1989–90 Gillingham F.C. season

English football club season April 2022 Gillingham 1989–90 Damien Richardson M.G. Lukehurst Fourth Division 14th FA Cup First round League Cup First round Associate Members' Cup First round Steve Lovell (16) Steve Lovell (18) 10,412 vs Maidstone United (26 December 1989) 1,004 vs Cambridge United (28 November 1989) _thinwhitewhitehorizontal 0000ff 0000ff 0000ff ffffff ffffff _thinwhitewhitehorizontal ff0000 ff0000 ff0000 ff0000 ff0000 1988–89 1990–91 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. Gillingham also competed in three knock-out competitions. The team were eliminated in the first round of both the FA Cup and Football League Cup. Gillingham progressed from the initial group stage of the Associate Members' Cup but lost in the first round proper. The team played a total of 53 competitive matches, winning 18, drawing 12 and losing 23. Steve Lovell was the team's top goalscorer, with 16 goals in the Fourth Division and a total of 18 in all competitions. Peter Johnson and Paul Haylock made the most appearances; each played 51 times in all competitions. The highest attendance recorded at the club's home ground, Priestfield Stadium, was 10,412, for the match against Maidstone. Background and pre-season thumb|right|upright|alt=Footballer Ron Hillyard|Veteran player Ron Hillyard (pictured in 2001) was appointed to the position of assistant manager. The 1989–90 season was Gillingham's 58th season playing in the Football League and the 40th since the club was elected back into the League in 1950 after being voted out in 1938. At the end of the previous season, the club had been relegated from the Football League Third Division to the Fourth Division after finishing 23rd out of 24 teams, ending a spell of 15 seasons in the third tier of the English football league system.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/31-May-1989/ League Division Three end of season table for 1988-89 season 11v11 AFS Enterprises 11 May 2022Rollin 1990 253 At the start of the 1989–90 season, Damien Richardson was the club's manager, a post he had held since April1989.Bateson Sewell 1992 300 Before the new season, Ron Hillyard, the club's long-serving goalkeeper, was appointed to the position of assistant manager.Triggs 2001 158 The management team signed two veteran defenders ahead of the first match of the new season: Tony Pulis from AFC Bournemouth for a transfer fee of UK 10,000 1989 eq yes £ -4,Triggs 2001 264 and Peter Johnson from Southend United on a free transfer.Triggs 2001 175 Many of the previous season's regular starting players left the club following relegation, including goalkeeper Phil Kite, defender George Burley, and midfielders Dave Smith and Gavin Peacock.Triggs 2001 72, 187, 251, 299 During the break between seasons, the club was involved in controversy surrounding the status of Pat Gavin, a young forward who had joined Gillingham on a trial basis in the latter stages of the previous season. After he impressed with his performances, scoring 7 goals in 13 games, Gillingham signed him to a three-year contract at the end of the season. The contract was not registered with the Football League, however, and Leicester City of the Second Division signed the player, which they were able to do without having to pay any transfer fee as he was not technically under contract at Gillingham.Triggs 2001 130 Gillingham chief executive Barry Bright offered to resign over the error but the club's board of directors did not accept his resignation.Elligate 2009 107 In July, the club was taking legal advice over the situation.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001454/19890721/040/0040 Tribunal with settle the price for Smith Chatham News British Newspaper Archive 21 July 1989 15 May 2022 The club retained the previous season's kit design, which added a pattern of thin white lines to the team's traditional blue shirts. The away kit, to be worn in the event of a clash of colours with the home team, was all-red.Rollin 1990 252–253 The team prepared for the new season with a number of friendly matches, including one against Wimbledon of the First Division; goalkeeper Jeremy Roberts played as a trialist in that game.Gillingham Vs Aldershot Matchday Programme Fact File 19 August 1989 Although he was included in the official team photograph for the season,Rollin 1990 252 he never played a competitive game for Gillingham and there is no record of him ever signing a contract with the club.Rollin 1990 256 Fourth Division August–December Gillingham's first game in the Fourth Division since 1974 took place at their home ground, Priestfield Stadium, on 19 August against Aldershot.Rollin 1990 254 Johnson made his debut,Triggs 2001 175 but Pulis was absent