The Gillingham Years

Braggfan · Jul 24, 2015

It wasn't as bad as a lot of people who didn't go or only went once say it was. If you had a season ticket the buses were free. It cost you peanuts to watch, and kept the club going when they were in real danger of going under. Also you started to get to know other the fans, because it was the same faces every week and that fact their weren't many of us, gave us a sense of being diehard fans. Pleased it's over, but I wouldn't mind a cup game there once in a while for old times sake. Shame we can't stand behind the goal anymore.

The Stout Yeoman · Jul 24, 2015

The Birdman said:
We started at the cricketers but decided to find another pub about 30 minutes away. We walked in with about thirty of us and it was full of like minded Brighton fans the landlord was very friendly and we adopted it. The had good food and Beer again the Landlord was very sorry to see us return to Brighton they said they took more money from Brighton fans when they played at Gillingham than the Gills. I can't remeber the name of the pub but it was in the middle of a terrace street with a nice beer garden .
I think the new stand at Gillingham was paid for by Brighton.

The Rose Neath ?

Surf's Up · Jul 24, 2015

I lived in London at the time so the journey wasn't a major inconvenience to me. It was however the first time I got a season ticket because I thought the club needed my money more at that point in time than any other. And I met people there who have now become good friends. That said, the football was shockingly bad (although funny at times - Rod Thomas' goalkeeping antics against Plymouth in front of 1500 or so diehards will live in my memory forever!!), the town was and probably still is a complete shithole and the stewards were neanderthals. I was so relieved when we moved back to Brighton - the Withdean seemed like a palace in comparison and it was OURS.

Arthur · Jul 24, 2015

bn9 bha said:
The only highlight was the ' Love of Football ' match v Doncaster.

That was your highlight of the Gillingham years??

Do you also like sticking pins in your eyes and bathing in acid??

I'm struggling to think of a worst game of football I've seen....nope can't do it. Two sides who were 91st and 92nd in the football league for a very good reason.

Notters · Jul 24, 2015

bn9 bha said:
And you moan about the AMEX
Decent trip? Eh ?
It was horrible, horrible trip, horrible town, horrible football and a horrible ground.

I only went to games in the first season we played there, that was enough. The only highlight was the ' Love of Football ' match v Doncaster.

And that was one of the most godawful excuses for a football match I've ever been to, competed by two bunches of no-hopers.

Notters · Jul 24, 2015

Mr Banana said:
4-4 Emblen hat-trick. Rodney Thomas handball. Pink paper season ticket. If you really, really couldn't find anyone to give you a lift, going on the lovebus and having to wait on the layby outside Gillingham for what seemed like 48 hours for a police escort to the ground. Dunno how many times I listened to You've Come A Long Way, Baby and New Forms by Roni Size on that journey. Half the time my cassette walkman was running slow on low batteries and they still sounded like the most mental thing ever to my untutored, oversized lugs.

Probably not as many times as they played "we gotta get out of this place" and "we shall come home" over the tannoy - they're still ringing in my ears despite the subsequent years of audio-abuse.

Rodney Thomas · Jul 24, 2015

Dick Knights Mumm said:
Handball does not really do it justice. It was a full length dive (tipping it around the post in my memory).

Save of the season.

It's still my favourite ever Priestfield moment. What he was doing as last man (I think) on the edge of the box I have no idea....

Braggfan · Jul 24, 2015

For a majority of the time the football was awful. BUT under Horton, when we had Minton and Rod Thomas playing, we started playing some stuff that was good to watch. Thomas was like George Best at times. I seem to remember us being on a decent run just before Horton left, then Thomas got injured and we plummeted back down the table.

Munkfish · Jul 24, 2015

They were the first two years of me really supporting the Albion, we would often get lifts back with the players, My Brother and I once shared a trip back with Stuart Storer and I think Ross Johnson, we were telling them how me and my brother would watch Eurotrash. we were about 9 and 11 at the time!

Cowfold Seagull · Jul 24, 2015

atfc village said:
0 0 v Hartlepool in front of 1700 pah.

Bizarrely 1,700 for a fixture against Hartlepool during the Gillingham years sounds pretty reasonable, considering how dire the football, (and the pulling power of the opposition) was.

I wonder how many Hartlepool fans were in attendance?, 23?

Megazone · Jul 24, 2015

The era of super Rod.

It weren't all that bad.

Uncle Buck · Jul 24, 2015

The Birdman said:
We started at the cricketers but decided to find another pub about 30 minutes away. We walked in with about thirty of us and it was full of like minded Brighton fans the landlord was very friendly and we adopted it. The had good food and Beer again the Landlord was very sorry to see us return to Brighton they said they took more money from Brighton fans when they played at Gillingham than the Gills. I can't remeber the name of the pub but it was in the middle of a terrace street with a nice beer garden .
I think the new stand at Gillingham was paid for by Brighton.

Was that the Rose Neath, the other end of town?

Easy 10 · Jul 24, 2015

I can remember sitting in the “grandstand” once, alongside the pitch. I only had a standard ticket in one of the wings, but as there were only about 49 fans in the entire stand, I decided to move along into one of the seats in the GOLD area, on the halfway line. I watched the whole game from there, completely unmolested. I felt so excited and NAUGHTY, a bit like when I wet myself in the kitchenware section in Woolies.

Simster · Jul 24, 2015

Went to the 4-4 with [MENTION=6625]Badger[/MENTION], and the dire 0-0 "Fans United 2" thing in front of 6,500.

To be honest, they are just about the only two games worth talking about in 2 years there.

Although obviously all 7,500 NSC members were at the home game against Barnet even though the official crowd was 1,025

Buzzer · Jul 24, 2015

I went to a dozen games or so, all in the first season. They were all bloody awful affairs only made better by the extra strong booze that we bought at that off licence near the ground. Only game I remember with any clarity was the Macclesfield game where one of their defenders wore a white stocking on his head, gangsta-stylee.

Actually, I say 'with clarity' but all I remember from that game was the stocking and Bellotti getting the dog's abuse from some blokes in the expensive seats near him.

8ace · Jul 24, 2015

Gary Hart's goal against Shrewsbury was one of the few highlights.

Braggfan · Jul 24, 2015

8ace said:
Gary Hart's goal against Shrewsbury was one of the few highlights.

It was like Michael Owen's against Argentina. And indeed I recall it prompted the chant of, "Who the f needs micahel owen, who the f needs michael owen, who the f needs michael owen, when we've got gary hart hart hart.

The Birdman · Jul 24, 2015

Uncle Buck said:
Was that the Rose Neath, the other end of town?

The coach would drop us off about 12 I know we had to go over a footbridge to get to the ground we did for Saturday games and Midweek games I would drive.

Hamilton · Jul 24, 2015

It was awful! We played awfully, the trip was awful, the place was awful. It was awful!!!!!!!!!

Megazone · Jul 24, 2015

Ian Culverhouse was another forgotten Preistfield legend. A very intelligent defender.

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The Gillingham Years

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