Gillingham's last visit to Holker Street

[xerxes]

The teams from 8th April 1972. This 1-0 win was our fourth in five games, and with six games remaining we were looking good to avoid a re-election application. However we lost five of those last six games, leaving us two points short of safety, and the rest is history.

I've also included another snippet from the programme about Dave Leitch (whose name is spelt wrongly in the programme) and Bob Steed. Of course Dave and Bob are still around today, and are still on the committee of the National Supporters' club, of which they were founder members back in the 1970s.

GillinghamProg72.jpg (743.32 KiB) Viewed 5455 times

GillinghamProg72a.jpg (146.56 KiB) Viewed 5455 times

[pjdaly]

Thanks for posting that, Xerxes. I remember this game well, and the battling never-say-die Mick Hollis winning it for us with a firmly drilled header (not entirely unlike Canavan's last Saturday) at the Holker Street end. Before I scrolled down, and from off the top of my head, I had the winner down as coming in the 55th minute but I see it was the 54th according to your note. Tut, tut, I must do better!

The one thing that does totally catch me out is the name of Jim Fleming as our substitute. I have zero recollection of Jim Fleming.

[Suffolk Blue]

I believe I can just about remember that game. That Gills side featured David Peach who went on to play several years in the top division with Southampton and I think was even capped for England.

[Suffolk Blue]

Was capped 8 times for the U-21s but not for the senior team. Also part of the Soton side that won the FA Cup under McMenemy.

[SKIPPER]

Like a lot of things from that season I have probably wiped that game from my memory but going further back I can't forget the famous clash in 1961. This was one of the first games I was allowed to go to on my own having recently gone up to senior school. We didn't have floodlights then and the kick-off must have been around 5-00 pm.There was an announcement that KO was delayed as the Gills were late arriving and I remember with others peering over the wall at the HSE to spot that arrival which must have been around half an hour late in a fleet of cars with a police escort, some players already getting stripped ready for action .Needless to say the contest was one sided and we were 5-0 up at half-time. Early in the second-half number 6 was added and Gillingham complained about the poor light. The training lights on the old stand were switched on, the game continued and within minutes we had made it 7-0. The ref took pity on them and abandoned the game. However Gills protests proved futile as the result was allowed to stand (the only time ever in the FL I believe outside the regulation 80 minutes) partly as a punishment for their inadequate travel arrangements.

[MisterPleasant]

Like a lot of things from that season I have probably wiped that game from my memory but going further back I can't forget the famous clash in 1961. This was one of the first games I was allowed to go to on my own having recently gone up to senior school. We didn't have floodlights then and the kick-off must have been around 5-00 pm.There was an announcement that KO was delayed as the Gills were late arriving and I remember with others peering over the wall at the HSE to spot that arrival which must have been around half an hour late in a fleet of cars with a police escort, some players already getting stripped ready for action .Needless to say the contest was one sided and we were 5-0 up at half-time. Early in the second-half number 6 was added and Gillingham complained about the poor light. The training lights on the old stand were switched on, the game continued and within minutes we had made it 7-0. The ref took pity on them and abandoned the game. However Gills protests proved futile as the result was allowed to stand (the only time ever in the FL I believe outside the regulation 80 minutes) partly as a punishment for their inadequate travel arrangements.

Phil Yelland's report of that day's events:
https://www.barrowafc.com/news/2023/mar ... tops-play/

[xerxes]

The one thing that does totally catch me out is the name of Jim Fleming as our substitute. I have zero recollection of Jim Fleming.

I don't remember him either. His name doesn't appear in the list of players' appearances in the programme. Maybe a local reserve player?

[AFC Blue]

Peter Withe in that season too

[Jim]

Looking at the names in the April 1972 game surprised me. My memory of the team in our last season in the league was that it was a bunch of youngesters brought in by Bodell who weren't good enough, but there are quite a few experienced players there.

[SKIPPER]

Looking at the names in the April 1972 game surprised me. My memory of the team in our last season in the league was that it was a bunch of youngesters brought in by Bodell who weren't good enough, but there are quite a few experienced players there.

Bodell was sacked two years before this game.

[Jim]

Looking at the names in the April 1972 game surprised me. My memory of the team in our last season in the league was that it was a bunch of youngesters brought in by Bodell who weren't good enough, but there are quite a few experienced players there.

Bodell was sacked two years before this game.

I knew he was no longer there, but I thought it was his legacy that left us with a team of youngsters that were not up to the job. Was it ex Man U coach Jack C(r)ompton who was managing us in April 72?

[SKIPPER]

It was Jack Crompton and there was a lot of thought that the boards' lobbying for re-election was downplayed because they wrongly thought his reputation alone would carry us through, A couple of years earlier Bodell had come in and saved us from re-election. He rewarded the players by releasing the majority at the seasons end to bring his own in.If my memory is correct many of those were released after about three months as they were only on short term 'trial' contracts. That meant starting again with another batch which was an unmitigated disaster and led to him being branded one of the clubs worst ever managers.

[holkerboy]

Was it ex Man U coach Jack C(r)ompton who was managing us in April 72?

Yes it was. Jack Crompton joined from Man. Utd, where he was a trainer, but he couldn't do enough to keep us in the league. He took over from Don McEvoy.

[holkerboy]

It was Jack Crompton and there was a lot of thought that the boards' lobbying for re-election was downplayed because they wrongly thought his reputation alone would carry us through, Bodell came in and saved us from re-election. He rewarded the players by releasing the majority at the seasons end to bring his own in.If my memory is correct many of those were released after about three months as they were only on short term 'trial' contracts. That meant starting again with another batch which was an unmitigated disaster and led to him being branded one of the clubs worst ever managers.

Bodell was appointed in March 1969 and sacked the following February.,

[xerxes]

It was Jack Crompton and there was a lot of thought that the boards' lobbying for re-election was downplayed because they wrongly thought his reputation alone would carry us through, Bodell came in and saved us from re-election. He rewarded the players by releasing the majority at the seasons end to bring his own in.If my memory is correct many of those were released after about three months as they were only on short term 'trial' contracts. That meant starting again with another batch which was an unmitigated disaster and led to him being branded one of the clubs worst ever managers.

Bodell was appointed in March 1969 and sacked the following February.,

Correct. He didn't save us from re-election - he got us relegated from Division 3.