1973–74 Gillingham F.C. season

English football club season February 2015 February 2015 Gillingham 1973–74 Andy Nelson Clifford Grossmark Fourth Division 2nd FA Cup First Round League Cup Second Round Brian Yeo (31) Brian Yeo (32) 12,297 vs Peterborough United (3 April 1974) 3,864 vs Doncaster Rovers (29 September 1973) _collar 0000ff 0000ff 0000ff 0000ff 0000ff 1972–73 1974–75 During the 1973–74 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 42nd season in which Gillingham competed in the Football League, and the 24th since the club was voted back into the league in 1950. Gillingham lost three times in the first ten games of the season, but the team then began a run of 20 league games without defeat; by the end of 1973, Gillingham were second in the league table. In mid-February, they lost a Fourth Division game for the first time in more than four months, after which two consecutive wins in mid-March took them to the top of the table. Although Gillingham slipped from first place, they remained in the top three, and a victory over Colchester United on 20 April ensured that the team would be promoted to the Third Division at the end of the season. In their final game of the season on 1 May, first-placed Gillingham lost to second-placed Peterborough United, who overtook them to win the championship of the division. Gillingham also competed in two knock-out competitions, losing in the first round of the FA Cup to Cambridge United and in the second round of the Football League Cup to Carlisle United. The team played 49 competitive matches, winning 26, drawing 12 and losing 11. Brian Yeo was the team's top goalscorer; he scored 31 goals in Fourth Division matches and 32 in all competitions. His 31 Football League goals in a season equalled the club record set by Ernie Morgan in the 1954–55 season. George Jacks and Dick Tydeman made the most appearances; both played in every game of the season. The highest attendance recorded at the club's home ground, Priestfield Stadium, was 12,297 for a game against Peterborough United on 3 April 1974. Background and pre-season The 1973–74 season was Gillingham's 42nd season playing in the Football League and the 24th since the club was elected back into the League in 1950 after being voted out in 1938.Soar Tyler 1983 110 It was the club's third consecutive season in the Football League Fourth Division, the fourth tier of the English football league system, to which Gillingham had been relegated in 1971 after finishing bottom of the Third Division.Soar Tyler 1983 110 In the 1972–73 season, Gillingham had finished 9th out of 24 teams in the Fourth Division.Soar Tyler 1983 110 Andy Nelson was the club's manager, a position he had held since 1971.Rollin Rollin 1999 174 Peter Shearing assisted him in the role of trainer-coach.Triggs 2001 291 The management team retained a largely unchanged squad from the previous season, signing only Dave Coxhill, a midfielder who had been released at the end of the previous season by Millwall of the Second Division.Triggs 2001 96 In June, Damien Richardson became the first Gillingham player to represent his country in a senior international match, when he played for the Republic of Ireland in a friendly away to Norway.Elligate 2009 103Fox a Gillingham prepared for the new season with four friendlies in August, against Luton Town and Sheffield Wednesday of the Second Division, Brighton & Hove Albion of the Third, and semi-professional team Sittingbourne.Bradley Triggs 1994 424 The team's kit for the new season was all-blue, a departure from the club's traditional blue shirts and white shorts.Triggs 1999 103 Fourth Division August–December thumb|right|alt=Gresty Road football stadium|Gillingham began the season with an away game at Gresty Road, home of Crewe Alexandra (pictured in 1998). Gillingham's first match of the season was away to Crewe Alexandra on 25 August.Dunk 1974 254 Due to injuries sustained in pre-season, Alan Wilks and Keith Lindsey, both regular starters in the previous season, were absent from the team; Gillingham lost the match 1–0.Gillingham Vs Colchester United Matchday Programme Blues News 29 August 1973 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108159759 Daily Telegraph 23 August 2022 Newspapers.com Bournemouth's Dismal Start 27 August 1973 Both players returned to the team a week later for the first game of the season at Gillingham's home ground, Priestfield Stadium. The game against Newport County resulted in a 1–1 draw;Dunk 1974 255 Brian Yeo scored Gillingham's goal, his 100th Football League goal for the club, making him the second Gillingham player to reach this milestone.Triggs 2001 344 Gillingham won their next two matches, including a 7–2 win at home to Scunthorpe United on 12 September, the highest number of goals scored by the team in a Football League match since 1951.Dunk 1974 254Elligate 2009 143 Yeo scored a hat-trick to take his total to five goals in the last three games and break the record held by Brian Gibbs for the highest number of Football League goals scored for Gillingham.Dunk 1974 254Triggs 2001 344 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108494907 Daily Telegraph 28 August 2022 Newspapers.com Shilton Beaten – By Stepney 13 September 1973 Bill Meredith Gillingham ended September with another high-scoring win, defeating Doncaster Rovers 5–1;Dunk 1974 254 at the end of the month Gillingham were 10th out of 24 teams in the Fourth Division league table.