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===FA Cup===
===FA Cup===
[[File:The_last_ever_game_at_Highbury.jpg|thumb|right|alt=View of Arsenal Stadium during a match|Gillingham were eliminated from the FA Cup at [[Arsenal Stadium]].]]
[[File:The_last_ever_game_at_Highbury.jpg|thumb|right|alt=View of Arsenal Stadium during a match|Gillingham were eliminated from the FA Cup at [[Arsenal Stadium]].]]
As a First Division team, Gillingham entered the [[2001–02 FA Cup]] in the third round; in the random draw they were allocated an [[road (sports)|away]] game with fellow First Division team [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]]. A goal from [[Paul Shaw (footballer)|Paul Shaw]] early in the second half secured a 1&ndash;0 win and only a series of saves by home goalkeeper [[Michael Oakes]] kept Gillingham from winning by a larger margin.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/1735070.stm|title=Shaw shocks Wolves|work=[[BBC Sport]]|date=5 January 2002|accessdate=17 July 2024}}</ref> In the fourth round Gillingham played [[Bristol Rovers F.C.|Bristol Rovers]] of the [[Football League Third Division|Third Division]]. [[BBC Sport]] stated that Gillingham "dominated from start to finish" but despite this they won only narrowly, the only goal coming when Rovers' [[Scott Jones (English footballer)|Scott Jones]] deflected the ball past his own goalkeeper to score an [[own goal]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/1799936.stm|title=Gills edge out Rovers|work=[[BBC Sport]]|date=5 February 2002|accessdate=17 July 2024}}</ref>
As a First Division team, Gillingham entered the [[2001–02 FA Cup]] in the third round; in the random draw they were allocated an [[road (sports)|away]] game with fellow First Division team [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]]. A goal from [[Paul Shaw (footballer)|Paul Shaw]] early in the second half secured a 1&ndash;0 win and only a series of saves by home goalkeeper [[Michael Oakes]] kept Gillingham from winning by a larger margin.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/1735070.stm|title=Shaw shocks Wolves|work=[[BBC Sport]]|date=5 January 2002|accessdate=17 July 2024}}</ref> In the fourth round Gillingham played [[Bristol Rovers F.C.|Bristol Rovers]] of the [[Football League Third Division|Third Division]]. [[BBC Sport]] stated that Gillingham "dominated from start to finish" against their lower-league opponents, but despite this they won only narrowly, the only goal coming when Rovers' [[Scott Jones (English footballer)|Scott Jones]] deflected the ball past his own goalkeeper to score an [[own goal]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/1799936.stm|title=Gills edge out Rovers|work=[[BBC Sport]]|date=5 February 2002|accessdate=17 July 2024}}</ref>


Gillingham's opponents in the fifth round were [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]], who in the previous season had been beaten finalists in the FA Cup and finished second in the Premier League. Arsenal made a number of changes to their team for the match. Two of their key players, leading goalscorer [[Thierry Henry]] and [[Robert Pires]], who would go on to win the [[Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year]] award for his performances during the season, were named only as [[substitute (association football)|substitute]]s. Twice Arsenal took the lead only for Gillingham to [[equaliser (sports)|equalise]], the second time with a [[lob (association football)|lobbed]] goal from [[Ty Gooden]] which BBC Sport described as "sensational" and "stunning". After both Henry and Pires were brought on, Arsenal scored three goals to secure a 5&ndash;2 victory which BBC Sport said made the match look more one-sided than it had actually been.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/1819167.stm|title=Arsenal survive Gills scare|work=[[BBC Sport]]|date=16 February 2002|accessdate=17 July 2024}}</ref>
Gillingham's opponents in the fifth round were [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]], who in the previous season had been beaten finalists in the FA Cup and finished second in the Premier League. Arsenal made a number of changes to their team for the match. Two of their key players, leading goalscorer [[Thierry Henry]] and [[Robert Pires]], who would go on to win the [[Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year]] award for his performances during the season, were named only as [[substitute (association football)|substitute]]s. Twice Arsenal took the lead only for Gillingham to [[equaliser (sports)|equalise]], the second time with a [[lob (association football)|lobbed]] goal from [[Ty Gooden]] which BBC Sport described as "sensational" and "stunning". After both Henry and Pires were brought on, Arsenal scored three goals to secure a 5&ndash;2 victory which BBC Sport said made the match look more one-sided than it had actually been.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/1819167.stm|title=Arsenal survive Gills scare|work=[[BBC Sport]]|date=16 February 2002|accessdate=17 July 2024}}</ref>

