:1992–93 Gillingham F.C. season

{{Featured article}}

{{Use British English|date=February 2015}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}

{{Infobox football club season

| club = Gillingham

| season = 1992–93

| manager = Damien Richardson (until 8 October 1992)
Paul Clark (caretaker, 8 – 26 October 1992)
Glenn Roeder (from 26 October 1992)

| chairman = Bernard Baker

| league = Third Division

| league result = 21st

| cup1 = FA Cup

| cup1 result = Third round

| cup2 = League Cup

| cup2 result = Second round

|cup3=League Trophy|cup3 result=First round

| league topscorer = Andy Arnott
Paul Baker
Nicky Forster (6 each)

| season topscorer = David Crown (9)

| highest attendance = 7,488 vs Southampton (23 September 1992)

| lowest attendance =1,085 vs Fulham (8 December 1992)

| pattern_b1=_whitesholderflashes|pattern_sh1=|leftarm1=0000ff|body1=0000ff|rightarm1=0000ff|shorts1=0000ff|socks1=0000ff

| pattern_b2=_blackstripes|pattern_sh2=|leftarm2=ffffff|body2=ffffff|rightarm2=ffffff|shorts2=000000|socks2=000000|pattern_la2=_black_stripes|pattern_ra2=_black_stripes

|prevseason=1991–92

|nextseason=1993–94

}}

During the 1992–93 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League Third Division, the fourth tier of the English football league system. It was the 61st season in which Gillingham competed in the Football League, and the 43rd since the club was voted back into the league in 1950. By October, the team were close to the bottom of the Third Division and Damien Richardson was dismissed from his job as the club's manager. Glenn Roeder was appointed as his replacement in a player-manager capacity. The team's performances remained poor and, with two games remaining, Gillingham still faced the possibility of finishing bottom of the league table and being relegated out of the Football League. Victory over Halifax Town in the penultimate match of the season, however, ensured that Gillingham would compete in the Third Division again in the following season. Roeder resigned as manager following the conclusion of the season after less than nine months in charge.

Gillingham also competed in three knock-out competitions. The team reached the third round of the FA Cup and the second round of the Football League Cup but failed to progress beyond the initial group stage of the Football League Trophy. The team played a total of 53 competitive matches, winning 13, drawing 17, and losing 23. David Crown was the team's top goalscorer, with five goals in the Football League and a total of nine in all competitions, the lowest figure with which a player had finished a season as Gillingham's top scorer since the 1930s. Tony Butler made the most appearances, playing in 50 of the team's 53 competitive matches. The highest attendance recorded at the club's home ground, Priestfield Stadium, was 7,488, for a game against Southampton of the FA Premier League in the second round of the Football League Cup.

Background and pre-season

File:Peter Beadle October 2020 (cropped).png (pictured in 2020) left the club before the start of the new season for a record transfer fee.]]

The 1992–93 season was Gillingham's 61st season playing in the Football League and the 43rd since the club was elected back into the League in 1950 after being voted out in 1938.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=231}} It was the club's fourth consecutive season in the fourth tier of the English football league system.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=231}} Following the 1991–92 season, the teams in the Football League First Division, the highest level of the sport in England, broke away to form the new FA Premier League. As a result, the Football League was reduced from four divisions to three, placing Gillingham in the new Third Division rather than the old Fourth Division.{{sfn|Bateson|Sewell|1992|p=5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/199293-premier-league-first-season-sky-sports-man-utd-champions|title=How the Premier League breakaway happened: The first season of 1992/93, as told by its heroes|first=Andrew|last=Murray|work=FourFourTwo|date=19 April 2021|accessdate=29 November 2021}} Gillingham had finished 11th in the 22-team division in the 1991–92 season.{{sfn|Bateson|Sewell|1992|p=56}}

At the start of the season, Damien Richardson was the club's manager, a post he had held since April{{nbsp}}1989.{{sfn|Bateson|Sewell|1992|p=300}} His assistant manager was Ron Hillyard, a fellow former Gillingham player.{{sfn|Triggs|2001|p=158}} Paul Clark served as the team's captain.{{cite journal|journal=Gillingham Vs Northampton Town Matchday Programme|title=Priestfield Profile: Paul Clark|date=15 August 1992}} The management team signed five new players prior to the first game of the season. Gary Breen, a teenaged defender, and Liburd Henry, a forward, joined from Gillingham's Kent rivals, Maidstone United, also of the Third Division.{{sfn|Triggs|2001|pp=65, 153}} Maidstone were experiencing severe financial difficulties and almost all their players left after the 1991–92 season; after being unable to fulfil their first game of the new season, they resigned from the Football League.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=9}} Veteran forward Trevor Aylott joined Gillingham from Birmingham City and Scott Barrett, a goalkeeper, arrived from Colchester United.{{sfn|Triggs|2001|pp=46, 53}} Richard Green, who had spent part of the previous season on loan to Gillingham from Swindon Town, re-joined the club on a permanent contract.{{sfn|Triggs|2001|p=139}} Several players left the club, including previous captain Alan Walker. Forward Peter Beadle joined Tottenham Hotspur of the Premier League for a transfer fee of {{Inflation|UK|300,000|1992|fmt=eq|orig=yes|cursign=£|r=-4}}, a new record for the highest fee received by Gillingham for a player.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=231}}{{sfn|Triggs|2001|p=326}}{{sfn|Triggs|2001|p=55}}

