With a new manager at the helm we really didn’t know what to expect from the 1974/75 season, our first back in Division 3.
Brian Yeo had decided to retire after equalling the club scoring record (31 goals in one season) but was persuaded to stay for one more season albeit in a part time capacity.
The season started with a home game against Walsall. Dave Shipperley (signed by Nelson just before he left for Charlton) made his debut and failed to impress, scoring an own goal in a 2-2 draw. He would, however, go on to be something of a cult hero with the Gills’ fans! Brian Yeo and a penalty from Damien Richardson accounting for our goals.
The most unexpected thing, though, was the new playing strip. Gillingham took to the field in a snazzy kit of blue and white striped shirt, white shorts and blue socks. It was the first time Gills had played in stripes in my Gills’ supporting career.
The next home game was the big one, as far as Gills were concerned. It was the visit of Andy Nelson’s Charlton Athletic to Priestfield. A crowd of 9,636 watched a good game that the Addicks eventually won through a very late header from Keith Peacock. Little did we know that in a few years time he would become one of Gillingham’s most popular managers!
Saturday 31st August 1974
Football League Division 3
Gillingham 0 Charlton Athletic 1 (HT 0-0)
Gills :- Hillyard, Wiltshire, Knight, Galvin, Shipperley, Tydeman, Coxhill, Jacks, Richardson, Wilks (O’Donnell) Yeo.
Although it was still early days the defeat by Charlton sent Gills to the bottom of the table. A 1-0 home win over Bury (Hill) was our only win in a run of 14 games, which included 5 defeats in a row during October, and Gills found themselves rooted to the bottom again.
Ashurst had already signed 2 new players at the beginning of the season, goalie Ron Hillyard and midfielder Neil O’Donnell.
The way Len Ashurst turned the Gills round was two-fold. The first was to sign 3 experienced players in George Ley, Dave Chadwick and Allan Gauden along with loan signing, striker Peter Feely from Fulham.
The second was a bit bizarre to say the least ! Someone, I don’t know who, had pointed out that the new blue and white strip must be unlucky and with just under half the season gone it was dropped in favour of a plain blue shirt! Luckily in those days replica kits were not big business so there were no complaints from the fans!
Living in Rochester and within walking distance of Chatham Town’s Maidstone Road ground, I quite often used to go and watch the Chats play in the Kent League( if I couldn’t afford a Gills’ away game.) Chatham Town had an excellent side at this level during the 70’s and I saw some good games including an 8-2 win over Slade Green. I took my younger 8 year old brother to that one, his first ever game. The reason I mention Chatham Town here, though, is because several minutes into their home game with Ramsgate I noticed that the blue and white shirts that the Rams were wearing were embossed with a small red “G”. They were actually wearing Gillingham’s old blue and white striped shirts. Not only had the Gills dropped the kit they had given it, or perhaps sold it, to Kent League Ramsgate!
The change of strip and the arrival of Peter Feely turned Gillingham’s form round dramatically. We only suffered two defeats in our next 18 games and Feely scored an incredible 13 goals in his first dozen games for us! The run included two 4-0 wins over Halifax (Feely 3, Richardson (pen)) and Chesterfield.
But the game we were all waiting for was on Boxing Day 1974 when Malcolm Allison’s Crystal Palace were the visitors. A massive 14,565 crowd saw Gills come from behind, following a Dave Wiltshire own goal, to win 3-1. To date this was the best football I had seen us play. The equalizer was scored by Dave Shipperley. The 2nd was an absolutely cracking goal from Damien Richardson and the win was rounded off by a goal from Allan Gauden on his debut. A wonderful Christmas present!
Our much improved form continued well into the new year and instead of relegation the fans were now dreaming of promotion! The dream didn’t last long. Despite a Peter Feely goal giving us the lead at Charlton Athletic on Friday 28th February we lost 2-1 and from then on our results were two inconsistent to maintain a promotion push.
We eventually finished 10th, quite respectable for our first season in a higher division.
(Next Time: Summers' arrival in October!)