after being injured in a friendly.Triggs 2001 265 With injuries also ruling out Alan Walker, Tim O'Shea, and Brian Clarke, and further new signings not yet completed,https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001454/19890825/068/0068 Busy Gills' manager out to sign two new players Chatham News British Newspaper Archive 25 August 1989 13 May 2022 Richardson was forced to select teenagers Ricky Pearson, Peter Beadle, Ivan Haines, Russell Norris, and Steve Thompson, the last two of whom were playing their first professional matches.Rollin 1990 255, 256Triggs 2001 235, 318 The match finished in a goalless draw, as did the next league game away to Doncaster Rovers.Rollin 1990 254 Following a Football League inquiry, it was ruled that Gavin was now a Leicester player but that as a form of compensation he should return to Gillingham on loan for the duration of the 1989–90 season;Triggs 2001 130Elligate 2009 136 he played for the first time since this ruling in the home game against Scunthorpe United, Gillingham's third league game of the season.Rollin 1990 255 Mike Trusson, a midfielder signed from Brighton & Hove Albion,Triggs 2001 321 made his debut in the same game.Rollin 1990 255 Gillingham lost the match 3–0, meaning that after three league games they were yet to score a goal in the Fourth Division.Rollin 1990 254 Peter Heritage, a forward signed from Hythe Town of the Southern League for a transfer fee of UK 30,000 1989 eq yes £ -4,Triggs 2001 155 made his debut against Scunthorpe;Rollin 1990 255 it was his first professional match at the age of nearly 29.Triggs 2001 154 The team's goalless run ended with a 2–1 win away to Hartlepool United on 9 September, Heritage scoring the winning goal, but the team then drew 0–0 with Burnley and lost 3–0 to Carlisle United.Rollin 1990 254 After six games, Gillingham were 18th of 24 teams in the league table.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/23-September-1989/ League Division Four table after close of play on 23 September 1989 11v11 AFS Enterprises 12 May 2022 thumb|right|upright|alt=Football manager Tony Pulis|Tony Pulis (pictured in 2014) joined the club at the start of the season but did not make his debut until the final game of 1989. Gillingham next played Southend United, who were top of the table and unbeaten.Rollin 1990 506 Having scored only two goals in the previous six league games, Gillingham won 5–0, the team's biggest win for two years.Brown 2003 97–99 The next two games resulted in a 1–1 draw away to Peterborough United and a 1–0 win away to Halifax Town, Steve Lovell scoring both times,Rollin 1990 254 which took Gillingham up to 9th place.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/06-October-1989/ League Division Four table after close of play on 6 October 1989 11v11 AFS Enterprises 12 May 2022 The team slipped back to 15th, however, after losing both their next two games without scoring a goal;Rollin 1990 254https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/17-October-1989/ League Division Four table after close of play on 17 October 1989 11v11 AFS Enterprises 12 May 2022 captain Walker was absent for both games after being injured again.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001800/19891024/054/0054 Walker puts Ron in a party mood Chatham Standard British Newspaper Archive 24 October 1989 15 May 2022 He returned to the team for a 3–0 win over Chesterfield on 21 October;Rollin 1990 254–255 Hillyard made his 618th appearance for Gillingham in that game, a new club record.Elligate 2009 162 It was the first of five consecutive league victories for the team; Gillingham ended October with a 1–0 win at home to Rochdale and won their first four league games of November, defeating Scarborough, Lincoln City, and Torquay United.Rollin 1990 254 The results took Gillingham up to 6th in the table, putting them in the promotion play-off places.Rollin 1990 615https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/14-November-1989/ League Division Four table after close of play on 14 November 1989 11v11 AFS Enterprises 12 May 2022 The winning run came to an end with a 3–3 draw at home to Colchester United on 24 November, and Gillingham then lost in the Fourth Division for the first time in nearly two months when they were defeated 1–0 by York City on 9 December.Rollin 1990 254 A week later, Mark O'Connor, a midfielder signed from AFC Bournemouth for UK 70,000 1989 eq yes £ -4, made his debut away to Exeter City;Triggs 2001 237 the game resulted in a second consecutive defeat.Rollin 1990 254 Ten days later, Gillingham played their first Football League match against near-neighbours Maidstone United, who had gained promotion from the Football Conference at the end of the