The team prepared for the new season with a number of friendly matches, one of which was a testimonial match for Bill "Buster" Collins, who had been with the club in a variety of roles since the early 1960s, including a long spell as youth team manager.{{sfn|Triggs|2001|p=94}} Manchester United player Steve Bruce, who had started his professional career at Gillingham and credited Collins as a major influence,{{sfn|Ronay|2006}} brought a team from his club to play against Gillingham in a match which drew a crowd of over 8,000 spectators.{{sfn|Elligate|2009|p=121}} The club adopted a new kit design, adding white shoulder panels to the usual blue shirts; the away kit, to be worn in the event of a clash of colours with the home team, featured black and white stripes,{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=235}} the first-choice colours worn when the club was formed in 1893.{{sfn|Triggs|1999|p=12}} Previewing the division, Keith Blackmore of The Times wrote that Gillingham were not among the bookmakers' favourites for promotion but nonetheless had a good chance, noting in particular the new signings from Maidstone and the fact that "no team containing [David] Crown and [Steve] Lovell is likely to go short of goals".{{Cite web | url = https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A116296612/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=0cf70c2c| work = The Times | access-date = 18 January 2022 | via = Gale | title = Clubs prepared for struggle to survive; Football | date = 13 August 1992|first=Keith|last=Blackmore|url-access=subscription }}

Third Division

=August–December=

File:Ron_Hillyard.jpg (pictured in 2001), who had been with the club since 1974 as a player and subsequently assistant manager, was dismissed in October along with manager Damien Richardson.]]

Gillingham's first match of the season was at their home ground, Priestfield Stadium, against Northampton Town; Lawrence Osborne gave Gillingham the lead in his only appearance of the season and indeed his final appearance for the club,{{sfn|Triggs|2001|p=240}} but they ultimately lost 3–2.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=232}} The team also lost the next game, away to Bury; goalkeeper Barrett was sent off, the first of three occasions during the season when he would be dismissed.{{sfn|Triggs|2001|p=53}} Gillingham recorded their first league win of the season at the fourth attempt, beating Wrexham 4–1 on 1 September. Lovell scored the team's only hat-trick of the season in the win, which would prove to be Gillingham's only victory in the first thirteen Third Division games of the season.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=232}} The team drew their next three games, leaving them 14th in the 22-team league table, but then lost six consecutive league matches.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=232}}

Defeat at home to Crewe Alexandra on 3 October left Gillingham 21st in the table, one place off the bottom of the entire Football League.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=232}}{{cite web|url=https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-3/03-october-1992/|title=League Division 3 table after close of play on 03 October 1992|work=11v11|publisher=AFS Enterprises|accessdate=28 November 2021}} Five days later, both Richardson and Hillyard were dismissed from their jobs by the club's board of directors.{{sfn|Elligate|2009|p=155}} It meant the end of an 18-year association with the club for Hillyard, who had joined Gillingham as a player in 1974 before becoming assistant manager in 1989.{{sfn|Triggs|2001|p=158}} Richardson attributed the team's poor performance to a combination of players' inexperience and the tactics he had employed, saying "I've lost my job on a matter of principle – teaching kids to play attractive football [...] I had to sell all the best players to get money in as the board wanted the kids to be pushed".{{Cite web | url = https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001730/19921009/462/0071 | work = Evening Herald | access-date = 18 January 2022 | via = British Newspaper Archive|first=Bob|last=Hennessy | title = Richardson pays for his principles | date = 9 October 1992|url-access=subscription }} Paul Clark, the captain, served as caretaker manager until 26 October, when Glenn Roeder was appointed as the club's new player-manager. The former Queens Park Rangers and Newcastle United defender had left third-tier Leyton Orient earlier in the year and was playing non-League football for Purfleet at the time of his appointment.{{sfn|Triggs|2001|p=278}}{{sfn|Elligate|2009|p=164}}{{Cite web | url = https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A170977376/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=582bf816 | work = The Guardian | access-date = 6 December 2021 | via = Gale | title = Soccer: Roeder lands Gillingham job | date = 27 October 1992|url-access=subscription }} His first game in charge resulted in a defeat at home to Torquay United.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=232}} That game was the final Gillingham appearance for veteran forward Lovell, who had been with the club since 1987; as he did not feature in Roeder's plans he was sent out on loan to AFC Bournemouth for a short spell before leaving Gillingham altogether in December.{{sfn|Triggs|2001|p=204}}