Revision as of 22:08, 17 July 2024

Gillingham
2001–02 season
ChairmanPaul Scally
ManagerAndy Hessenthaler
First Division12th
FA CupFifth round
League CupThird round
Top goalscorerLeague: Marlon King (17)
All: Marlon King (20)
Highest home attendancetbc
Lowest home attendancetbc

During the 2001–02 English football season, Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League First Division, the second tier of the English football league system. It was the 70th season in which Gillingham competed in the Football League, and the 52nd since the club was voted back into the league in 1950. It was Gillingham's second consecutive season in the second tier of the English football league system, to which the club had gained promotion for the first time in 2000.

Background and pre-season

The 2001–02 season was Gillingham's 70th season playing in the Football League and the 52nd since the club was elected back into the League in 1950 after being voted out in 1938.[1] In the 1999–2000 season, Gillingham beat Wigan Athletic in the Second Division play-off final to reach the second tier of the English football league system for the first time in the club's history.[2] In the team's first season at this level, Gillingham were seen by pundits as likely to struggle in the First Division and potentially finish 22nd or lower out of 24 teams in the league table, which would result in relegation back to the third tier,[3][4][5] but instead the team finished in 13th place.[5]

Andy Hessenthaler was the club's player-manager, a position he had held since 2000.[6] Richard Hill was assistant manager and Wayne Jones held the position of first team coach.[7] Gillingham made only one new signing ahead of the new season: David Perpetuini, a midfielder, joined from Watford for a transfer fee of £100,000 just two days before the first game of the campaign. In his column in the first matchday programme of the season, written before Perpetuini was signed, Hessenthaler apologised to supporters for being unable to strengthen the squad and said that the club was finding it increasingly hard to compete for new players with other First Division clubs due to the wages which Gillingham could afford to offer.

Gillingham's first-choice kit consisted of shirts, shorts, and socks all in the club's traditional blue; the second-choice kit, to be worn when there was a clash of colours with the opposition and Gillingham were the team required by the rules of the competition to change, was all-yellow. Prior to the season, the club announced a new sponsorship deal with the ferry operator SeaFrance, which meant that the company's name was displayed on the players' shirts. The team's preparations for the new season began with a trip to Barbados, where they played a friendly match against the national team, followed by further friendlies in the UK. BBC Sport predicted that the team had "a tough season in prospect" and that they would "find it more difficult [...] as other teams become aware of their strengths".[8]

First Division

August–December

Football Jlloyd Samuel
Jlloyd Samuel spent two months on loan to Gillingham from Aston Villa.

Gillingham's first match of the season was at home to Preston North End,[9] who in the previous season had reached the final of the play-offs for promotion to the Premier League but been defeated.[10] Marlon King, Gillingham's leading goalscorer in the previous season, was missing from the team as he had been given a two-match ban as punishment for offensive comments made to the referee during a previous game. Marcus Browning scored twice, his first goals for Gillingham after more than 40 games for the club, in a 5–0 victory for the home team. It was the first time Gillingham had scored five times in a game since October 1999.[11] Following a goalless draw away to Sheffield United, Gillingham won 3–0 at home to Barnsley, King scoring twice in his first start of the season. The result meant that Gillingham were third in the league table and were the only First Division yet to concede a league goal.[12] After this strong start to the First Division season, Gillingham lost their next four league games and slipped to 17th place in the table.

In October, Jlloyd Samuel, a young defender, joined Gillingham on loan from Aston Villa of the Premier League and went straight into the starting line-up for the home game with Walsall, replacing the injured Adrian Pennock.

Gillingham finished 2001 in 12th place in the league table.[13]

January–May

Football Jason Brown
Jason Brown made his debut for the club in March and retained the position of goalkeeper for the remainder of the season.

Gillingham's first match of 2002 ended in a 1–0 defeat at home to Sheffield United.