previous season.https://www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/sport/why-still-came-back-197601/ John Still explains why he's back at Maidstone United after 30 years away Craig Tucker Kent Online KM Media Group 25 January 2019 12 May 2022 Maidstone had competed in non-League football throughout their history,Rollin 1990 337 and such was the interest in the first Football League match between two teams from the county of Kent that the game drew an attendance of 10,412. It was Gillingham's largest home crowd for more than two years, and the start of the match had to be delayed to allow all the spectators into the stadium. Maidstone manager Keith Peacock had held the same post at Gillingham for six years until he was dismissed in 1987, a decision which led to public demonstrations by angry supporters, and he included five former Gillingham players in his team for the game. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A117067739/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=09e9cb16 The Times 3 May 2022 Gale Maidstone take the honours; Football 27 December 1989 Keith Blackmore subscription https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2370515/Peacocks-proud-return-evokes-worthy-memories.html Daily Telegraph Peacock's proud return evokes worthy memories Christopher Davies 2 January 2004 https://web.archive.org/web/20210716130947/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2370515/Peacocks-proud-return-evokes-worthy-memories.html 26 September 2021 16 July 2021 Maidstone took a two-goal lead in the second half and Mark Beeney, one of their former Gillingham players, saved a penalty kick from Lovell. Walker scored for Gillingham with two minutes remaining, colliding with the goalpost and knocking himself unconscious in the process, but Maidstone retained their lead and won the match. Pulis made his long-delayed debut in the team's final game of 1989,Brown 2003 99 a 1–0 victory over Wrexham which took Gillingham up from 11th to 8th in the table, two points below the play-off places.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/30-December-1989/ League Division Four table after close of play on 30 December 1989 11v11 AFS Enterprises 12 May 2022 January–May thumb|right|alt=Edgar Street football stadium|Gillingham's first game of 1990 was at Hereford United's Edgar Street stadium (pictured in 2008). Gillingham began the new year with an away game against Hereford United on 1 January;Rollin 1990 254 having scored his first goal for the club two days earlier, Johnson scored his second in a 2–1 victory.Rollin 1990 255 They would prove to be the only two goals he scored in nearly 80 games with the club.Brown 2003 122 The team achieved a second consecutive victory with a 3–1 win over Doncaster Rovers,Rollin 1990 254 after which they were once again in the play-off places. The last two league games of January resulted in a defeat to Aldershot and a draw with Hartlepool United, in both of which the team failed to score any goals; Lovell, the team's leading goalscorer, had scored only once in his last six league games.Rollin 1990 254–255 His first goal of 1990 gave Gillingham a 2–1 win over Burnley on 13 February to keep Gillingham 8th in the table; Pulis was substituted after being injured again and would miss the next four games.Rollin 1990 255https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001800/19900213/063/0063 Three chairs for a winning return Chatham Standard Andy Bradley British Newspaper Archive 13 February 1990 13 May 2022 Following the victory over Burnley, Gillingham failed to score in a further three matches, which resulted in two more goalless draws and a defeat away to Colchester United.Rollin 1990 254 The goalless run ended when Gillingham won 2–1 on 27 February against Carlisle United, who were top of the table going into the game.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/26-February-1989/ League Division Four table after close of play on 26 February 1990 11v11 AFS Enterprises 15 May 2022 The result took Gillingham back up to 6th place,https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/27-February-1989/ League Division Four table after close of play on 27 February 1990 11v11 AFS Enterprises 15 May 2022 and they remained there after they began March with a 1–0 win at home to Cambridge United.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/03-March-1990/ League Division Four table after close of play on 3 March 1990 11v11 AFS Enterprises 15 May 2022 Gavin, who had been restored to the starting line-up two games earlier after several games as a substitute,Rollin 1990 255 scored the only goal of the game in the first half; it would prove to be the only goal he scored in 39 matches during his loan spell.Brown 2003 121 Following the victory, Gillingham were only two points below the three automatic promotion places and, although they once again failed to score in the next game against Peterborough United, another goalless draw reduced the gap to a single point.