Gillingham won a league game for the first time in more than two months on 3 November, defeating Hereford United, and two games later beat Darlington by the same score,{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=232}} but had by then fallen to the bottom of the table.{{cite web|url=https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-3/21-November-1992/|title=League Division 3 table after close of play on 21 November 1992|work=11v11|publisher=AFS Enterprises|accessdate=2 December 2021}} The team's first two Third Division matches of December resulted in defeats to Shrewsbury Town and Colchester United; the latter game took place only two days after Gillingham had defeated the same opponents in the FA Cup.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|pp=232, 659}} Gillingham had originally been scheduled to play Maidstone on Boxing Day, but due to the latter team's withdrawal from the League, Gillingham instead re-arranged a game against Bury which had previously been scheduled for late January.{{sfn|Bateson|Sewell|1992|pp=23, 26}} Gillingham lost 4–1 in a match in which their opponents wore Gillingham's second-choice kit in the second half after the referee decided that the two teams' colours were too similar.{{sfn|Elligate|2009|p=201}} The team's final game of 1992 was away to Scunthorpe United and ended in a 2–2 draw; Roeder selected himself in the starting line-up for the first time and, having turned 37 two weeks earlier, became the oldest player to make his debut for Gillingham.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=232}}{{sfn|Elligate|2009|p=203}} The year ended with Gillingham bottom of the Third Division.{{cite web|url=https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-3/31-december-1992/|title=League Division 3 table after close of play on 31 December 1992|work=11v11|publisher=AFS Enterprises|accessdate=28 November 2021}}

=January–May=

Gillingham's first league game of 1993 was at home to Rochdale and resulted in a 4–2 victory for the home team, lifting them off the bottom of the table.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=232}}{{cite web|url=https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-3/08-January-1993/|title=League Division 3 table after close of play on 08 January 1993|work=11v11|publisher=AFS Enterprises|accessdate=29 November 2021}} Forward Paul Baker, signed from Motherwell days earlier, scored on his debut; he would start every game for the remainder of the season.{{sfn|Triggs|2001|p=49}}{{sfn|Rollin|1993|pp=232–233}} After that victory, however, Gillingham won only one of the next ten league games.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=232}} Scottish forward Paul Ritchie, signed on loan from Dundee, made his debut on 6 February against Northampton and scored Gillingham's first goal in a 2–2 draw; seven days later he scored twice as the team defeated Scarborough, only their second victory of 1993. Fellow forward Crown, who had played intermittently in the first half of the season but not made any appearances since mid-December,{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=232}} came on as a substitute against Doncaster Rovers in the last game of February and scored an equalising goal in the final minute. Gillingham ended the month one point off the bottom of the league table.{{cite web|url=https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-3/28-February-1993/|title=League Division 3 table after close of play on 28 February 1993|work=11v11|publisher=AFS Enterprises|accessdate=6 December 2021}}

File:The Main Stand, Plainmoor, Torquay - geograph.org.uk - 1229536.jpg (pictured in 1981), home of Torquay United, to complete an entire league season without an away victory.]]

Gillingham began March with two defeats, including a 2–0 loss away to Barnet in which both goals were own goals scored by Gillingham players.{{sfn|Elligate|2009|p=44}} Gillingham defeated Carlisle United on 13 March, their first win for seven games; the victory took them up to 19th in the table. Two games later, the team achieved another victory, beating Lincoln City; Nicky Forster scored twice in a 3–1 win. Having not started a match since before Christmas, Forster had returned to the team in the win over Carlisle and would remain Baker's forward partner for the rest of the season.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|pp=232–233}} The first game of April resulted in a 4–1 defeat at home to York City, only the second time the team had conceded four goals in a game during the season,{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=232}} but Gillingham then beat Shrewsbury Town, who were sixth in the table and challenging for a place in the play-offs for promotion.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=589}}{{cite web|url=https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-3/05-april-1993/|title=League Division 3 table after close of play on 05 April 1993|work=11v11|publisher=AFS Enterprises|accessdate=6 December 2021}}