On 5 March, 19-year-old Jason Brown made his debut for the club, replacing Vince Bartram as starting goalkeeper. Brown had joined the club a year earlier, but had never previously been able to displace Bartram from the team; Hessenthaler named him in the starting line-up for the match against Grimsby Town after Bartram had been criticised for his recent performances.[14][15] Although Brown conceded an early goal, Gillingham won 2–1 with goals from Paul Shaw and Guy Ipoua;[16] Hessenthaler described Brown's performance as "superb",[14] and he retained the starting goalkeeper position for the remainder of the season.[9]

Gillingham's final match of the season was away to Watford. At half-time the score was 1–1; Watford took the lead early in the second half but goals from Paul Shaw and Iffy Onoura gave Gillingham a 3–2 victory; in addition to scoring the winning goal, Onoura provided the assist for both of his team's other goals.[17] The result meant that Gillingham finished the season 12th in the First Division.[18]

League match details

Key

  • In result column, Gillingham's score shown first
  • H = Home match
  • A = Away match
Results[19]
Date Opponents Result Goalscorers Attendance
11 August 2001 Preston North End (H) 5–0 Browning (2), Ashby, Onuora, Gooden 9,412
18 August 2001 Sheffield United (A) 0–0 16,998
25 August 2001 Barnsley (H) 3–0 Onuora, King (2) 8,292
27 August 2001 West Bromwich Albion (A) 0–1 18,180
8 September 2001 Portsmouth (A) 1–2 Onuora 17,224
14 September 2001 Bradford City (A) 1–5 King 14,101
18 September 2001 Wolverhampton Wanderers (H) 2–3 Ipoua, King (pen.) 8,966
22 September 2001 Rotherham United (H) 2–1 King, Hope 7,688
25 September 2001 Grimsby Town (A) 2–1 Hope, King 4,859
29 September 2001 Coventry City (H) 1–2 Shaw 9,435
13 October 2001 Norwich City (H) 0–2 9,166
20 October 2001 Wimbledon (A) 1–3 Butters 8,042
23 October 2001 Birmingham City (A) 1–2 Ipoua 27,101
27 October 2001 Walsall (H) 2–0 Perpetuini, Ipoua 7,548
30 October 2001 Burnley (H) 2–2 Osborn, Ipoua 8,067
3 November 2001 Manchester City (A) 1–4 King 33,067
10 November 2001 Crewe Alexandra (A) 0–0 5,419
18 November 2001 Watford (H) 0–0 8,733
21 November 2001 Crystal Palace (H) 3–0 Ipoua (2), Onuora 9,396
24 November 2001 Millwall (A) 2–1 Ipoua, King 15,214
27 November 2001 Stockport County (A) 2–0 Onuora, King 4,854
30 November 2001 Birmingham City (H) 1–1 Purse (o.g.) 8,575
8 December 2001 Nottingham Forest (A) 2–2 Shaw (2) 18,303
15 December 2001 Sheffield Wednesday (H) 2–1 Shaw, Osborn 8,586
22 December 2001 Barnsley (A) 1–4 Morgan (o.g.) 11,965
26 December 2001 Portsmouth (H) 2–0 King, Shaw 10,477
29 December 2001 West Bromwich Albion (H) 2–1 Hope, Smith 9,912
12 January 2002 Sheffield United (H) 0–1 8,814
16 January 2002 Crystal Palace (A) 1–3 Onuora 17,646
19 January 2002 Preston North End (A) 2–0 Osborn, Smith 13,289
29 January 2002 Stockport County (H) 3–3 Ashby, Osborn, King (pen.) 7,217
2 February 2002 Coventry City (A) 2–1 Onuora, King 14,337
9 February 2002 Wimbledon (H) 0–0 8,494
23 February 2002 Bradford City (H) 0–4 7,789
26 February 2002 Rotherham United (A) 2–3 Onuora, King 6,005
2 March 2002 Wolverhampton Wanderers (A) 0–2 25,908
5 March 2002 Grimsby Town (H) 2–1 Shaw, Ipoua 7,025
9 March 2002 Sheffield Wednesday (A) 0–0 20,361
16 March 2002 Nottingham Forest (H) 3–1 King (2), Browning 8,928
19 March 2002 Norwich City (A) 1–2 Onuora 16,479
24 March 2002 Millwall (H) 1–0 King 8,082
30 March 2002 Walsall (A) 1–1 Saunders 6,190
1 April 2002 Crewe Alexandra (H) 1–0 King (pen.) 7,748
6 April 2002 Burnley (A) 0–2 16,236
13 April 2002 Manchester City (H) 1–3 Onuora 9,494
21 April 2002 Watford (A) 3–2 Hope, Shaw, Onuora 15,674

