1919–20 Gillingham F.C. season

English football club season October 2023 Gillingham 1919–20 George Collins Edward CrawleyBradley Triggs 1994 392 Southern LeagueDivision One 22nd FA Cup First round Arthur Wood (12) Arthur Wood (14) Approx. 10,000 vs Swansea Town (20 December 1919), Swindon Town (14 February 1920), and Brighton & Hove Albion (28 February 1920) Approx. 2,000 vs Swansea Town (19 April 1920) _black_stripes _blackstripes _black_stripes _2_white_stripes ffffff ffffff ffffff ffffff 000000 1914–15 1920–21 During the 1919–20 English football season, Gillingham F.C. played in the Southern League Division One. It was the 22nd season in which the club competed in the Southern League, and the 21st in Division One; prior to the season, the club had been inactive for over four years due to the First World War. George Collins was appointed as the club's new manager, and most of the players were new; the club struggled to find a settled team during the season, fielding nearly 40 players, including six goalkeepers. The team's results included a run of 14 league games, from October to February, without a win. Gillingham finished bottom of the league table but nonetheless gained entry to the national Football League when it absorbed the entirety of the Southern League Division One. Gillingham also competed in the FA Cup, requiring three replays to progress from the sixth qualifying round before losing in the first round proper. The team played 47 competitive matches, winning 11, drawing 10, and losing 26. Arthur Wood was the team's top goalscorer, with 12 goals in the league and 14 in total. Tom Leslie made the most appearances, playing 40 times. The highest attendance recorded at the club's home ground, Priestfield Road, was approximately 10,000 for league games against Swindon Town and Brighton & Hove Albion and an FA Cup match against Swansea Town. Background and pre-season Gillingham, founded in 1893 and known as New Brompton until 1912,Mitchell Reeves Tyler 2013 140 had played in the Southern League since the competition's formation in 1894. The team had been promoted from Division Two in 1895 and remained in Division One ever since but with minimal success, rarely finishing in the top half of the league table.https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/engsouthernleaghist.html England – Southern League Final Tables Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation 19 May 2023 24 July 2005 27 January 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20100127102700/http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/engsouthernleaghist.html live The 1919–20 season was the first time the Southern League operated after the First World War; Gillingham had not played a competitive match since the 1914–15 season, when they had finished bottom of the table.Brown 2003 32 Earlier in the year, the Southern League had proposed an amalgamation with the national Football League, but it was rejected.14 January 1919 Football Leagues and amalgamation 7 Liverpool Post and Mercury https://www.newspapers.com/clip/131432339 limited 8 September 2023 In July, George Collins was appointed as Gillingham's new manager in place of Sam Gilligan, who did not return to the club after the war. As was the norm at the time, Collins had responsibility for team tactics and training, but other tasks associated with a modern manager, such as the signing of new players, were the responsibility of the club's secretary, William Ironside Groombridge.Elligate 2009 117 Most of the Gillingham players from the final season before the war did not return, and the club signed a host of new players to take their place.Bradley Triggs 1994 62 The new signings included Arthur Wood, a forward who had last played for Fulham of the Football League Second Division; he was able to resume his career despite having suffered an injury while fighting in the war which necessitated the insertion of a metal plate into his forehead and limited his ability to head the ball.Elligate 2009 196 Other new players to join Gillingham included Bobby Beale, a goalkeeper born in nearby Maidstone who had previously played over a hundred Football League games for Manchester United,Joyce 2004 20 and David Chalmers, a Scottish forward who had also seen active service during the war.Joyce 2004 55Riddoch Kemp 2010 50 The team reverted to wearing a kit of black-and-white striped shirts, white shorts, and black socks, which had been the club's colours from its formation until shortly before the war when a blue and red kit was adopted.Triggs 1999 27Conway 1980 20 Southern League Division One August–December thumb|right|upright|alt=Portrait of a man|Arthur Wood scored both goals in Gillingham's first home win of the season. Gillingham's first match of the season was at their own home ground, Priestfield Road, against Watford, the Southern League champions in the final season before the war. Tom Leslie and Jack Mahon were the only players in the Gillingham team who had represented the club before the hostilities.Brown 2003 32, 33 The match ended in a 0–0 draw; the correspondent for The Daily Telegraph noted that Gillingham's forwards played well and that Watford had their full-backs to thank for the fact that Gillingham could not manage to score a goal. