 2003. Retrieved 6 August 2008.
  11. ↑ Brown, pp55, 56, 58
  12. ↑ Brown, p109
  13. ↑ Brown, pp83, 105
  14. 1 2 3 Brown, p56
  15. ↑ Brown, p58
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 "New Brompton". The Football Club History Database. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 18 September 2008.
  17. 1 2 Brown, p55
  18. ↑ "Brentford stunned by League Two Gillingham". BBC Sport. 8 November 2022. Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  19. ↑ "Freeman Makes History". Gillingham F.C. 12 November 2007. Archived from the original on 19 December 2007. Retrieved 12 November 2007.
  20. ↑ Panting, Matthew (13 August 2024). "Report: 10-man Gills knocked out of Carabao Cup". Kent Online. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  21. ↑ "Games played by Glenn Morris in 2024/2025". Soccebase. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  22. ↑ Bradley, Andy (19 September 1987). "Extra Time". Gillingham F.C. Official Matchday Magazine.
  23. 1 2 Brown, pp122–129.
  24. ↑ "Max Ehmer". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  25. ↑ "Paul Smith". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 27 January 2008. Retrieved 17 September 2008.
  26. ↑ Brown, p83
  27. ↑ Triggs (2001), p344
  28. ↑ Triggs (2001), p226
  29. ↑ Triggs (2001), p349
  30. 1 2 Triggs (1984), p16
  31. 1 2 3 4 "Gillingham FC History (1893– )". Gillingham F.C. 9 September 2007. Archived from the original on 15 November 2007. Retrieved 10 January 2008.
  32. ↑ Mark Mitchener (25 February 2004). "Hayter keeps feet on ground". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 16 January 2008. Retrieved 19 September 2008.
  33. ↑ Triggs (1984), p28
  34. ↑ Elligate, p104
  35. ↑ Triggs (2001), p45
  36. 1 2 Triggs (2001), p313
  37. ↑ Triggs (2001), p288
  38. ↑ Triggs (2001), p185
  39. 1 2 Triggs (2001), p41
  40. ↑ Triggs (2001), p162
  41. ↑ "Marlon King". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 2 October 2008. Retrieved 17 September 2008.
  42. ↑ "Blackburn Rovers seal deal for Gillingham midfielder Bradley Dack". Kent Online. Archived from the original on 10 November 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  43. ↑ "Jim Corbett". Soccerbase. Archived from the original on 2 March 2005. Retrieved 17 September 2008.
  44. ↑ Miles, Greg (20 July 2012). "Gillingham's Paulo Gazzaniga joins Southampton". Kent News. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
  45. 1 2 Brown, p130
  46. ↑ Barnes, Stuart (2007). News of the World Football Annual 2007–2008. Invincible Press. p. 334. ISBN   978-0-00-725555-9.
  47. 1 2 3 Brown, p12
  48. ↑ Brown, p34
  49. ↑ Brown, p70
  50. ↑ Brown, p.42
  51. ↑ "Gillingham FC History (1893–)". Gillingham F.C. Archived from the original on 15 November 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  52. ↑ Elligate, p91

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