Following Basil Hayward’s departure former Millwall coach Andy Nelson was appointed manager. On his appointment he was quoted as saying “I want 11 bad losers. There is nothing actually wrong with being a good loser but professional sport is all about winning. If we are to be successful I need players who do not accept defeat easily”. (Quote taken from the excellent Gills’ book “The Home of the Shouting Men”)
After years of negativity this was just what the Gillingham fans wanted to hear and the new season was eagerly awaited.
Andy Nelson set about rebuilding the side and his first signing was Alan Wilks from QPR. He was to become my favourite Gills player of all time! He was an exciting player and I often wondered how Andy Nelson had managed to attract him to Gillingham, he was way ahead of Division 4 standard.
Nelson also managed to talk Dick Tydeman out of taking up a teaching career. Dick was one of our best players, at the time, but had become disillusioned with the game.
On the pitch the football improved dramatically. Nelson’s teams were based on attacking football and with Brian Yeo restored to the front line we scored 61 goals, (Yeo top scored with 22). It was our highest goal tally since 1965. Unfortunately we conceded 67 and finished a disappointing 13th, but the signs were there, I always thought we were heading in the right direction.
Personally, there were three outstanding games. The first was played on Wednesday 15th March 1972, a mid-table clash against Bury. The match itself wasn’t outstanding, although the Gills did win 2-0(Brian Yeo, Mike Bickle), it was what happened before the game.
During the afternoon, at school, I had been violently sick twice, but I had to go to the football so no mention of this was made to my mum when I arrived home at about 4.00pm.
Before 5 o’clock I had been sick again but managed to clean up before my mum found out. Shortly after this mum served up tea…….egg sandwiches! I forced myself to eat them even though they were the last thing I wanted.
At 6:15 it was time to make the short walk to Terry’s house where his father would give us a lift to the game in his pride and joy, his Volkswagen Beetle.
The journey was uneventful until we reached Gillingham. Terry’s dad was just searching for a parking place when, you’ve guessed it, I was sick in the car! As I apologised profusely Terry’s dad told Terry and I to get into the ground and he would clear up and meet us in there. Taking my place on the Rainham End wall behind the goal I felt quite ill but managed the whole 90 minutes without being sick again.
After the game we quickly returned to the car where I was offered a brown paper bag for the return journey! I managed to hold out until I was safely home where I headed straight for the toilet where I was sick again. This time a cry of “Mum I don’t feel well, I’ve been sick” brought her running upstairs to comfort me.
This was a defining moment in my Gills supporting years as I suddenly realised how important football had become to me. No matter what life would throw at me I couldn’t turn down the chance of possibly seeing my beloved Gillingham team actually win a game!
The second outstanding game of the 1971/72 season, for me, was a 3-2 home win over 3rd division Plymouth Argyle in the 1st round of the FA Cup. In the 1st half we were being totally outplayed with the Pilgrims winger giving Dave Peach, the Gills’ full-back, a torrid time and scoring both Plymouth goals to give them a 2 goal lead. We looked a defeated team.
Whatever Andy Nelson had said at half time, however, worked wonders. Dave Peach finally getting the better of the Plymouth winger by practically kicking him off the pitch and into the old Gordon Road stand. Peach was booked but the Plymouth winger drifted out of the game. This was the turning point as goals from Dave Galvin, Alan Wilks and, of course, Brian Yeo gave Gills a 3-2 win over superior opposition. Up to this date this was the best performance I had ever witnessed from a Gillingham team.
Saturday 2nd November 1971
FA Cup 1st Round
Gillingham 3-2 Plymouth Argyle
(HT 0-2)
ATT : 7,842
Gills: Shearing, Parmenter, Peach, Galvin, Williams, Quirke, Tydeman, Knight, Bickle, Wilks, Yeo
My third memorable game was in the next round of the cup as we travelled to non league Romford. I had a big decision to make. I was in the Math School’s 1st XI for hockey and we had a big game against Chatham Tech on the morning of the cup tie. If I played hockey I might miss the coach and I couldn’t risk that so I told the school I was unavailable.(I never played hockey for the school again!) It was worth it though as we run out 1-0 winners through an Alan Wilks goal which the Romford players claimed had entered the goal through the side-netting. Alan “Arthur” Wilks was such a genius with the ball it probably did!