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/124789504 The Daily Telegraph 16 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Points for London Teams 1 September 1919 12 Gillingham lost two days later away to Luton Town, but then gained their first win of the season, beating Swansea Town with a goal from W. Savage; Abel Lee, another pre-war Gillingham player, made his return in the victory.Brown 2003 33 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/125237651 Western Mail 24 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Swansea's Defeat 8 September 1919 9 The team followed this with a home win against Luton on 10 September; Wood scored both goals.Brown 2003 33 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/124800569 Western Morning News 16 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Exeter Rob Reading of Both Points 11 September 1919 3 Following this game, Gillingham failed to score in their remaining four matches in September, which resulted in one draw and three defeats.Brown 2003 33 The run included a 5–0 loss away to Cardiff City, in which the Cardiff-based Western Mail contended that Gillingham's defence, prior to this game one of the best in the league, had experienced a "sensational collapse" and that the home team's goalkeeper was "practically a spectator". https://www.newspapers.com/clip/124800228 Western Mail 16 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Cardiff's Five Goals 22 September 1919 7 The team's run of consecutive defeats continued in October, with a 5–2 defeat away to Swindon Town and a 2–0 loss at home to Plymouth Argyle. Full-back Bill Cartwright made his debut against Swindon.Brown 2003 33 Gillingham ended their losing run with a 2–0 victory at home to Millwall on 11 October; Wood again scored twice. The Daily Heralds reporter praised Millwall's goalkeeper and said that the team were fortunate to concede only two goals. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/124842044 Daily Herald 17 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Lions Lose in Kent 13 October 1919 8 Beale played his last game for the club in a 3–1 defeat away to Newport County on 25 October; over the next seven games, the team used four different goalkeepers, none of whom played more than twice.Brown 2003 33 Changes continued to be made to the team; forward Alex Redpath made his debut against Newport and half-back A. Harris and forwards Harry Dawson and C. Denny all played for the first time against Northampton Town on 8 November. Denny never made another appearance and Dawson and Harris both played only once more.Brown 2003 33, 128 Gillingham ended November with two more defeats, losing 4–1 to Crystal Palace and 5–0 to Norwich City; the Sunday Mercury said that in the former game Crystal Palace were "easily superior" and that in the latter Norwich "toyed with their opponents". https://www.newspapers.com/clip/125183329 Sunday Mercury 18 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Southern League 16 November 1919 10 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/124896728 Sunday Mercury 18 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Southern League 30 November 1919 6 Another new forward, H. Kelly, debuted against Norwich, as did half-backs Alex Steel and Jimmy Kennedy, signed from Southend United and Watford respectively.Brown 2003 33Joyce 2004 162, 248 The team began December with two further defeats, losing 2–0 at home to Brentford and 4–0 away to Merthyr Town; Steel's brother Bobby, a new signing from Tottenham Hotspur,Joyce 2004 248 made his debut in the latter game as the team's latest new forward.Brown 2003 33 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/125183735 Sunday Mercury 23 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Southern League 7 December 1919 12 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/125183588 Western Mail 23 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Merthyr's Four Goals 15 December 1919 9 Gillingham's final three league games of 1919 took place on consecutive days beginning on Christmas Day when they lost 2–1 at home to Reading. Against the same opponents the following day, goalkeeper Jack Branfield, who had played twice for Gillingham in 1915,Brown 2003 32 made his return as his team lost 3–0; he would remain first-choice goalkeeper for the remainder of the season, missing only one match.Brown 2003 33 The team's last league game of the year took place on 27 December and resulted in a 1–1 draw away to Bristol Rovers, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/125087575 Western Daily Press 21 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Poor Game at Eastville 19 December 1919 7 meaning that Gillingham had gone 11 league games without a victory.Brown 2003 33 January–May thumb|right|upright=1.3|A cartoon printed in the Chatham Observer newspaper criticised Portsmouth's aggressive style of play in their goalless draw with Gillingham in March.