A 3–0 defeat to Colchester on 16 April meant that with two games remaining, Gillingham were 20th in the Third Division and could still finish bottom, which would result in them being relegated out of the Football League.{{cite web|url=https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-3/30-april-1993/|title=League Division 3 table after close of play on 30 April 1993|work=11v11|publisher=AFS Enterprises|accessdate=29 November 2021}} The remaining games were against Halifax Town and Torquay, the two teams below Gillingham in the table.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=232}}{{Cite web | url = https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A115988851/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=7e075cd5 | work = The Times | access-date = 6 December 2021 | via = Gale | title = Gillingham fear curse could bring demotion|first=David|last=Powell | date = 1 May 1993|url-access=subscription }} On 1 May, Gillingham defeated Halifax 2–0 at Priestfield with goals from Tony Eeles and Baker; the result meant that Gillingham could no longer finish below their opponents and were therefore safe from relegation.{{sfn|Elligate|2009|p=75}}{{Cite web | url = https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A116996824/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=8a9b9990 | work = Sunday Times | access-date = 6 December 2021 | via = Gale | title = Safety first for the Gills; Football|first=Vince|last=Wright | date = 2 May 1993|url-access=subscription }} The game drew a crowd of 7,151, the largest attendance of the season for a league match at Priestfield by a margin of more than 3,000.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=232}} After the match, Roeder commented to the press that it had been the most important game in Gillingham's history, saying "All the emotion you can imagine. It was a Cup tie, wasn't it?"{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-eeles-and-baker-leave-halifax-with-unequal-battle-for-league-survival-the-tale-of-two-teams-fearing-for-their-league-future-ended-happily-for-gillingham-yesterday-owen-slot-reports-2320403.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-eeles-and-baker-leave-halifax-with-unequal-battle-for-league-survival-the-tale-of-two-teams-fearing-for-their-league-future-ended-happily-for-gillingham-yesterday-owen-slot-reports-2320403.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Football: Eeles and Baker leave Halifax with unequal battle for League survival: The tale of two teams fearing for their League future ended happily for Gillingham yesterday|first=Owen|last=Slot|work=The Independent|date=1 May 1993|accessdate=18 December 2021}}{{cbignore}} Gillingham lost to Torquay in the final match of the season and finished 21st, one place above Halifax, who lost their place in the Football League.{{cite web|url=https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-3/31-may-1993/|title=League Division 3 end of season table for 1992–93 season|work=11v11|publisher=AFS Enterprises|accessdate=19 November 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-halifax-relegated-2321712.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-halifax-relegated-2321712.html |archive-date=1 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Football: Halifax relegated|work=The Independent|date=8 May 1993|accessdate=23 November 2021|first=Niall|last=Edworthy}}{{cbignore}} The defeat meant that, for the first time in the club's history, Gillingham had gone through an entire season without winning a league game away from home.{{sfn|Brown|2003|pp=12–90, 115–116}} Reviewing the season for the magazine When Saturday Comes ten years later, Chris Lynham characterised the team as poor in all areas, picking out Aylott's unsatisfactory performance as a replacement for Beadle up front and the regularity with which the defence conceded goals in injury time.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsc.co.uk/the-archive/30-Clubs/2596-gillingham-1992-93|title=Gillingham 1992–93|first=Chris|last=Lynham|work=When Saturday Comes|date=February 2003|accessdate=18 January 2022}} Contrary to Blackmore's prediction prior to the season, only four teams in the Third Division scored fewer goals than Gillingham.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=589}}

=Match details=

;Key

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

  • In result column, Gillingham's score shown first
  • H = Home match
  • A = Away match

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

;Results{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=232}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
scope=col|Date

! scope=col|Opponents

! scope=col |Result

! scope=col class=unsortable|Goalscorers

! scope=col|Attendance

15 August 1992

!scope=row|Northampton Town (H)

|align=center|2–3

Osborne, O'Connoralign=center|3,863
22 August 1992

!scope=row|Bury (A)

|align=center|0–1

align=center|1,806
29 August 1992

!scope=row|Barnet (H)

|align=center|1–1

Crownalign=center|3,874
1 September 1992

!scope=row|Wrexham (H)

|align=center|4–1

Lovell (3, 1 pen.), Aylottalign=center|2,503
5 September 1992

!scope=row|Scarborough (A)

|align=center|1–1

Aylottalign=center|1,412
12 September 1992

!scope=row|Chesterfield (H)

|align=center|0–0

align=center|2,853
15 September 1992

!scope=row|Rochdale (A)

|align=center|1–1

Henryalign=center|1,879
19 September 1992

!scope=row|Cardiff City (A)

|align=center|1–3

Forsteralign=center|6,356
26 September 1992

!scope=row|Walsall (H)

|align=center|0–1

align=center|2,821
3 October 1992

!scope=row|Crewe Alexandra (H)

