1995–96 Gillingham F.C. season

The 1995–96 season was the sixty-fourth season in which football club Gillingham competed in the Football League, and the forty-sixth since the club's return to the League in 1950. Having been saved from going out of business during the summer of 1995 after being taken over by new chairman Paul Scally, Gillingham finished the season in second place in the Football League Third Division, gaining promotion to the Second Division.[1] Goalkeeper Jim Stannard kept 29 clean sheets and conceded only 20 goals, both records for a 46-match League season.[2]

Gillingham
1995–96 season
ChairmanPaul Scally
ManagerTony Pulis
Football League Third Division2nd
FA CupThird Round
League CupSecond Round
Football League TrophyFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: Leo Fortune-West (12)
All: Leo Fortune-West (15)
Highest home attendance10,595 vs Preston North End (9 March 1996)
Lowest home attendance1,866 vs Hereford United (7 November 1995)

Background

In January 1995 Gillingham, after nearly a decade of financial difficulties, went into receivership, owing approximately £2,000,000,[3] leading to suggestions that the club was close to going out of existence.[4]

Football League
Manager Tony Pulis guided the Gills to promotion in his first season in charge.

Gillingham began the season with a 2–1 victory at home to Wigan Athletic.

Date Opponents H / A Result
F – A		 Scorers Attendance
12-Aug-1995Wigan AthleticH2 – 1Foster, Fortune-West4099
19-Aug-1995Lincoln CityA3 – 0Fortune-West, Bailey, own goal2822
26-Aug-1995Cambridge UnitedH3 – 0Fortune-West, Bailey, Rattray5093
29-Aug-1995BarnetA2 – 0Rattray, Naylor3077
2-Sep-1995Colchester UnitedH0 – 17677
9-Sep-1995Scunthorpe UnitedA1 – 1Bailey2423
12-Sep-1995Hereford UnitedA0 – 01740
16-Sep-1995Cardiff CityH1 – 0Fortune-West5314
23-Sep-1995Chester CityA1 – 1Martin3886
30-Sep-1995BuryH3 – 0Bailey, Fortune-West 26018
7-Oct-1995RochdaleH1 – 0A.Watson7782
14-Oct-1995DarlingtonA0 – 12043
21-Oct-1995Doncaster RoversH4 – 0O'Connor, Ratcliffe, Bailey, Harris6302
28-Oct-1995Hartlepool UnitedA1 – 1Bailey (pen.)2355
31-Oct-1995Exeter CityA0 – 03024
4-Nov-1995Northampton TownH0 – 07206
18-Nov-1995ScarboroughA2 – 0Green, Fortune-West1546
25-Nov-1995FulhamH1 – 0Fortune-West7608
16-Dec-1995BuryA0 – 13045
23-Dec-1995Preston North EndA0 – 010682
26-Dec-1995Plymouth ArgyleH1 – 0S.Butler (pen.)9651
1-Jan-1996Leyton OrientA1 – 0Fortune-West7090
9-Jan-1996Chester CityH3 – 1S.Butler 39186
13-Jan-1996Lincoln CityH2 – 0Fortune-West, Ratfcliffe8040
20-Jan-1996Wigan AthleticA1 – 2Green
30-Jan-1996Mansfield TownH2 – 0Rattray, T.Butler6111
3-Feb-1996Cambridge UnitedA0 – 04114
10-Feb-1996Torquay UnitedH2 – 0Smith, Ratcliffe7116
13-Feb-1996BarnetH1 – 0S.Butler6428
17-Feb-1996Hereford UnitedH1 – 1Castle6987
24-Feb-1996Cardiff CityA0 – 23028
27-Feb-1996Scunthorpe UnitedH0 – 05547
2-Mar-1996Plymouth ArgyleA0 – 18540
9-Mar-1996Preston North EndH1 – 1Harris10595
12-Mar-1996Torquay UnitedA0 – 02406
16-Mar-1996Mansfield TownA1 – 0Gayle2698
23-Mar-1996Leyton OrientH1 – 1Gayle8004
30-Mar-1996RochdaleA0 – 22098
2-Apr-1996DarlingtonH0 – 06419
6-Apr-1996Hartlepool UnitedH2 – 0T.Butler, Bailey6263
8-Apr-1996Doncaster RoversA1 – 0Bailey1783
13-Apr-1996Exeter CityH1 – 0Puttnam7692
16-Apr-1996Colchester UnitedA1 – 1Gayle4953
20-Apr-1996Northampton TownA1 – 1Fortune-West7427
27-Apr-1996FulhamA0 – 010320
4-May-1996ScarboroughH1 – 0Fortune-West10420

Squad statistics
Leo Fortune-West was the club's top scorer
Name League FA Cup League Cup League Trophy Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Andy Ansah2000000020
Andy Arnott1000001020
Dennis Bailey4584121005110
Kevin Bremner0000001010
Steve Brown1000000010
Tony Butler362222221427
Steve Butler205000000205
Richard Carpenter120100020150
Steve Castle6100000061
Joe Dunne2010102060
Leo Fortune-West40123221004515
Adrian Foster111002022153
Darren Freeman90100021121
John Gayle9300000093
Richard Green352402020432
Mark Harris442402000502
Billy Manuel100000000100
Dave Martin311411010372
Gary Micklewhite310400020370
Dominic Naylor311302110372
Alan Nicholls0000001010
Mark O'Connor181202000221
Dave Puttnam261300010301
Simon Ratcliffe413312000464
Kevin Rattray263201020313
Neil Smith371401010431
Jim Stannard460402010530
Glen Thomas150000000150
Alex Watson101000000101
Paul Watson80200020120

References
  1. Brown, Tony (2003). The Definitive Gillingham F.C.: A Complete Record. Soccerdata. p. 105. ISBN 1-899468-20-X.
  2. Triggs, Roger (2001). The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. Tempus Publishing Ltd. p. 306. ISBN 0-7524-2243-X.
  3. Moore, Glenn (27 March 1995). "Football Commentary : Little pity for the poor relations". The Independent. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  4. Kelso, Paul (15 February 2002). "Scally's rocky road to Highbury". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 January 2008. Retrieved 26 May 2011.

{{1995–96 in English football}}

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