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The Dugout Diaries: Dugout Gold

Last updated : 08 September 2005 By Dugout Doug

Doug here!


As I will be away for the next two home games, I have been looking back at our time in the second tier of English football, and have chosen the first in a series of Dugout Gold:


Top Dugout: v Chelsea - Sunday 28th January 2001


The FA Cup in 2000/2001 season brought us face to face with the cup holders Chelsea. Only 11 months prior the class divide had shown when at Stamford Bridge we went down 5-0. This game was a lot closer with Chelsea running out winners 4-2. I remember the game for two main reasons. Firstly the atmosphere created by the Gils fans was amazing….. the best I have ever heard at Priestfield. The other, from a Dugout point of view, the best away bench I have ever seen at Priestfield:


Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Ed de Goey, Gus Poyet, Mario Stanic, and Graham Le Saux.


What a day it was. Sky Sports were covering the game. News had just filtered through that West Ham had beaten Manchester United. I was able to watch the now famous goal from Paolo Di Canio in one of the Sky monitors (Fabien Barthez trying to put off Di Canio by signalling for offside. Di Canio not falling for it and slotting it past him!). We went 1-0 down early on due to a mix up between Ashby and Bartram which let in Gudjohnsen for an easy goal. We were 3-0 down after 25 minutes, with Jesper Gronkjaer bagging a brace, and it started looking like a pasting. Le Boeuf escaped a sending off by feigning injury after bringing down Iffy. As he came past the dugout I’m glad I remember some French that I definitely didn’t learn at A-Level.


After half time we pulled two goals back through Paul Shaw and Iffy. We pegged Chelsea back in their own half for the rest of the match, but couldn’t break through. Gudjohnsen scored a breakaway goal right at the end.


Hasselbaink, all £15 million of him, just looked on from the bench. (NOTE: £15 million was a lot of money for a transfer in those days kids!). Adie Pennock was constantly ribbing him from across the way, which was hilarious to watch.


I will leave you with the words of Jesper Gronkjaer:


“I have heard a lot about the FA Cup and everything I heard I realised is true ”