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/06-March-1990/ League Division Four table after close of play on 6 March 1990 11v11 AFS Enterprises 15 May 2022 On 16 March, Gillingham beat Halifax Town 3–1 in a Friday evening game to climb to 3rd place,https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/16-March-1990/ League Division Four table after close of play on 16 March 1990 11v11 AFS Enterprises 15 May 2022 although after the next day's games they had fallen back to 6th.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/17-March-1990/ League Division Four table after close of play on 17 March 1990 11v11 AFS Enterprises 15 May 2022 Following that victory, however, the team lost their next six games, a run during which they scored only a single goal in over nine hours of football.Rollin 1990 254 Beadle returned to the team as a substitute in the 2–0 defeat to Torquay United on 7 April; the teenaged forward had not played for the first team since the signing of Heritage,Rollin 1990 255 but was recalled from a loan spell at Margate following an injury to Trusson which would keep the midfielder out for the rest of the season.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001800/19900410/063/0063 Supersaver Ron can't halt slide Chatham Standard 10 April 1990 13 May 2022 British Newspaper Archivehttps://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003900/19900413/066/0066 Gills left shattered in week of disaster Chatham News British Newspaper Archive 13 April 1990 13 May 2022 By the time Gillingham lost 1–0 to Hereford United on 14 April, their sixth consecutive defeat and fourth without scoring a goal, they had fallen to 14th in the table.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/14-April-1990/ League Division Four table after close of play on 14 April 1990 11v11 AFS Enterprises 15 May 2022 On 16 April, Gillingham played their away match with Maidstone, who were 4th in the table and challenging for promotion;Rollin 1990 338 the crowd of 5,003 was Maidstone's largest to date for a home league game.Rollin 1990 338 A goal from Heritage early in the first half gave Gillingham a victory over their rivals, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A116908264/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=6eac60d2 The Times 11 May 2022 Gale Maidstone falter in promotion quest; Football 17 April 1990 Keith Blackmore subscription which took Gillingham back up to 12th place.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/16-April-1990/ League Division Four table after close of play on 16 April 1990 11v11 AFS Enterprises 15 May 2022 In the next game, Beadle's first professional goal secured a 1–1 draw against Exeter City,Brown 2003 98–99 but this was followed by a defeat to Wrexham.Rollin 1990 254 In the last game of April, at home to Lincoln City, Gillingham were winning until the last minute of the game but then conceded an equalising goal.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003740/19900501/028/0028 Kimble to miss the big clash? Cambridge Daily News British Newspaper Archive 1 May 1990 15 May 2022 This left Gillingham nine points off 7th place and therefore, with two games remaining and a maximum of six points available, unable to finish in the play-off positions.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/28-April-1990/ League Division Four table after close of play on 28 April 1990 11v11 AFS Enterprises 15 May 2022 Gillingham's last game of the season was away to Scarborough;Rollin 1990 254 Lovell scored the only goal of the match in the last 10 minutes to give his team victory, the third consecutive game in which he had scored. The result meant that Gillingham finished the season 14th in the Fourth Division, nine points below the play-off places.Rollin 1990 615 Match details Key In result column, Gillingham's score shown first H = Home match A = Away match pen. = Penalty kick o.g. = Own goal ResultsRollin 1990 254 DateOpponentsResultGoalscorersAttendance19 August 1989Aldershot (H)0–03,67026 August 1989Doncaster Rovers (A)0–01,8872 September 1989Scunthorpe United (H)0–33,4679 September 1989Hartlepool United (A)2–1Palmer, Heritage1,60016 September 1989Burnley (H)0–03,85323 September 1989Carlisle United (A)0–33,18526 September 1989Southend United (H)5–0Trusson, Lovell (2, 1 pen.), Eeles, Manuel3,84230 September 1989Peterborough United (A)1–1Lovell4,1996 October 1989Halifax Town (A)1–0Lovell1,77614 October 1989Stockport County (H)0–33,88717 