|alt=A cartoon depicting events during the Gillingham v Portsmouth football match in March 1920 Gillingham played only two league games in January and their winless run continued as they lost away to Watford and Exeter City.Brown 2003 33 Following a goalless draw with Queens Park Rangers, Gillingham beat Swindon Town on 14 February to end a run of 14 league games without a victory stretching back to October; Harry Lee scored twice in the victory.Brown 2003 33 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/124801544 Daily Herald 16 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Gillingham 3, Swindon 1 16 February 1920 6 The team lost their next two games, away to Millwall and at home to Brighton & Hove Albion, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/125233349 The Weekly Dispatch 24 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Southern League: No Home Team Defeated 22 February 1920 10 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/125233460 The Weekly Dispatch 24 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Southern League: Heavy Scoring at Cardiff 29 February 1920 10 and ended February bottom of the league table, five points below 21st-placed Northampton. Gillingham's total of 18 goals scored in 28 games was by far the lowest in the division; no other team had scored fewer than 30. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/124909165 Sunday Pictorial 18 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Southern League 29 February 1920 15 The team began March with a third consecutive defeat, losing 4–0 away to Newport County,Brown 2003 33 but then achieved a goalless draw at home to Portsmouth, who were top of the table; Branfield saved a Portsmouth penalty kick. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/124951354 The Weekly Dispatch 19 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Southern League: Watford's Extraordinary Recovery 14 March 1920 10 The Chatham Observer praised Abel Lee and the Steel brothers for keeping the Portsmouth forwards in check, and criticised the league leaders for their aggressive style of play.Triggs 1999 28 The Weekly Dispatch described it as a "rough game" and said that at one point players came to blows. Gillingham next played another team challenging for the league championship, Cardiff City, and after taking the lead after just two minutes went on to win 3–0, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/125226340 Daily Herald 24 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Gillingham, 3; Cardiff C., 0 18 March 1920 7 only the second time during the season that they had scored three goals in a league game.Brown 2003 33 After two more defeats, Gillingham ended March with a 2–0 win over Southampton.Brown 2003 33 Full-back Jock Robertson made his debut in a 1–0 victory over Southend United on 3 April. He would go on to play for the club until 1933 and make over 350 appearances in the Football League after Gillingham joined that competition in 1920, setting a club record which would stand for over 30 years.Triggs 2001 26, 351 Gillingham beat Norwich City and Brentford on 10 and 17 April respectively, the first time the team had won two consecutive games since the previous September.Brown 2003 33 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/125237808 Daily Herald 24 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Gillingham 1, Norwich C. 0 12 April 1920 6 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/125237951 Daily Herald 24 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Brentford Beaten at Home 19 April 1920 6 Both Steel brothers, who had been regulars in the team since joining Gillingham, were absent from the team for the next game against Swansea Town;Brown 2003 33 despite having to play the whole of the second half with only ten men after one of their players was injured, Swansea won 1–0. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/124910110 Western Mail 18 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Swansea Back's Injury 20 April 1920 6 There were further changes to the team for the next game at home to Merthyr Town: half-back Joseph Griffiths made his debut and Len Ramsell played for the first time since January in place of Wood. Gillingham fell behind to a goal in the first half but scored three times to record their third victory in four games; the Western Mail stated that Merthyr were "very easily beaten".Brown 2003 33 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/124910754 Sunday Mercury 18 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Southern League 25 April 1920 10 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/124911146 Western Mail 18 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Merthyr's Poor Season 26 April 1920 7 The team's final match of the season was a 2–2 draw at home to Bristol Rovers. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/124911790 Bristol Times and Mirror 18 May 2023 Newspapers.com limited Rovers at Gillingham 3 May 1920 6 Gillingham finished the season bottom of the league table; although they did not have the worst defence in the division, they had scored only 34 goals during the season, more than 10 fewer than any other team. Such had been the turnover of players during the season that only Leslie and Mahon were in the team for both the first and last matches of the campaign.Brown 2003 33 League match details Key In the result column, Gillingham's score is shown first H = Home match A = Away match pen. = Penalty kick o.g. = Own goal ResultsBrown 2003 33 DateOpponentsResultGoalscorersAttendance30 August 1919Watford (H)0–07,0001 September 1919Luton Town (A)0–24,0006 September 1919Swansea Town (A)1–0Savage2,30410 September 1919Luton Town (H)2–0Wood (2, 1 pen.)0 not recorded13 September 1919Exeter City (H)0–07,80817 September 1919Southend United (H)0–16,00020 September 1919Cardiff City (A)0–510,00027 September 1919Queens Park Rangers (H)0–17,4324 October 1919Swindon Town (A)2–5Chalmers, Wood (pen.)5,0006 October 1919Plymouth Argyle (H)0–22,50011 October 1919Millwall (H)2–0Wood (2)7,00018 October 1919Brighton & Hove Albion (A)0–38,00025 October 1919Newport County (H)1–3John8,0001 November 1919Portsmouth (A)0–410,0008 November 1919Northampton Town (H)0–07,00015 November 1919Crystal Palace (A)1–4Redpath0 not recorded29 November 1919Norwich City (A)0–56,0006 December 1919Brentford (H)0–27,00013 December 1919Merthyr Town (A)0–40 not recorded25 December 1919Reading (H)1–2B. Read8,00026 December 1919Reading (A)0–310,00027 December 1919Bristol Rovers (A)1–1B. Steel14,0003 January 1920Watford (A)1–2McCormick4,00024 January 1920Exeter City (A)1–2Savage6,0007 February 1920Queens Park Rangers (A)0–010,00014 February 1920Swindon Town (H)3–1H. Lee (2), B. Steel10,00021 February 1920Millwall (A)0–112,00028 February 1920Brighton & Hove Albion (H)2–3Wood (2)10,0006 March 1920Newport County (A)0–40 not recorded13 March 1920Portsmouth (H)0–07,78317 March 1920Cardiff City (H)3–0H. Lee, B. Read, Savage6,00020 March 1920Northampton Town (A)0–17,00027 March 1920Crystal Palace (H)2–4B. Read, Wood (pen.)7,0002 April 1920Southampton (H)2–0Wood, Kelly8,7943 April 1920Southend United (A)1–0Wood7,0005 April 1920Southampton (A)0–212,00010 April 1920Norwich City (H)1–0Wood6,00017 April 1920Brentford (A)2–1H. Lee, Wood8,00019 April 1920Swansea Town (H)0–12,00024 April 1920Merthyr Town (H)3–1B. Steel, A. Lee (pen.), Griffiths7,00026 April 1920Plymouth Argyle (A)0–29,0001 May 1920Bristol Rovers (H)2–2B. Read, Mahon (pen.)6,000 Partial league table 1919–20 Southern Football League#Division One main WDL left auto Southern League Division One final table, bottom positions yes 2 19 EXE Northampton Town REA Luton Town BRE Merthyr Town GIL Gillingham 12 9 21 64 103 10 10 22 51 76 9 11 22 47 78 10 7 25 34 74 complete FA Cup Gillingham entered the 1919–20 FA Cup at the sixth and final qualifying round stage, where they were paired with fellow Southern League Division One team Swansea Town. The initial match took place at Priestfield Road and drew an attendance of 10,000, matching those recorded for league games against Brighton and Swindon for the season's largest crowd at the ground.Brown 2003 33 Leslie scored with a penalty kick in a game that finished in a 1–1 draw, necessitating a replay.Brown 2003 33 Gillingham made four team changes for the second game, including bringing in Ramsell, who scored in another 1–1 draw.Brown 2003 33 The second replay took place at a neutral venue, Ninian Park in Cardiff, and ended goalless.Brown 2003 3331 December 1919 FA Cup – Sixth Qualifying Round 5 Birmingham Mail https://www.newspapers.com/clip/125086528 limited 21 May 2023 The third replay was held at Chelseas Stamford Bridge stadium; Gillingham took a 2–0 lead in the first half through Bobby Steel and Wood, and finally progressed to the next round, winning the game 3–1; The Daily Telegraph wrote that Gillingham were "the superior side" and that "to beat so decisively the team standing seventh in [the Southern League Division One] was a praiseworthy performance".6 January 1920 Cup Tie at Chelsea: Gillingham Win at Last 14 The Daily Telegraph https://www.newspapers.com/clip/125086985 limited 21 May 2023 In the first round proper, Gillingham played away to West Stanley of the North Eastern League; unlike Gillingham, West Stanley had never previously progressed beyond the qualifying rounds of the competition.Soar Tyler 1983 110 After conceding a goal early on, Gillingham drew level before half time. In the second half, however, they played poorly and West Stanley scored twice more to win the match and eliminate Gillingham from the competition. West Stanley's local newspaper called the result a "sensation" and said it would go down in the history of the mining village.21 January 1920 Cup-Tie Sensation 2 The North Star https://www.newspapers.com/clip/124972464 