Gillingham
Formed 1893
Founder member of Division Three 1920. Failed re-election 1938.
Elected to Division Three (South) 1950
Kit History
New Brompton
1893
1893-1897 a
1902-1903 a
1903-1905 a
1905-1907 a
1908-1910 a
Gillingham
1913
1913-1914 a
1919-1925 a
1925-1926 a
1930-1931 a
1932-1937 a
1937-1939 a
1945-1950 a
1950-1951 a
1951-1952 a
1953-1954 a
1954-1959 a
1959-1960 a
1960-1961 a
1961-1962 a
1962-1963 a
1963-1964 a
1963-1964 alt a
1964-1965 a
1965-1967 a
1968-1969 a
1969-1970 a
1970-1971 a
1971-1972 b
1972-1974 a i m
1974-1975 a
1975-1976 c
1976-1977 a
1977-1978 a
1978-1979 g
1979-1980 a
1980-1981 g
1981-1984 a
1984-1985 a
1985-1987 a j
1987-1988 a
1989-1990 h
1990-1991 a
1991-1992 a f j l
1992-1993 k
1993-1994 k
1994-August 1995 j
Sept 1995-1996 a j l
1996-1997 j l
1997-1998 a l
1998-1999 d
1999-2000 d
2000-2001 e
2001-2002 e o
2002-2003 e o
2003-2004 e
2004-2005 b l
2005-2006 b
2006-2007 b
2007-2008 b n
Background
In the late nineteenth century
the professional clubs in the north of England had raised standards to
such a degree that the older, amateur clubs from the south that had dominated
in the 1870s and 1880s were in eclipse. Inspired by the success of a local
Chatham side called Excelsior FC, a group of enthusiasts decided to establish
a professional team in the Medway towns and New Brompton FC came into
existence. After acquiring a plot of land on which to build their stadium
(Priestfield), New Brompton joined the Southern League and won the Second
Division title at the first attempt.
In 1913 the club changed its name to Gillingham FC and dropped its black and white kit in favour of red and blue shirts emblazoned with the borough's coat of arms. The striped shirts returned after World War One but success in the Southern League continued to elude the team and in 1920 they finished bottom. They were saved from relegation, however, because the Football League decided to incorporate all the Southern League First Division teams into the new Third Division. In their first season, Gillingham finished bottom and had to apply for re-election. Fans had very little to celebrate over the next few years as the club regularly finished in or near the re-election zone. A change of colours from black and white to plain blue shirts did nothing to improve things and in 1938, the club faced re-election for the fifth time in seventeen years. On this occasion they lost their place to Ipswich Town.
The club re-joined the Southern League and in 1949, they lifted the title. In June 1950 it was decided to extend the two regional Third Divisions of the Football League. Gillingham and Colchester United were elected to the vacant positions and after a 12-year exile, the Gills were back in the league. The euphoria of the moment was replaced by gloom and for the next ten years they finished dangerously near the re-election zone on six occasions. In 1964, the club had their first success when they won the Division Four title and for the following two seasons, came close to promotion to the Second Division. Performances then slumped and 1971 brought relegation, to be followed by a return to Division Three in 1974. Over the next ten years the Gills established themselves as one of the stronger sides in the division, reaching the play-offs in 1987 only to slip back down to Division Four in 1989.
In their centenary season of 1993-94 the club incorporated the old black and white of pre-war days into their blue shirts. In 1996 they won automatic promotion to (Nationwide) Division Two (previously the Third Division) and then in 2000 they reached the dizzy heights of Nationwide Division One (the second tier). Unable to maintain hemselves at this level, they slipped down the leagues and in 2008 they were relegated to League Two, the lowest tier of the Football League.
Sources
- (a) Gillingham FC (Images of Sport - Roger Triggs)
- (b) Gillingham FC Official Website
- (c) Alick Milne
- (d) empics
- (e) Rivals Website
- (f) Scarborough FC - Images of Sport (Paul Eade 2002)
- (g) Ralph Pomeroy
- (h) Pete's Picture Palace
- (i) John Attwood
- (j) Chris Matterface
- (k) The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club (Roger Triggs) provided by Chris Matterface
- (l) David King
- (m) Football League Review provided by Simon Monks
- (n) Football Shirt Culture
- (o) Lee Capeling