October 1989Grimsby Town (A)0–23,44721 October 1989Chesterfield (H)3–0Palmer, Lovell (2, 2 pens.)2,87831 October 1989Rochdale (H)1–0Lovell3,1874 November 1989Scarborough (H)2–0Haylock, Manuel3,43611 November 1989Lincoln City (A)3–1Trusson, Heritage, Lovell3,61214 November 1989Torquay United (A)2–0Heritage, Palmer2,31824 November 1989Colchester United (H)3–3Heritage, Lovell (pen.), O'Shea3,8169 December 1989York City (A)0–12,13416 December 1989Exeter City (A)1–3Lovell (pen.)3,81826 December 1989Maidstone United (H)1–2Walker10,41230 December 1989Wrexham (H)1–0Johnson3,7331 January 1990Hereford United (A)2–1Heritage, Johnson2,75913 January 1990Doncaster Rovers (H)3–1Heritage, Brevett (o.g.), O'Connor3,82020 January 1990Aldershot (A)0–12,59227 January 1990Hartlepool United (H)0–03,67610 February 1990Burnley (A)2–1Eeles, Lovell (pen.)7,27413 February 1990Scunthorpe United (A)0–02,22617 February 1990York City (H)0–03,65323 February 1990Colchester United (A)0–24,45627 February 1990Carlisle United (H)2–1Manuel, Heritage3,1773 March 1990Cambridge United (H)1–0Gavin4,2106 March 1990Peterborough United (H)0–04,3019 March 1990Southend United (A)0–24,46016 March 1990Halifax Town (H)3–1Lovell (pen.), O'Shea, Heritage3,82519 March 1990Stockport County (A)0–13,37824 March 1990Grimsby Town (H)1–2Lovell4,15031 March 1990Chesterfield (A)0–24,2827 April 1990Torquay United (H)0–22,86910 April 1990Rochdale (A)0–11,33414 April 1990Hereford United (H)0–12,36516 April 1990Maidstone United (A)1–0Heritage5,00321 April 1990Exeter City (H)1–1Beadle3,37424 April 1990Wrexham (A)1–2Walker3,49828 April 1990Lincoln City (H)1–1Lovell (pen.)2,6541 May 1990Cambridge United (A)1–2Lovell4,9635 May 1990Scarborough (A)1–0Lovell1,807 Partial league table 1989–90 Football League#Fourth Division main WDL left auto Football League Fourth Division final table, positions 11 to 16 PR 11 CAR Scunthorpe United LIN Rochdale WAL York City GIL Gillingham TOR Torquay United HER Burnley 17 15 14 69 54 20 6 20 52 55 16 16 14 55 53 17 11 18 46 48 15 12 19 53 66 14 14 18 45 55 complete https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/31-May-1990/ League Division Four end of season table for 1989-90 season 11v11 AFS Enterprises 10 May 2022 Cup matches FA Cup As a Fourth Division team, Gillingham entered the 1989–90 FA Cup in the first round, where they were drawn to play Welling United of the Football Conference. The initial match at Priestfield ended in a goalless draw,Rollin 1990 668 necessitating a replay four days later at Welling's Park View Road ground. A goal from Welling's Mark Hone in the first half was enough to give the semi-professional team victory and eliminate Gillingham from the FA Cup.Rollin 1990 670 It was the first time that Welling had beaten Football League opposition in the FA Cup in their history; Paul Newman of The Times described Gillingham's play in the second match as "ragged" and Welling manager Nicky Bridgen told the press "I wouldn't want to put Gillingham down but, to be honest, getting a draw on Saturday was no more difficult than drawing at somewhere like Telford in the Conference. We got what we deserved." https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A117074385/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=23097c30 The Times 10 May 2022 Gale First League scalp for Welling; Football 23 November 1989 Paul Newman subscription Match details Key In result column, Gillingham's score shown first H = Home match A = Away match ResultsRollin 1990 668, 670 DateRoundOpponentsResultGoalscorersAttendance18 November 1989FirstWelling United (H)0–05,59822 November 1989FirstWelling United (A)0–14,020 Football League Cup As a Fourth Division team, Gillingham entered the 1989–90 Football League Cup in the first round and were paired with Leyton Orient of the Third Division. Gillingham lost the first leg of the two-legged tie 4–1 at Priestfield and the second 3–0 at Orient's Brisbane Road ground and were eliminated from the competition by an aggregate score of 7–1.Rollin 1990 639, 641https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001454/19890825/068/0068 Lovell strike is only beacon in a night of gloom Chatham News British Newspaper Archive 25 August 1989 13 May 2022 Lance Morgan Match details Key In result column, Gillingham's score shown first H = Home match A = Away match ResultsRollin 1990 639, 641 DateRoundOpponentsResultGoalscorersAttendance22 August 1989FirstLeyton Orient (H)1–4Lovell3,25829 August 1989FirstLeyton Orient (A)0–32,818 Associate Members' Cup The 1989–90 Associate Members' Cup, a tournament exclusively for Third and Fourth Division teams, began with a preliminary round in which the teams were drawn into groups of three, contested on a round-robin basis. Gillingham's