Partial league table

Main article: 2001–02 Football League § First Division
Football League First Division final table, positions 10–14[20]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
10 Crystal Palace 46 20 6 20 70 62 +8 66
11 Coventry City 46 20 6 20 59 53 +6 66
12 Gillingham 46 18 10 18 64 67 −3 64
13 Sheffield United 46 15 15 16 53 54 −1 60
14 Watford 46 16 11 19 62 56 +6 59

Cup matches

FA Cup

View of Arsenal Stadium during a match
Gillingham were eliminated from the FA Cup at Arsenal Stadium.

As a First Division team, Gillingham entered the 2001–02 FA Cup in the third round; in the random draw they were allocated an away game with fellow First Division team Wolverhampton Wanderers. A goal from Paul Shaw early in the second half secured a 1–0 win and only a series of saves by home goalkeeper Michael Oakes kept Gillingham from winning by a larger margin.[21] In the fourth round Gillingham played Bristol Rovers of the Third Division. BBC Sport stated that Gillingham "dominated from start to finish" against their lower-league opponents, but despite this they won only narrowly, the only goal coming when Rovers' Scott Jones deflected the ball past his own goalkeeper to score an own goal.[22]

Gillingham's opponents in the fifth round were Arsenal, who in the previous season had been beaten finalists in the FA Cup and finished second in the Premier League. Arsenal made a number of changes to their team for the match. Two of their key players, leading goalscorer Thierry Henry and Robert Pires, who would go on to win the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award for his performances during the season, were named only as substitutes. Twice Arsenal took the lead only for Gillingham to equalise, the second time with a lobbed goal from Ty Gooden which BBC Sport described as "sensational" and "stunning". After both Henry and Pires were brought on, Arsenal scored three goals to secure a 5–2 victory which BBC Sport said made the match look more one-sided than it had actually been.[23]

FA Cup match details

Key

  • In result column, Gillingham's score shown first
  • H = Home match
  • A = Away match
Results[24]
Date Round Opponents Result Goalscorers Attendance
5 January 2002 Third Wolverhampton Wanderers (A) 1–0 Shaw 15,271
5 February 2002 Fourth Bristol Rovers (H) 1–0 Jones (o.g.) 9,772
16 February 2002 Fifth Arsenal (A) 2–5 King, Gooden 38,003

Football League Cup

Gillingham reached the third round of the 2001–02 Football League Cup.[25]

League Cup match details

Key

  • In result column, Gillingham's score shown first
  • H = Home match
  • A = Away match
Results[26]
Date Round Opponents Result Goalscorers Attendance
21 August 2001 First Oxford United (A) 2–1 (a.e.t.) King (pen), Onuora 5,886
11 September 2001 Second Millwall (H) 2–1 King, Ipoua 7,511
9 October 2001 Third Southampton (H) 0–2 7,948

Players

Footballer Marlon King
Marlon King (pictured in 2012) was the team's top goalscorer.
Footballer Andy Hessenthaler
Andy Hessenthaler (pictured in 2009), the team's player-manager, made 20 appearances during the season.
Player statistics[25]
No. Player Position First Division FA Cup League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
5 Barry Ashby DF 28 1 3 0 2 0 33 1
1 Vince Bartram GK 36 0 3 0 3 0 42 0
13 Jason Brown GK 10 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
14 Marcus Browning MF 42 3 3 0 3 0 48 3
6 Guy Butters DF 23 1 0 0 1 0 24 1
3 Roland Edge DF 14 0 0 0 2 0 16 0
11 Ty Gooden MF 25 1 3 1 2 0 30 2
8 Andy Hessenthaler MF 17 0 1 0 2 0 20 0
18 Chris Hope DF 46 4 3 0 3 0 52 4
10 Guy Ipoua FW 40 8 3 0 3 1 46 9
20 Kevin James MF 10 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
9 Marlon King FW 42 17 3 1 3 2 48 20
7 Nyron Nosworthy DF 29 0 2 0 0 0 31 0
19 Iffy Onuora FW 33 11 3 0 3 1 39 12
21 Simon Osborn MF 28 4 3 0 0 0 31 4
2 Mark Patterson DF 20 0 2 0 3 0 25 0
17 Adrian Pennock DF 10 0 0 0 3 0 13 0
26 David Perpetuini MF 34 1 3 0 2 0 39 1
16 Richard Rose DF 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
28 JLloyd Samuel DF 8 0 0 0 0 0 8 0
15 Mark Saunders MF 19 1 0 0 1 0 20 1
12 Paul Shaw FW 37 7 3 1 3 0 43 8
4 Paul Smith MF 46 2 3 0 3 0 52 2
22 Danny Spiller MF 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
27 Robert Taylor FW 11 0 0 0 0 0 11 0