|align=center|1–2

Clarkalign=center|2,420
10 October 1992

!scope=row|Doncaster Rovers (A)

|align=center|0–1

align=center|2,477
24 October 1992

!scope=row|Halifax Town (A)

|align=center|0–2

align=center|1,216
31 October 1992

!scope=row|Torquay United (H)

|align=center|0–2

align=center|3,067
3 November 1992

!scope=row|Hereford United (H)

|align=center|3–1

Forster (2), Arnottalign=center|2,143
7 November 1992

!scope=row|Carlisle United (A)

|align=center|0–1

align=center|3,213
21 November 1992

!scope=row|Darlington (H)

|align=center|3–1

Crown, Parkin (o.g.), Forsteralign=center|2,563
28 November 1992

!scope=row|Lincoln City (A)

|align=center|1–1

Arnottalign=center|3,175
12 December 1992

!scope=row|Shrewsbury Town (A)

|align=center|1–2

Arnottalign=center|2,442
18 December 1992

!scope=row|Colchester United (H)

|align=center|0–1

align=center|2,331
26 December 1992

!scope=row|Bury (H)

|align=center|1–4

|Smith

align=center|3,632
28 December 1992

!scope=row|Scunthorpe United (A)

|align=center|2–2

Arnott, Stephensonalign=center|2,835
8 January 1993

!scope=row|Rochdale (H)

|align=center|4–2

|Arnott (2), Green, Baker

align=center|3,052
16 January 1993

!scope=row|Walsall (A)

|align=center|1–1

|Smith

align=center|3,253
23 January 1993

!scope=row|Cardiff City (H)

|align=center|0–1

|align=center|4,069
6 February 1993

!scope=row|Northampton Town (A)

|align=center|2–2

Baker, Ritchiealign=center|3,812
13 February 1993

!scope=row|Scarborough (H)

|align=center|3–1

|Ritchie (2), Stephenson

align=center|3,022
16 February 1993

!scope=row|Chesterfield (A)

|align=center|1–1

|Green

align=center|2,721
20 February 1993

!scope=row|Wrexham (A)

|align=center|0–2

|align=center|4,415
27 February 1993

!scope=row|Doncaster Rovers (H)

|align=center|1–1

Crownalign=center|2,975
2 March 1993

!scope=row|Barnet (A)

|align=center|0–2

|align=center|3,446
6 March 1993

!scope=row|Crewe Alexandra (A)

|align=center|1–3

Martinalign=center|3,215
9 March 1993

!scope=row|York City (A)

|align=center|1–1

|Eeles

align=center|3,327
13 March 1993

!scope=row|Carlisle United (H)

|align=center|1–0

Smithalign=center|3,307
20 March 1993

!scope=row|Hereford United (A)

|align=center|1–3

Crownalign=center|2,188
23 March 1993

!scope=row|Lincoln City (H)

|align=center|3–1

Green, Forster (2)align=center|2,906
27 March 1993

!scope=row|Darlington (A)

|align=center|1–1

Cranealign=center|2,404
2 April 1993

!scope=row|York City (H)

|align=center|1–4

Bakeralign=center|3,912
6 April 1993

!scope=row|Shrewsbury Town (H)

|align=center|1–0

Crownalign=center|3,086
12 April 1993

!scope=row|Scunthorpe United (H)

|align=center|1–1

Bakeralign=center|3,854
16 April 1993

!scope=row|Colchester United (A)

|align=center|0–3

align=center|4,695
1 May 1993

!scope=row|Halifax Town (H)

|align=center|2–0

Eeles, Bakeralign=center|7,151
8 May 1993

!scope=row|Torquay United (A)

|align=center|1–2

Bakeralign=center|4,645

=Partial league table=

{{main|1992–93 Football League#Third Division}}

{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL|

|float=left

|teamwidth=auto

|title=Football League Third Division final table, bottom positions

|res_col_header=PR

|highest_pos=17

|team17=WRE|name_WRE=Hereford United

|team18=POR|name_POR=Carlisle United

|team19=BRE|name_BRE=Torquay United

|team21=GIL|name_GIL=Gillingham

|team20=BUR|name_BUR=Northampton Town

|team22=CHE|name_CHE=Halifax Town

|win_WRE=10|draw_WRE=15|loss_WRE=17|gf_WRE=47|ga_WRE=60

|win_POR=11|draw_POR=11|loss_POR=20|gf_POR=51|ga_POR=65

|win_BRE=12|draw_BRE=7|loss_BRE=23|gf_BRE=45|ga_BRE=67

|win_BUR=11|draw_BUR=8|loss_BUR=23|gf_BUR=48|ga_BUR=74

|win_GIL=9|draw_GIL=13|loss_GIL=20|gf_GIL=48|ga_GIL=64

|win_CHE=9|draw_CHE=9|loss_CHE=24|gf_CHE=45|ga_CHE=68

|col_CP=|text_CP=

|result1=

|col_P=|text_P=

|result2=|result3=

|col_PP=|text_PP=Relegated to Football Conference

|result22=PP

|update=complete|title_source={{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=589}}

