There's not many clubs I really dislike but the Gills are right up there. I think it goes back to the first time I went there, 65 or 66, not sure which. The sheer awfulness of the place was only exceed by the awfulness of their fans who were the most biased I've ever had the misfortune to come across, and that's saying something!
At that time they had a reputation for boring and defensive football (what's changed). We dominated the game and, of course, lost 0-1 to a miss-hit shot that bobbled through lots of legs. The crowing of the locals was very hard to take.
Things were better in 69...because of our League Cup exploits we had lots of games in hand and we had them at home on a Tuesday night in February. They deployed every time-wasting tactic in the book, and more besides, in an effort to get a point. It was 0-0, the 90 minutes were up and we must have been in at least the 7th or 8th minute of what was then known as 'injury time' when Peter Noble (hero!) scored at the Town End. Their players were incandescent with rage and we , of course, were particularly jubilant. That evened up things a bit.
As for tonight, please let us come away with at least a point.
Gills away
posted on 19/8/14
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posted on 19/8/14
while the gills away the woodward won't play
posted on 19/8/14
Hi RAP, good to see you on here
You're quite right, we couldn't give a toss about 'rivalry' with Gillingham. Our rivals are Oxford, the pair of Bristols, and to a lesser extent Reading. Oxford and Bristol City are the main ones; the Gas I've no problem with.
The 'issue' with Gillingham goes back to 1979 when we were both promotion contenders for the then Division 2. In the away game we came back from 0-2 to draw 2-2. They had a player sent off and blamed our captain Ray McHale. One of their fans ran on the pitch and punched the ref and it ended badly. In the return game two months later we romped to a 3-0 lead and some of their players decided to put McHale out of the game...for keeps. The game ended 3-1 and after two of their players assaulted our coach, Wild Tranter, in the tunnel.
As it turned out both sides missed out on promotion, the Gills by a point, and they always blamed us for that.
Nobody died though (at least to my knowledge!).
posted on 19/8/14
Good post Don,
I don't know why the 2 clubs have such animosity. I always put it down to a game in the late 60s at home. We won 1-0 in the last minute, but before that, Peter Downsborough, our goalie, smashed the ball into their centre forward's face after a lot of provocation. He would have been sent off these days.
posted on 19/8/14
Oh, and Ray McHale! Now Don was the best footballer, but what a player McHale was. We could do with his sort now.
posted on 19/8/14
Red...I remember the Downsborough incident. Jimmy White, the Gills centre half, put the ball on the penalty spot, hoping to pressurise the ref. Joey Butler walked up behind him and toe poked it away. White was almost purple with rage.
Ray McHale was always one of my favourites. Very effective and tenacious midfielder and could score goals too. I wish we had another like him too.
posted on 21/8/14
Red
Did you ever watch Ray McHale and Peter Downsborough playing for Halifax Town when you were staying in Bradford?
posted on 21/8/14
Bantam...I saw Peter Downsborough play for Halifax at Swindon. He had a stormer and later of course we signed him.
A superb keeper, the best we've ever had in my view.
posted on 21/8/14
The game was in 1963. We were chasing promotion and needed the 2 points but we were held 1-1 due to his superb performance. We got out of jail with a penalty 8 minutes from time and he almost got to that!
We went up and Danny Williams signed him in 1965. His performance at Wembley in 69 against Arsenal still lives in the memory.
posted on 22/8/14
Edinburgh,
I used to go & watch Halifax occasionally. But, when I was there Downsborough had already signed for us. I lived at the Gt Horton end of Park Crescent & had to work in Elland, so the bus to Halifax was convenient & well known. But, in those days a football match on Saturday was essential, though I only went there when Park Avenue were not playing, or City. Strangely enough, Leeds never appealed to me. I only went there once when I lived in Bradford & that was to us beaten 4-0! PA often used to play on a Monday night, so I could get 2 games in a week. As a student, I didn't have a lot of money & it was cheaper for me to go to football then, than stay in & heat the flat.