FW = Forward, MF = Midfielder, GK = Goalkeeper, DF = Defender

Aftermath

The following season, Gillingham once again improved their final league position, ending the season in 11th place in the First Division. In terms of league standings, this would prove to be the peak of the club's time in the second tier of English football. In the 2003–04 season, they finished 21st, level on points with 22nd-placed Walsall and avoiding relegation only by virtue of a superior goal difference.[27][28] Hessenthaler resigned as manager in November 2004 as the team again struggled near the foot of the renamed Football League Championship,[29][30] and at the end of the 2004–05 season Gillingham were relegated, ending a five-season spell in the division.[31] As of 2024, the club has never returned to the second tier of English football.[32]

References

  1. ^ Rollin & Rollin 2000, pp. 34–35.
  2. ^ "Second time lucky for Gills". BBC Sport. 28 May 2000. Archived from the original on 3 March 2003. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  3. ^ Tomas, Jason (6 August 2000). "Football: Nationwide League Countdown: Nationwide predictions". The Observer. p. 6. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 23 November 2021 – via Gale.
  4. ^ "Nationwide Division 1". Sunday Telegraph. 6 August 2002. p. 96. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b Rollin & Rollin 2001, p. 44.
  6. ^ Rollin & Rollin 2003, p. 187.
  7. ^ "Hill loses assistant manager's title". Kent Online. KM Media Group. 6 June 2002. Archived from the original on 28 May 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Division One runners and riders". BBC Sport. 8 August 2001. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  9. ^ a b Rollin & Rollin 2002, p. 185.
  10. ^ "Brilliant Bolton seal Premiership return". BBC Sport. 28 May 2001. Archived from the original on 20 April 2003. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  11. ^ Brown 2003, pp. 109–111.
  12. ^ "League Division 1 table after close of play on 25 August 2001". 11v11. Association of Football Statisticians. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  13. ^ "League Division 1 table after close of play on 31 December 2001". 11v11. Association of Football Statisticians. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Keeper Brown stakes claim to be No 1". Kent Online. KM Media Group. 6 March 2002. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  15. ^ Rollin & Rollin 2002, p. 472.
  16. ^ "Gillingham 2–1 Grimsby". BBC Sport. 5 March 2002. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  17. ^ "Gills fightback denies Watford". BBC Sport. 21 April 2002. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  18. ^ "First Division Team by Team Guide". The Independent. 10 August 2002. p. 27. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ Rollin & Rollin 2002, pp. 184, 185.
  20. ^ Rollin & Rollin 2002, p. 46.
  21. ^ "Shaw shocks Wolves". BBC Sport. 5 January 2002. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  22. ^ "Gills edge out Rovers". BBC Sport. 5 February 2002. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  23. ^ "Arsenal survive Gills scare". BBC Sport. 16 February 2002. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  24. ^ Rollin & Rollin 2002, pp. 611, 614.
  25. ^ a b Brown 2003, p. 111.
  26. ^ Rollin & Rollin 2002, pp. 591, 592, 593.
  27. ^ Alexander, Jeremy (10 May 2004). "Gillingham live to fight again". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  28. ^ "League Division 1 end of season table for 2003–04 season". 11v11. Association of Football Statisticians. Archived from the original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  29. ^ "Hessenthaler resigns as Gillingham boss". The Guardian. 23 November 2004. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  30. ^ "Division One renamed The Championship". The Guardian. 10 June 2004. Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  31. ^ Froston, Nancy (22 September 2023). "Gillingham's U.S. takeover has brought real and rapid change – 'English clubs are special'". The Athletic. Archived from the original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  32. ^ "Gillingham FC Stats and History". FBRef. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.

Works cited

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