limited 19 May 202319 January 1920 West Stanley Advance 6 The North Star https://www.newspapers.com/clip/124972192 limited 19 May 2023 Cup match details In the result column, Gillingham's score is shown first H = Home match A = Away match N = Match played at neutral venue pen. = Penalty kick o.g. = Own goal ResultsBrown 2003 33 DateRoundOpponentsResultGoalscorersAttendance20 December 1919Sixth qualifyingSwansea Town (H)1–1Leslie (pen.)10,00024 December 1919Sixth qualifying (replay)Swansea Town (A)1–1 (a.e.t.)Ramsell10,00029 December 1919Sixth qualifying (second replay)Swansea Town (N)0–0 (a.e.t.)6,0005 January 1920Sixth qualifying (third replay)Swansea Town (N)3–1Wood (2), Steel15,00017 January 1920FirstWest Stanley (A)1–3B. Read6,000 Players thumb|right|upright|alt=Portrait of a man|Jack Branfield was one of six goalkeepers used by Gillingham during the season. thumb|right|upright|alt=Portrait of a different man|Jock Robertson began his lengthy career with Gillingham during the season. thumb|right|upright|alt=Footballer Abel Lee|Abel Lee made 35 appearances. During the season, 39 players made at least one appearance for Gillingham. Leslie made the most, playing 40 times; Mahon, Wood, and Abel Lee all made more than 30 appearances. The instability of the team during the season resulted in 12 players each making fewer than five appearances.Brown 2003 33 Three of these, C. Denny, W. Hunter, and T. Turner, each played only once and never made another appearance for the Gillingham first team.Brown 2003 128–129 Fifteen players scored at least one goal during the season. Wood was the team's top scorer, with 12 goals in the league and two in the FA Cup; no other player scored more than five times.Brown 2003 33 +Player statisticsBrown 2003 33PlayerPositionSouthern League Division OneFA CupTotalApps AppearancesGoalsApps AppearancesGoalsApps AppearancesGoalsBobby Beale footballerGK12000120Alf BluerHB300030Billy BowerGK302050Jack BranfieldGK21030240Robert Buchanan footballer, born 1887FB19050240Bill Cartwright footballer, born 1884FB21000210R. Cavanna 1HB500050David Chalmers footballer, born 1891FW12110131Harry Dawson association footballerFW200020C. Denny 1FW100010C. Elliott 1HB401050W. Frost 1FB10000100Syd GoreFW100010Joseph GriffithsHB310031A. Harris 1HB200020W. Hibden 1HB15020170W. Hunter 1FB100010Cornelius John 1FW710071John Joyce 1GK200020H. Kelly 1FW21150261Jimmy Kennedy footballerHB900090Abel LeeHB30150351Harry Lee footballer, born 1887FW22430254Tom LeslieFB35051401Jack Mahon footballer, born 1886HB34120361Donald McCormick footballerFW410041J. Meath 1GK200020Bert NashFW13000130John Neil 1FW900090Len RamsellFW9041131B. Read 1FW17451225Trevett ReadGK200020Alex Redpath 1FW12100121Jock RobertsonFB700070W. Savage 1FW18300183Alex SteelHB23050280Bobby SteelFW19341234T. Turner 1FW100010Arthur Wood footballer, born 1890FW3112323414 FW = Forward, HB = Half-back, GK = Goalkeeper, FB = Full-back Aftermath Collins left his position as Gillingham manager at the end of the season and was replaced by Robert Brown.Elligate 2009 86 At the annual general meeting (AGM) of the Football League on 31 May 1920, the clubs in the existing two divisions voted to admit those in the Southern League's top division en masse to form the new Third Division.Elligate 2009 97 Initially it was unclear if Gillingham, by virtue of their last-place finish, would be relegated to the Southern League Division Two before this took effect and thus miss out on a place in the Football League; at the club's own AGM on 3 June, angry supporters demanded to know what the club's status would be for the coming season, but the board of directors was unable to give an answer. Shortly afterwards, it was confirmed that Gillingham would indeed be entering the Football League.Elligate 2009 101 In their first season in the Third Division, the team again finished bottom of the league table.Elligate 2009 82 References Works cited Bradley Andy Roger Triggs Home of the Shouting Men: Complete History of Gillingham Football Club 1893–1993 Gillingham F.C. 1994 978-0-9523361-0-5 Brown Tony The Definitive Gillingham F.C.: A Complete Record Soccerdata 2003 978-1-8994-6820-1 The "Gills" Tony Conway 1980 978-0-9052-7026-5 Meresborough Books Elligate David Gillingham FC On This Day Pitch Publishing 2009 978-1-9054-1145-0 Michael Joyce Football League Players' Records 1888 – 1939 Soccerdata 2004 978-1-89946-867-6 Mitchell Colin Reeves Jon Tyler Daniel The History of English Football Clubs New Holland Publishers 2013 978-1-78009-449-6 Riddoch Andrew When the Whistle Blows: The Story of the Footballers' Battalion in the Great War Kemp David Haynes Publishing 2010 978-0-85733-077-2 Soar Phil Martin Tyler Encyclopedia of British Football 1983 Collins Willow 978-0-0021-8049-8 Roger Triggs Images of England: Gillingham Football Club Tempus Publishing 1999 978-0-75241-567-3 Roger Triggs The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club Tempus Publishing 2001 978-0-75242-243-5 1919-20 Category:English football clubs 1919–20 season