}}

{{-}}

Cup matches

=FA Cup=

As a Third Division team, Gillingham entered the 1992–93 FA Cup in the first round and were paired with Kettering Town of the Football Conference, the fifth tier of English football, who had entered the competition in the fourth and final qualifying round.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=655}} Kettering took the lead in the first half before Gillingham scored twice. Despite being forced to substitute their goalkeeper due to an injury before half-time, with former Gillingham midfielder Ian Docker taking over in goal, the Conference team levelled the scores in the second half and nearly held on for a draw. Forster scored a winner in the 85th minute, however, meaning that Gillingham progressed past the first round of the FA Cup for the first time in five seasons.{{cite journal|journal=Gillingham Vs Colchester United Matchday Programme|title=Matchpoints|date=5 December 1992}}{{sfn|Brown|2003|pp=98–102}} In the second round their opponents were fellow Third Division team Colchester United. The initial match, at Priestfield, resulted in a 1–1 draw, necessitating a replay at Layer Road in Colchester.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=658}} Gillingham won the replay 3–2 with goals from Forster, Andy Arnott and Henry.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=659}} The Premier League and First Division teams entered the competition in the third round, but Gillingham were paired with Huddersfield Town of the Second Division. The initial match at Priestfield ended in a goalless draw, meaning another replay.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=660}} Gillingham lost 2–1 in the replay at Leeds Road and were eliminated from the competition.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=662}}

==Match details==

;Key

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

  • In result column, Gillingham's score shown first
  • H = Home match
  • A = Away match

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

;Results{{sfn|Rollin|1993|pp=655–662}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
scope=col|Date

! scope=col|Round

! scope=col|Opponents

! scope=col |Result

! scope=col class=unsortable|Goalscorers

! scope=col|Attendance

14 November 1992First

!scope=row|Kettering Town (H)

|align=center|3–2

Clark, Crown, Forsteralign=center|3,962
5 December 1992Second

!scope=row|Colchester United (H)

|align=center|1–1

Crownalign=center|5,319
16 December 1992Second (replay)

!scope=row|Colchester United (A)

|align=center|3–2

Forster, Arnott, Henryalign=center|4,440
2 January 1993Third

!scope=row|Huddersfield Town (H)

|align=center|0–0

align=center|5,413
13 January 1993Third (replay)

!scope=row|Huddersfield Town (A)

|align=center|1–2

Green (pen.)align=center|5,144

=Football League Cup=

As a Third Division team, Gillingham entered the 1992–93 Football League Cup in the first round and were paired with Northampton Town; the first leg of the two-legged tie took place only three days after Gillingham had played Northampton in the first league match of the season. Gillingham won both legs, 2–0 at home and 2–1 away, and thus won the tie 4–1 on aggregate.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|pp=616, 620}} In the second round, they played Southampton of the Premier League. The first leg took place at Priestfield and drew a crowd of 7,488, the largest attendance recorded at the stadium during the season. Despite playing a team from three levels higher, Gillingham achieved a 0–0 draw.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=621}} In the second leg at The Dell, however, the Premier League team won 3–0 to eliminate Gillingham from the competition.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=624}}

==Match details==

;Key

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

  • In result column, Gillingham's score shown first
  • H = Home match
  • A = Away match

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

;Results{{sfn|Rollin|1993|pp=616, 620, 621, 624}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
scope=col|Date

! scope=col|Round

! scope=col|Opponents

! scope=col |Result

! scope=col class=unsortable|Goalscorers

! scope=col|Attendance

18 August 1992First (first leg)

!scope=row|Northampton Town (H)

|align=center|2–1

Crown, Lovellalign=center|2,245
18 August 1992First (second leg)

!scope=row|Northampton Town (A)

|align=center|2–0

Crown, Aylottalign=center|2,390
23 September 1992Second (first leg)

!scope=row|Southampton (H)

|align=center|0–0

align=center|7,488
7 October 1992Second (second leg)

!scope=row|Southampton (A)

|align=center|0–3

align=center|6,764

=Football League Trophy=

The 1992–93 Football League Trophy, a tournament exclusively for Second and Third Division teams, began with a first round in which the teams were drawn into groups of three, contested on a round-robin basis. Gillingham were grouped with Leyton Orient and Fulham, both of the Second Division. The first group game took place on 1 December and resulted in Orient defeating Gillingham 4–1. A week later, Gillingham played at home to Fulham and drew 3–3 in front of a crowd of 1,085, the lowest of the season at Priestfield. Fulham and Orient drew 2–2 in the final group game on 15 December, meaning that Gillingham finished bottom of the three-team group and were eliminated from the competition.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|pp=636–637}}

