GILLINGHAM memories

[andybaha]

I actually have quite good memories of Gillingham. It was only a bit over an hour each way listening to the sport on the radio. I had a company car with free petrol. Parking was about two minutes from the ground. Cheap all day breakfast in Tescos. It was pay on the gate so you could decide on a Saturday morning if you fancied going or not. I used to take my daughter sometimes and they used to let her in for free. When we came back to Withdean I didn't get to see a game for about two years because you couldn't get a ticket unless you were a STH.

The first season the football was absolute shite. At this stage I don't think DK knew if we had a future or not and didn't want to spend any more money than he had to. We were much worse than the previous season and lucky that Donny were in even greater turmoil. The 0-0 draw with them has been described as the worst ever match between two professional teams, and it's not far wrong.

The second season was OK up until Christmas and Nobby's departure. We were sniffing the play offs for a while. Barker and Hart banged in a few goals. I remember the final game with Micky Adams in charge, he subbed some of the players he knew didn't figure in his plans so they could get cheered by the crowd. Jeff Minton and Stuart Storer I seem to remember.

I now remember the St John's Amulance crew. One of them looked like a character in a Peter Kay show where he was SJA.

 

[timbha]

Jock Riddell (RIP)

 

[Deano's Invisible Pants]

The earliest memory of the shit-hole was the first 'friendly' game there in '97 against Palace. The scum were singing almost continuously 'You're supposed to be at home', and 'where's The Goldstone gone' etc etc.

Oh how we laughed at their mischievous brand of humour!

 

[dougdeep]

I quite enjoyed the day out, coach from Patcham and back for a £5. Few pints and lots of room to stretch your legs in the stand. Shame the football was dire.

 

[cheshunt seagull]

Gillingham was the point at which I started going to watch the Albion regularly again. A combination of work and having a young family meant that I was an occasional (bad?) fan for 92-97. Gillingham was closer for me in Herts than it was for someone in Brighton, so I thought that if I wouldn't make the effort, who would? Most of the football was grim but there was a sense of solidarity, some serious gallows humour and when we actually managed to win a game
particularly in 97/98 it felt like we had won the Cup.

After the first game at Falmer I may even be able to look back on it with some affection, but it is too soon.