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/30-September-1973/ League Division Four table after close of play on 30 September 1973 11v11 AFS Enterprises 28 August 2022 The team lost for the third time in the first ten league games of the season when they were defeated 2–1 by Exeter City on 6 October,Dunk 1974 254 after which they had dropped to 13th in the table,https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/06-October-1973/ League Division Four table after close of play on 6 October 1973 11v11 AFS Enterprises 28 August 2022 but then began a run of 20 league games without defeat.Dunk 1974 254 A week after the defeat to Exeter, Gillingham beat Bury 3–0, and in their next game they beat Chester 4–2.Dunk 1974 254 Yeo scored twice in both games, taking his tally of league goals for the season to 12 in 12 games.Dunk 1974 254 Coxhill made his first appearance in the starting line-up in a 1–1 draw away to Scunthorpe on 23 October and was a regular starter for the remainder of the season.Dunk 1974 255 At the end of October, Gillingham were in seventh place in the Fourth Division table,https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/31-October-1973/ League Division Four table after close of play on 31 October 1973 11v11 AFS Enterprises 30 August 2022 one point below the four promotion positions.Soar Tyler 1983 237 During November and December Gillingham played nine matches, winning seven and drawing two.Dunk 1974 254 The team began November with a 1–0 win away to Reading and followed this with victories at home to Torquay United and Workington.Dunk 1974 254 The final game of the month was a 2–2 draw away to Mansfield Town.Dunk 1974 254 Yeo scored in all four games, including twice against Torquay; against Workington, Wilks scored Gillingham's second hat-trick of the season.Dunk 1974 254 Gillingham won their first four matches of December,Dunk 1974 254 including a 4–1 victory on 8 December over Colchester United, who had been top of the table ahead of the game;https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/07-December-1973/ League Division Four table after close of play on 7 December 1973 11v11 AFS Enterprises 30 August 2022 the attendance of 8,411 was more than 1,600 higher than any other home game to that point in the season.Brown 2003 83 On 26 December this figure was eclipsed when a crowd of 11,313 saw Gillingham defeat Northampton Town 3–1 with another hat-trick from Yeo.Dunk 1974 254 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108607426 Daily Telegraph 30 August 2022 Newspapers.com Robert Oxby Fans Flock Back – 10,000 Locked Out at Newcastle 27 December 1973 It was the first attendance of more than 10,000 at Priestfield since a game against the same opposition in 1971.Brown 2003 81–83 Gillingham's final match of 1973 was at home to Swansea City on 29 December and ended in a 1–1 draw,Dunk 1974 254 which left Gillingham second in the Fourth Division, one point behind leaders Colchester.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/29-December-1973/ League Division Four table after close of play on 29 December 1973 11v11 AFS Enterprises 28 August 2022 January–May thumb|right|alt=Priestfield Stadium in Gillingham|In January 1974, Priestfield Stadium (pictured c.1986) hosted a Football League match on a Sunday for the first time. Gillingham began 1974 with two consecutive draws and then beat Darlington 3–1 on 12 January;Dunk 1974 254 it was the last game that highly rated defender David Peach played for the club as he was transferred to Southampton of the First Division for UK 50,000 1974 eq yes £ -4, a new record for the highest fee received by Gillingham for a player.Brown 2003 83Triggs 2001 250 https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS134969903/TTDA?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-TTDA&xid=f8700875 The Times 3 August 2022 Gale Osgood out for two to three weeks 15 January 1974 8 subscription In his absence, Glenn Aitken became the regular starter at left back.Triggs 2001 40 On 20 January, the first Football League game to be played at Priestfield on a Sunday took place; playing on Sunday had been prohibited until January 1974 when the Football League agreed to allow Sunday matches for the first time, and Priestfield was one of twelve grounds to host a game on the first available Sunday.Elligate 2009 22 At the end of January, Gillingham were still second in the table, now three points behind Colchester United albeit with the advantage of having played one fewer game.