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**Player names have been changed to protect their identity**
July 11th 2005 saw a new era for Gillingham football club as Chairman Paul D. Scally announced the new manager. Replacing Stan Ternant was new manager Gills Man. The Priestfield public were outraged and demanded to know why a virtual unknown was to manage the team. A statement was issued from the club which read:
“Gillingham have announced that GM will take charge of Gillingham with immediate effect. He has a proven track record in managing teams in the old CM and new FM series and we would ask the fans to give him your full backing. We would like to wish him every success in what will hopefully be a long and fruitful era with the club.”
The fans were not convinced however and GM knew instantly he would have to do his level best to appease the fans. He decided to adopt a different tactic in his tenure with Gillingham and, having accessed the squad, decided that he would stick with the current crop of players.
Pre-season brought about some mixed results, the highlight of which was a 5-1 win over fellow Kentish team Dover Athletic. The start of the season arrived and GM was told by Paul Scally that he was expected to battle bravely against relegation. GM knew he must avoid relegation at all costs to avoid the wrath of the Gillingham faithful. In order to appease the crowd he appointed former player-boss Steve Klinsmeinsger as his player/ assistant manager. GM had settled on a steady 3-5-2 formation that used three big strong, and not particularly technical centre halves. GM decided if they were going to stay in the Coca Cola Championship, they were going to have to fight for it.
And fight they did, the opening match was against rivals Stoke City who were led by former Gills Supremo Tony Pulis. Things got off to a flier, Gillingham taking an early lead, but Stoke soon equalised and the frustration on a hot August afternoon soon boiled over. Gordon Stangby was sent off for a wild lunge and was soon followed by David Fairfellow who was sent off for two bookable offences. 9-men Gillingham held on but two late Stoke goals sent Gillingham back to Kent empty handed. Seven games later and having amassed just two points and Gillingham were rooted to the bottom of the table. Already the fans were on GM’s back. He needed to change something. So he called up a couple of youth players from the reserves to inject a bit of pace into the team and was immediately rewarded with a 2-1 home win against Coventry. Things picked up around Christmas time and Gillingham went on a decent run winning 4 of 7 home games to finally haul themselves outside of the relegation zone.
It was their away from which caused most concern however, and by the new year Gillingham had still only won three points away from the Priestfield, courtesy of three draws. GM attempted to strengthen the squad, but with no transfer money available, his attempts were fruitless. The Gills had not been beaten at home since October, but their away from was frighteningly bad. Things had to change. He tightened things up at the back for the away trip to Sunderland and was delighted to come away with a 0-0 draw. The result did little for Gillingham, however as they dropped back into the relegation zone thanks to Ipswich’s capitulation against Brighton, affording the albion team 3 vital points enabling them to crawl out of the relegation zone at Gillingham’s expense.
Into March and Gillingham were still third from bottom, two points behind Brighton, but with a much worse goal difference. They travelled to the Withdean for the vital six pointer having still not won away from home and having a grand total of just 6 points from their travels. The match was a scrappy affair, Brighton had a couple of chances that were blazed wide and it was 0-0 at half time. Into the second half and with the score still at 0-0 with half an hour left GM threw on untried Paul Nyambi, a raw youngster with just a handful of sub appearances to his but with plenty of pace. The substitution certainly paid off, with 12 minutes remaining Nyambi ran onto a through-ball and slotted the ball past the onrushing Brighton goalkeeper. 1-0 and their first away win of the season and what a valuable one it was too as the Gills eased part Brighton by one point.
And so things continued into the last day of the season. Gillingham had managed to stay out of the relegation zone since that day in March and went into the final day confident of staying up, having a one point lead against a Brighton side really struggling for form. Brighton were at home to the Champions Ipswich whilst Gillingham were away to a Wolves side who had nothing left to play for. The script was set for a famous relegation escape.