==Match details==

;Key

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

  • In result column, Gillingham's score shown first
  • H = Home match
  • A = Away match

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

;Results{{sfn|Rollin|1993|pp=636–637}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
scope=col|Date

! scope=col|Round

! scope=col|Opponents

! scope=col |Result

! scope=col class=unsortable|Goalscorers

! scope=col|Attendance

1 December 1992First

!scope=row|Leyton Orient (A)

|align=center|1–4

Aylottalign=center|1,667
8 December 1992First

!scope=row|Fulham (H)

|align=center|3–3

Henry (2), O'Connoralign=center|1,085

Players

File:Mark O'Connor footballer.jpg (pictured in 2013) made 32 appearances.]]

Thirty-one players made at least one appearance for Gillingham during the season. Tony Butler made the most, playing in 50 of the team's 53 competitive matches. Four other players played over 40 times: Neil Smith (49), Green (48), Clark (44) and Barrett (42). Three players made only one appearance each: Kevin Hunt, Matt Joseph, and Osborne.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=233}} Player-manager Roeder only included himself in the starting line-up on seven occasions out of a possible thirty-five,{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=102}} mainly due to injury.

Seventeen players scored at least one goal for the team. Crown was the highest scorer, with 5 goals in the Football League, 2 in the FA Cup, and 2 in the League Cup. His total of 9 goals was the lowest with which a player had finished a season as Gillingham's top scorer since the 1930s.{{sfn|Triggs|2001|p=348}} Baker, Arnott and Forster were joint top scorers in Football League matches alone, each scoring 6 Third Division goals.{{sfn|Rollin|1993|p=233}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

|+Player statistics{{sfn|Brown|2003|p=102}}

rowspan=2 style="width:20em"scope=col|Player

!rowspan=2|Position

!colspan=2 style="width:10em"scope=col|Third Division

!colspan=2 style="width:10em"scope=col|FA Cup

!colspan=2 style="width:10em"scope=col|League Cup

!colspan=2 style="width:10em"scope=col|League Trophy

!colspan=2 style="width:10em"scope=col|Total

style="width:5em"|Apps

!style="width:5em"|Goals

!style="width:5em"|Apps

!style="width:5em"|Goals

!style="width:5em"|Apps

!style="width:5em"|Goals

!style="width:5em"|Apps

!style="width:5em"|Goals

!style="width:5em"|Apps

!style="width:5em"|Goals

scope=row align=left| {{sortname|Andy|Arnott}}

|MF||15||6||5||1||2||0||0||0||22||7

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Trevor|Aylott}}

|FW||10||2||1||0||2||1||2||1||15||4

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Paul|Baker|dab=footballer}}

|FW||21||6||0||0||0||0||0||0||21||6

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Scott|Barrett|dab=footballer}}

|GK||34||0||4||0||3||0||1||0||42||0

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Gary|Breen}}

|DF||29||0||4||0||4||0||0||0||37||0

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Tony|Butler|dab=footballer}}

|DF||41||0||5||0||4||0||0||0||50||0

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Richard|Carpenter|dab=footballer}}

|MF||28||0||3||0||2||0||0||0||33||0

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Paul|Clark|dab=footballer}}

|DF||35||1||5||1||4||0||0||0||44||2

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Steve|Crane}}

|FW||7||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||7||1

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|David|Crown}}

|FW||20||5||2||2||2||2||0||0||24||9

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Mark|Dempsey|dab=Irish footballer}}

|MF||16||0||3||0||1||0||2||0||22||0

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Joe|Dunne}}

|DF||4||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||5||0

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Tony|Eeles}}

|MF||14||2||2||0||1||0||0||0||17||2

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Nicky|Forster}}

|FW||23||6||3||2||3||0||0||0||29||8

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Richard|Green|dab=footballer}}

|DF||39||3||4||1||3||0||2||0||48||4

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Paul|Hague}}

|DF||1||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||3||0

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Liburd|Henry}}

|FW||28||1||3||1||4||0||2||2||37||4

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Scott|Houghton}}

|MF||3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||3||0

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Kevin|Hunt|dab=footballer, born 1975}}

|MF||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||1||0

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Matt|Joseph}}

|DF||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||1||0

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Harvey|Lim}}

|GK||8||0||1||0||1||0||1||0||11||0

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Steve|Lovell|dab=Welsh footballer}}