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/31-January-1974/ League Division Four table after close of play on 31 January 1974 11v11 AFS Enterprises 28 August 2022 Gillingham began February with victories over Lincoln City and Hartlepool to take their unbeaten league run to 20 games,Brown 2003 83 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108620146 Daily Telegraph 30 August 2022 Newspapers.com Gillingham in Sure Form 11 February 1974 live https://web.archive.org/web/20220830192716/https://www.newspapers.com/clippings/download/?id=108620146 2022-08-30 but then lost 3–2 away to Bury, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS152533586/TTDA?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-TTDA&xid=5b1f579f The Times 3 August 2022 Gale Palace defeat companions of dishonour 18 February 1974 9 subscription their first defeat in the Fourth Division since the previous October.Dunk 1974 254 Gillingham won their next game, defeating Exeter, and remained second in the table at the end of the month.Dunk 1974 254https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/28-February-1974/ League Division Four table after close of play on 28 February 1974 11v11 AFS Enterprises 28 August 2022 The team's first game of March was a goalless draw away to Northampton, the first game in which Gillingham had failed to score a goal since the previous October,Brown 2003 83 although the single point they gained for the draw brought them level on points with first-placed Colchester.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/03-March-1974/ League Division Four table after close of play on 3 March 1974 11v11 AFS Enterprises 30 August 2022 Gillingham remained behind the league leaders only on goal average despite losing their next game 2–0 away to Stockport County.Brown 2003 83https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/10-March-1974/ League Division Four table after close of play on 10 March 1974 11v11 AFS Enterprises 30 August 2022 The team then won two consecutive games 1–0, Richardson scoring the winning goal in both matches,Brown 2003 83 after which they were top of the Fourth Division table. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS168917618/TTDA?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-TTDA&xid=fcd51dcd The Times 3 August 2022 Gale Richardson puts Gillingham at top of table 18 March 1974 10 subscription They then lost two consecutive games and ended March back in second place, three points behind Colchester.Brown 2003 83https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/30-March-1974/ League Division Four table after close of play on 30 March 1974 11v11 AFS Enterprises 30 August 2022 Gillingham began April with a home game against Peterborough United; Peterborough were third in the table going into the match, behind Gillingham only on goal average.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/02-April-1974/ League Division Four table after close of play on 2 April 1974 11v11 AFS Enterprises 30 August 2022 The game between the two promotion-chasing teams drew an attendance of 12,297, the largest crowd of the season at Priestfield.Brown 2003 83 A goal from Lindsey gave Gillingham a 1–0 victory, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108496010 The Guardian 28 August 2022 Newspapers.com Valuable Points to Chelsea 4 April 1974 but the team drew their next two games and Peterborough overtook them to move into second place. On 20 April, Gillingham defeated Colchester 2–0, Yeo scoring both goals; the result meant that third-placed Gillingham could no longer be overtaken by any team outside the top four and were thus guaranteed promotion to the Third Division at the end of the season. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS151222934/TTDA?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-TTDA&xid=953b30dd The Times 23 August 2022 Gale Bursting bubble of the double Geoffrey Green 22 April 1974 9 subscription Yeo scored his 31st league goal of the season in the 2–0 win over Lincoln on 24 April, equalling the club record set by Ernie Morgan in the 1954–55 season.Elligate 2009 68 Despite playing in both the remaining games of the season, he failed to score the goal which would give him the record outright.Dunk 1974 254 The team's final game of the season was away to Peterborough United;Dunk 1974 254 immediately before the game, Gillingham were top of the table, one point ahead of second-placed Peterborough, although Peterborough had the advantage that they had two more games still to play after the match against Gillingham.