Gillingham | News | On this Day | On this Day

ON THIS DAY.....

Posted on: Wed 08 Feb 2012

League games...

1896 - New Brompton 0-1 Luton Town SLD1

1902 - New Brompton 1-2 Kettering     SLD1
Alf Milward netted but the Poppies took the points

1908 - Reading 2-0 New Brompton        SLD1

1913 - New Brompton 1-0 Bristol R     SLD1
An Arthur Wolstenholme effort proved to be the matchwinner

1930 - Gillingham 0-0 Plymouth Arg      D3S    Att: 4,905

1936 - Gillingham 1-2 Bournemouth      D3S   Att: 6,342
Former Chelsea forward George Pybus scored the Gills goal

1958 - Gillingham 1-1 Aldershot D3S Att: 5,893
Jim Fletcher was on target in this draw with the Shots

1964 - Gillingham 2-2 Tranmere R D4 Att: 8,166
Goals from Ron Newman and George Francis netted a point against the Birkenhead side

1975 - Gillingham 2-1 Southend Utd       D3     Att: 7,598
Dick Tydeman and Dave Chadwick (above) were on the scoresheet in this win

1986 - Gillingham 2-0 Bournemouth     D3   Att: 3,890
Both Tony Cascarino and Derek Hales found the net against the Cherries

1992 - Northampton T 0-0 Gillingham    D4    Att: 3,183

1997 - Gillingham 1-0 Bristol Rovers     D2    Att: 6,933
The only goal of the game came through Andy Hessenthaler

1998 - Watford 0-2 Gillingham                D2    Att: 10,498
The league leaders were humbled in front of the Sky camera's as Ade Akinbiyi claimed both goals

Cody aims for the far corner

Cody McDonald scores against Rotherham

2011 - Gillingham 3-1 Rotherham Utd L2 Att: 4,824
The Gills overcame the Millers thanks to goals from Cody McDonald (2) and Dennis Oli

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Debuts...

The following player made his Gillingham debut in the above games...

1998 - Mark Walton in the televised game at Watford

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Births...

1911 - Stanley Griffiths

The Welsh forward joined the Gills from Chester in June 1933 but had to wait until six months later before making his debut at Torquay United.

After just four appearances in the 1933-34 campaign he returned to Wales the following summer when signing for Cardiff City.

1967 - Simon Ratcliffe

A former Manchester United apprentice who won England honours at both schoolboy and youth level, Simon played for Norwich City and Brentford before he signed for the Gills on a free transfer in July 1995.

He made his Gillingham debut against Wigan Athletic at Priestfield on the opening day of the season.

After making 124 appearances, in which he netted 13 goals, he decided to retire after an injury plagued 1998-99 campaign.

After spending time as the Gills Youth Development Officer, he returned to Norfolk and worked at Norwich Prison.

1979 - Trevor Benjamin

The journeyman striker made his professional debut for Cambridge United as a 16-year-old against the Gills in February 1996 and just over six years later, in September 2003, he came to Priestfield on loan.

Leicester's £1.5m centre-forward made a goalscoring debut in a 2-0 home win against West Ham United (see photo above) but made just three further appearances.

He played for no fewer than 27 different senior clubs plus Australian outfit Sunshine George Cross, England Under-21's and Jamaica during his career.

1988 - Leigh Mills

The defender came through the youth ranks at Swindon Town before moving to Tottenham Hotspur as a 16-year-old.

In June 2008 he moved to Brentford on a season-long loan but two months later Spurs recalled him and he came to Gillingham on what turned out to be a five month loan.

A former England Youth international Leigh made the first of his seven league appearances against Luton Town at home.

After returning to White Hart Lane in January he was released the following month.

Then in July 2010 he signed for hometown club Winchester City.

1993 - Callum Davies

The young central defender came through the ranks as a trainee here at Priestfield and captained the youth team.

He made his debut in the home game against Crewe Alexandra in November 2010 but was unfortunately dismissed just 28 minutes into the 3-1 home reversal.

Earlier this season he made a second appearance, this was as a second-half substitute for Andy Frampton in the Home Johnstone Paints Trophy game with Barnet.

Callum celebrates his 19th birthday today.