|FW||13||3||0||0||4||1||0||0||17||4

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Eliot|Martin}}

|DF||22||1||3||0||0||0||0||0||25||1

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Mark|O'Connor|dab=English footballer}}

|MF||21||1||5||0||4||0||2||1||32||2

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Lawrence|Osborne|dab=footballer}}

|MF||1||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||1

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Lee|Palmer}}

|DF||10||0||3||0||1||0||2||0||16||0

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Paul|Ritchie|dab=footballer, born 1969}}

|FW||6||3||0||0||0||0||0||0||6||3

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Glenn|Roeder}}

|DF||6||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||7||0

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Neil|Smith|dab=footballer}}

|MF||39||3||4||0||4||0||2||0||49||3

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Paul|Stephenson|dab=footballer}}

|MF||12||2||0||0||0||0||2||0||14||2

scope=row align=left|{{sortname|Paul|Watson|dab=footballer, born 1975}}

|DF||1||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||3||0

{{refbegin}}

FW = {{Fb position, MF = {{Fb position, GK = {{Fb position, DF = {{Fb position

{{refend}}

Aftermath

Top goalscorer Crown left the club at the end of the season and joined Dagenham & Redbridge of the Conference.{{sfn|Triggs|2001|p=99}} Aylott, who had played only one game since Christmas, also moved on, as did midfielder Mark O'Connor.{{sfn|Triggs|2001|pp=46, 237}} In July, Roeder resigned as manager to take the equivalent role at Watford of the First Division, one of the clubs for which he had played.{{Cite news

| url = http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:LTIB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F91FC7EE532FD14&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB57AB53DF815

| title = Roeder appointed Watford manager – Football

| access-date=12 December 2008|date=10 July 1993

| work=The Times|via=NewsBank

}} Watford were later fined {{Inflation|UK|10,000|1992|fmt=eq|orig=yes|cursign=£|r=-4}} by the Football Association, the governing body of the sport in England, for making an illegal approach to Roeder.{{sfn|Bateson|Sewell|1994|p=273}} Mike Flanagan was promoted from reserves and youth coach to become Gillingham's new manager.{{Cite news

| url = http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:LTIB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F91FC87ABAAB26C&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB57AB53DF815

| title = Deane transfer causes split – Football

| access-date=12 December 2008|date=13 July 1993

| work=The Times|first=Keith|last=Pike|via=NewsBank

}} In the 1993–94 season, he led Gillingham to a 16th-place finish in the Third Division.{{cite web|url=https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-3/31-may-1994/|title=League Division 3 end of season table for 1993-94 season|work=11v11|publisher=AFS Enterprises|accessdate=2 December 2021}}

References

{{reflist}}

=Works cited=

  • {{cite book|editor-last1=Bateson|editor-first1=Bill|editor-last2=Sewell |editor-first2=Albert |title=News of the World Football Annual 1992–93 |publisher=Invincible Press |date=1992|isbn=978-0-85543-188-4 |location=London}}
  • {{cite book|editor-last1=Bateson|editor-first1=Bill|editor-last2=Sewell|editor-first2=Albert|title=News of the World Football Annual 1994–95 |publisher=Invincible Press |date=1994 |isbn=978-0-85543-223-2|location=London}}
  • {{cite book | last = Brown | first = Tony | title = The Definitive Gillingham F.C.: A Complete Record | publisher = Soccerdata | year = 2003 | isbn = 978-1-89946-820-1 |location=Nottingham}}
  • {{cite book | last = Elligate | first = David | title = Gillingham FC On This Day | publisher = Pitch Publishing | year = 2009 | isbn = 978-1-9054-1145-0 |location=Durrington}}
  • {{cite book|editor-last1=Rollin|editor-first1=Jack |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1993–94 |publisher=Headline Publishing Group |date=1993 |isbn=978-0-74727-895-5 |location=London}}
  • {{cite book|editor-last1=Ronay|editor-first1=Barney|editor-link=Barney Ronay |title=Studs!: The Greatest Retro Football Annual the World Has Ever Seen |publisher=Ebury Press |date=2006 |isbn=978-0-09191-364-9 |location=London}}
  • {{cite book | first=Roger|last= Triggs | title=Images of England: Gillingham Football Club| publisher=Tempus Publishing Ltd | year=1999| isbn=978-0-75241-567-3|location=Stroud}}
  • {{cite book | first=Roger|last= Triggs | title=The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club| publisher=Tempus Publishing Ltd | year=2001| isbn=978-0-75242-243-5|location=Stroud}}

{{Gillingham F.C. seasons}}

{{1992–93 in English football}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1992-93 Gillingham F.C. season}}

Category:Gillingham F.C. seasons

Gillingham Fc Season, 1992-93