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/30-April-1974/ League Division Four table after close of play on 30 April 1974 11v11 AFS Enterprises 28 August 2022 Gillingham lost the game 4–2, meaning that Peterborough overtook them and won the Fourth Division championship; https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS168131234/TTDA?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-TTDA&xid=73425ea3 The Times 23 August 2022 Gale Peterborough make sure of championship 2 May 1974 10 subscription Gillingham finished the season in second place, three points behind Peterborough and two ahead of third-placed Colchester.https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-four/31-May-1974/ League Division Four end of season table for 1973-74 season 11v11 AFS Enterprises 28 August 2022 It was only the second time in 42 seasons in the Football League that Gillingham had gained promotion to a higher division.Soar Tyler 1983 110 Match details Key In result column, Gillingham's score shown first H = Home match A = Away match pen. = Penalty kick o.g. = Own goal +ResultsDunk 1974 254DateOpponentsResultGoalscorersAttendance25 August 1973Crewe Alexandra (A)0–1 2,0911 September 1973Newport County (H)1–1Yeo 3,9718 September 1973Swansea City (A)3–0Lindsey, Yeo, Tydeman 2,14412 September 1973Scunthorpe United (H)7–2Yeo (3), Wilks, Richardson (2), Tydeman 4,61015 September 1973Darlington (H)0–1 5,44618 September 1973Rotherham United (A)1–1Yeo 3,66022 September 1973Hartlepool (A)1–2Jacks 1,38329 September 1973Doncaster Rovers (H)5–1Yeo, Wilks, Richardson (2), Peach (pen.) 3,8643 October 1973Rotherham United (H)1–1Yeo 5,3306 October 1973Exeter City (A)1–2Peach 4,74413 October 1973Bury (H)3–0Hill, Yeo (2) 4,52720 October 1973Chester (A)4–2Peach, Yeo (2), Richardson 2,05523 October 1973Scunthorpe United (A)1–1Jacks 2,40227 October 1973Stockport County (H)2–1Peach (pen.), Wilks 5,75731 October 1973Bradford City (A)0–0 2,5673 November 1973Reading (A)1–0Yeo 8,08210 November 1973Torquay United (H)2–1Yeo (2) 6,20114 November 1973Workington (H)4–0Wilks (3), Yeo 6,80417 November 1973Mansfield Town (A)2–2Yeo, Peach (pen.) 3,0041 December 1973Brentford (A)3–0Richardson (2), Galvin 5,5708 December 1973Colchester United (H)4–1Richardson, Wilks (2), Jacks 8,41122 December 1973Doncaster Rovers (A)2–1Tydeman, Jacks 1,87826 December 1973Northampton Town (H)3–1Yeo (3) 11,36329 December 1973Swansea City (H)1–1Jacks 9,9771 January 1974Newport County (A)3–3Jacks, Wilks, Peach 5,8885 January 1974Barnsley (H)1–1Richardson 6,82512 January 1974Darlington (A)3–1Richardson, Peach, Yeo 2,20420 January 1974Crewe Alexandra (H)3–0Yeo, Richardson (pen.), Jacks 11,4783 February 1974Lincoln City (A)3–2Wilks, Yeo (2) 7,15410 February 1974Hartlepool (H)3–0Potter (o.g.), Wilks, Yeo 8,75417 February 1974Bury (A)2–3Swan (o.g.), Coxhill 8,81323 February 1974Exeter City (H)2–1Yeo, Wilks 7,9943 March 1974Northampton Town (A)0–0 8,58310 March 1974Stockport County (A)0–2 1,94017 March 1974Chester (H)1–0Richardson 7,54123 March 1974Torquay United (A)1–0Richardson 2,74826 March 1974Barnsley (A)1–3Richardson 4,91630 March 1974Reading (H)0–1 7,3403 April 1974Peterborough United (H)1–0Lindsey (pen.) 12,2976 April 1974Workington (A)3–3Richardson (2), Jacks 1,17613 April 1974Mansfield Town (H)2–2Lindsey (pen.), Yeo 7,87215 April 1974Bradford City (H)2–0Yeo, Wilks 7,72020 April 1974Colchester United (A)2–0Yeo (2) 10,00724 April 1974Lincoln City (H)2–0Yeo, Tydeman 9,09427 April 1974Brentford (H)1–0Hill 9,3371 May 1974Peterborough United (A)2–4Lindsey (pen.), Wilks 17,569 Partial league table 1973–74 Football League#Fourth Division main WDL left auto Football League Fourth Division final table, leading positions yes 2 PR PET Peterborough United GIL Gillingham COL Colchester United BUR Bury NOR Northampton Town 27 11 8 75 38 25 12 9 90 49 24 12 10 73 36 24 11 11 81 49 20 13 13 63 48 Division Champions, promoted CP Promoted P P P complete Soar Tyler 1983 237 Cup matches FA Cup As a Fourth Division club, Gillingham entered the 1973–74 FA Cup in the first round but were beaten 3–2 by Cambridge United of the Third Division.Soar Tyler 1983 237Brown 2003 83 Match details Key In result column, Gillingham's score shown first H = Home match A = Away match pen. = Penalty kick o.g. = Own goal +ResultsBrown 2003 83DateRoundOpponentsResultGoalscorersAttendance24 November 1973FirstCambridge United (A)2–3Richardson, Tydeman4,831 Football League Cup Gillingham entered the 1973–74 Football League Cup at the first round stage and were paired with fellow Fourth Division team Colchester United. Gillingham won the match at Priestfield 4–2 to progress to the second round, where they were drawn to play Carlisle United of the Second Division, again at home. Gillingham were beaten 2–1 by their higher-division opponents and eliminated from the competition.Soar Tyler 1983 237Brown 2003 83 Match details Key In result column, Gillingham's score shown first H = Home match A = Away match pen. = Penalty