Both teams went into the break at 0-0. Gillingham were just 45 minutes away from survival, could they hang on. GM pondered going more defensive as Wolves had dominated the first half, but resisted the temptation to tinker too much. 10 minutes into the second half and disaster as Wolves opened the scoring, as things stood Gillingham and Brighton were level on points but Brighton, with a far superior goal difference were out of the relegation zone. Gillingham pressed forward in search of the vital equaliser as things stood at 0-0 at the Withdean. With ten minutes on the clock a corner was floated in by the Gills skipper, a Wolves defender jumped but was adjudged to have pushed a Gillingham defender in the box, penalty!! The club’s leading marksman stood up to take the penalty which could keep the Gills in the Championship for another season. Tension in the away section at Molineaux, GM was nervous. The striker ran up, right footed…GOAL! 1-1, 9 minutes left, Gillingham, had sealed their stay in the Championship. With time fast running out GM nervously checked the Brighton scores. 0-0, into the final minute and GM breathed a sigh of relief.
It was a premature sigh however as in the last minute former Gills player Dickie Plumber scored the goal that won the game for the Seagulls. It was a bitter pill to swallow as GM sunk down in his chair. The final whistle blew and it was sealed: Gillingham were relegated to the Coca Cola League One. The Gills fans, who were no longer on GMs back were gutted. Paul Scally decided to retain his services for another season as he aimed to get the Gills back where they belonged: in the Championship.
The close season brought about some tough times for GM. It appeared that many of the players from the last campaign decided to leave for pastures new. He lost two of his battling centre halves, his top scorer, his right wing-back, his left wing-back and once of his most promising midfielders. Getting players in was still tricky. The transfer budget was just £30K and players were not keen on joining a recently relegated club.
GM managed to buy a new striker who had netted 15 goals in the conference the year before and a couple of youngster came in on frees after being released by Newcastle and Charlton respectively. Paul Scally asked that the team achieved a Respectable League Position in this season of consolidation before they begun their assault on League One. GM agreed that this was a reasonable target to attain but he harboured ambitions of a more rapid return to the Championship. And pre-season results appeared to back-up his confidence.
The start of the new season came around but it was a familiar story as Gillingham were completely out-classed away to Huddersfield, one former top-striker picking up a brace for the Terriers. The next game at the Priestfield appeared to be heading the same way as they were 2-0 down to Bournemouth at half time. A second half revival and Gillingham picked up their first point of the campaign and then won their next game at home to Oldham, 1-0.
November approached and Gillingham appeared to have turned things around, they were sitting 8th and were second in the league on home results alone. However they had still only picked up 8 points away, one win and five draws. There seemed no way to change the travel sickness of GM’s Gills squad and things took a turn for the worse when his captain suffered torn cruciate ligaments that ruled him out for the rest of the season.
By January things were looking decidedly worse as Gillingham slipped down to 16th and were bottom of the form table. Points away? Forget it. And even their home form seemed to have deserted them as they had not won at home in six matches.
Time for a change, GM brought in a young midfielder on loan from the team currently top of the Premiership, but he brought no change of luck with him and after seven abject performances he was sent packing. Groaning GM could feel the slip of the team and the tightening of the noose around his neck. In April things went from bad to worse, a 4-1 home defeat by Barnsley had them teetering on the edge of relegation and the subsequent 5-0 drubbing at Sheffield Wednesday sent Gillingham crashing over the abyss. Gillingham were unable to pick themselves up for the remaining 4 games and finished the season in 21st position.
GM’s position was “Insecure”, the fans were on his back, his position seemed unattainable as he had led Gillingham to two consecutive relegations. Down in the depths of despair otherwise known as the Coca Cola League Two is where Gillingham now found themselves.
Remarkably GM held onto his job, but he knew there could be no more mistakes. Some promising youth players were coming through and GM intended to use them in his assault on League Two.
1) There's no such thing as too polite. :p
2) Looked at the rules and the only thing I can see that I did wrong is the "only a few lines of info" rule.
3) Thanks for clearing up the floodgate rule.
4) So how do you actually define a Lower League club?
By definition, a Lower League Club must come from the Lowest Division available in any given Nation, as mentioned above.
In England, and any other Nation with "Feeder Leagues", e.g. Portugal or Italy, then the lowest available League is the "Feeder League", in England The Conference, but if the spec of your PC doesn't allow the "Feeder Leagues" to be loaded, then the Lowest available League becomes Division 3.
In Summary:
Conference North and Spoth - Lower League
Conference - Lower League-ish
League 2 - Lower League, but with reservations.
League 1 - Really pushing it.
Championship - You're having a laugh.
Priestfield: Down the leagues we go. 
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