group also included fellow Fourth Division teams Southend United and Cambridge United. In the first match of the group, Southend defeated Gillingham 1–0.Rollin 1990 655 Three weeks later, Gillingham beat Cambridge 2–0 at Priestfield;Rollin 1990 656 goalkeeper Harvey Lim, who had recently joined the club as back-up to Hillyard after a spell playing in Sweden,Triggs 2001 199 made his debut.Brown 2003 99 The match drew an attendance of 1,044, the lowest of the season at Priestfield.Brown 2003 99 The final match of the group resulted in a draw between Southend and Cambridge, meaning that Gillingham finished second in the group and progressed to the first round proper.Rollin 1990 657 Their opponents were Bristol Rovers of the Third Division, who won 1–0 to end Gillingham's participation in the competition.Rollin 1990 659 Match details Key In result column, Gillingham's score shown first H = Home match A = Away match ResultsRollin 1990 655–657, 659 DateRoundOpponentsResultGoalscorersAttendance7 November 1989Group stageSouthend United (A)0–11,65028 November 1989Group stageCambridge United (H)2–0Lovell, Walker1,04424 January 1990FirstBristol Rovers (A)0–12,724 Players thumb|right|upright|alt=Footballer Peter Beadle|Peter Beadle (pictured in 2020) made 10 appearances. Twenty-six players made at least one appearance for Gillingham during the season. Johnson and Paul Haylock made the most; each made a total of 51 appearances in all competitions. Haylock missed only two league games, whereas Johnson was absent for only one Fourth Division game and one in the Associate Members' Cup.Brown 2003 99 Six other players made 40 or more appearances: Heritage, Hillyard, Lovell, O'Shea, Lee Palmer, and Walker.Brown 2003 99 Gary Smith made the fewest appearances, playing only twice, both times as a substitute.Brown 2003 99 The two games would prove to be the entirety of his professional career.Triggs 2001 300 Thirteen players scored at least one goal during the season. Lovell was the team's top scorer for the third consecutive season;Triggs 2001 348 he scored 16 goals in Fourth Division matches and a total of 18 in all competitions.Brown 2003 99 Heritage was the second highest-scoring player, with a total of 9 goals; no other player scored more than three times.Brown 2003 99 +Player statisticsBrown 2003 99PlayerPositionFourth DivisionFA CupLeague CupAssociate Members' CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsPeter BeadleFW 101002000121Brian Clarke footballer, born 1968DF 3000000030Ian DockerMF 200100020230Tony EelesMF 332102020382Pat GavinFW 341200030391Ivan HainesDF 260202010310Paul HaylockDF 441202030511Peter HeritageFW 429200030479Ron Hillyard GK420202010470Peter Johnson footballer, born 1958DF 452202020512Francis Joseph footballerFW 3000200050Garry KimbleDF 140000000140Harvey LimGK 4000002060Steve Lovell Welsh footballerFW 41162021314818Billy ManuelMF 323201030383Russell NorrisDF 5000200070Mark O'Connor English footballerMF 151000010161Tim O'Shea footballerDF 362100030402Lee PalmerDF 393202030463Ricky PearsonDF 6000200080Brendan PlaceDF 4020002080Tony PulisDF 160000010170Gary Smith footballer, born 30 December 1968 MF1000100020Steve Thompson footballer, born 1972 DF2000200040Mike TrussonDF 252200010282Alan Walker footballerDF 382000021403 Aftermath In his final programme notes of the season, Richardson wrote that in his opinion the team would have been promoted had it not been for the number of injuries suffered by key players; he stated that injuries impacted his team selection for around 70 per cent of the season's matches and said that on some occasions he had as few as 13 players available for team selection. In the 1990–91 season, Gillingham's form was again inconsistent; following a lengthy unbeaten run in the first half of the season the team were in contention for the play-offs but ultimately finished 15th in the Fourth Division after failing to win in 10 consecutive games in the last two months of the season. Gillingham eventually achieved promotion back to the third tier of English football in 1996, ending a spell of seven seasons at the lower level.Elligate 2009 72 References Works cited Bateson Bill Sewell Albert News of the World Football Annual 1992–93 Invincible Press 1992 978-0-85543-188-4 London Brown Tony The Definitive Gillingham F.C.: A Complete Record Soccerdata 2003 978-1-899468-20-1 Nottingham Elligate David Gillingham FC On This Day Pitch Publishing 2009 978-1-9054-1145-0 Durrington Rollin Jack Rothmans Football Yearbook 1990–91 Queen Anne Press 1990 978-0-35617-911-7 London Roger Triggs The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club Tempus Publishing Ltd 2001 978-0-75242-243-5 Stroud Category:Gillingham F.C. seasons Gillingham Fc Season, 1991-92