kick o.g. = Own goal +ResultsBrown 2003 83DateRoundOpponentsResultGoalscorersAttendance29 August 1973FirstColchester United (H)4–2Peach, Quirke, Wilks, Yeo3,99110 October 1973SecondCarlisle United (H)1–2Richardson7,871 Players During the season, 19 players made at least one appearance for Gillingham. Two, George Jacks and Dick Tydeman, played in all 49 competitive matches. Five others, Richardson, Wilks, Yeo, Joe Jacques, and Mike Gibson, each made over 40 appearances. Two players, Kevin Johnson and Ken Rogers, each made only one appearance; in Johnson's case it was the only appearance he made in a Gillingham shirt.Triggs 2001 175 Yeo finished the season as the team's top scorer, with 31 goals in the Fourth Division and 32 in all competitions; the former figure made him the season's top goalscorer across all four divisions of the Football League, the first time a Gillingham player had achieved this feat.Rollin 1988 124–127 Richardson was Gillingham's second-highest scorer, with 16 goals in the league and 18 in total, and Wilks also reached double figures, scoring 15 times in total. Jacks was voted the club's player of the year by Gillingham supporters;Triggs 2001 171 both Yeo and Peach were voted into the Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year for the Fourth Division by their fellow professionals.Triggs 2001 352 +Player statisticsBrown 2003 83PlayerPositionFourth DivisionFA CupLeague CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGlenn Aitken footballerDF 1500000150Dave CoxhillMF 3011000311Dave GalvinDF 3411000351Mike Gibson footballer GK4101020440Kenny Hill English footballerDF 2420020262George JacksMF 4681020498Joe JacquesDF 4201020450Kevin Johnson footballerMF 10000010Graham Knight footballer, born 1952DF 2301000240Keith LindseyDF 3740020394David PeachDF 2771021308Dave QuirkeMF 2000021221Damien Richardson footballerFW 431611214618Ken Rogers footballerFW 10000010Ian Thorpe footballerGK 50000050Dick TydemanMF 4641120495Alan Wilks FW431410214615Dave WiltshireDF 20000020Brian YeoFW 433110214632 FW = Forward, MF = Midfielder, GK = Goalkeeper, DF = Defender Aftermath Two days after the final match of the season, Nelson resigned as the club's manager to take over at Charlton Athletic of the Third Division.Elligate 2009 77 The club moved quickly to replace him with Len Ashurst, manager of Hartlepool, who was introduced to supporters at a promotion celebration event at the Central Hall in Chatham on 6 May.Elligate 2009 81 In his first season in charge, Gillingham finished 10th in the Third Division,Soar Tyler 1983 238 but in October 1975 he unexpectedly resigned to take the manager's job at Sheffield Wednesday, sparking a two-year dispute between the two clubs over financial compensation.Elligate 2009 160 Gillingham would spend fifteen seasons in the Third Division before being relegated back to the Fourth in 1989.Rollin 1990 253 Footnotes a. Fox The club has in the past claimed that goalkeeper Freddie Fox made his one appearance for England in May 1925 while on Gillingham's books.Gillingham FC History (1893–) Gillingham F.C. 8 August 2022 15 November 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20071115155803/http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ClubHistory/0%2C%2C10416%2C00.html dead http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ClubHistory/0%2C%2C10416%2C00.html Although he was still with Gillingham when the team selection was announced, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/167330929 Birmingham Gazette 6 March 2025 Newspapers.com To meet France 25 April 1925 he was transferred to Millwall days later, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/167330953 Evening Standard 6 March 2025 Newspapers.com Millwall's new custodians 27 April 1925 roughly four weeks before the match actually took place.Elligate 2009 91 References Works cited Bradley Andy Roger Triggs Home of the Shouting Men: Complete History of Gillingham Football Club 1893–1993 Gillingham F.C. 1994 Gillingham 0-9523361-0-3 Brown Tony The Definitive Gillingham F.C.: A Complete Record Soccerdata 2003 978-1-8994-6820-1 Nottingham Dunk Peter Rothmans Football Yearbook 1974–75 Queen Anne Press 1974 978-0-3620-0171-6 London Elligate David Gillingham FC On This Day Pitch Publishing 2009 978-1-9054-1145-0 Durrington Rollin Jack Soccer Records, Facts and Champions 1988 Guinness World Records Limited 978-0-8511-2360-8 London Rollin Jack Rothmans Football Yearbook 1990–91 Queen Anne Press 1990 978-0-35617-911-7 London Rollin Glenda Rollin Jack Rothmans Football Yearbook 1999–2000 Headline Book Publishing 1999 978-0-74722-166-1 London Soar Phil Martin Tyler Encyclopedia of British Football 1983 Collins Willow 978-0-0021-8049-8 London Roger Triggs Images of England: Gillingham Football Club Tempus Publishing Ltd 1999 978-0-75241-567-3 Stroud 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