Gillingham - don't leave early!

Sainghin Green · Dec 6, 2017

An infrequent visit home gave me the opportunity to take in the game against Gillingham in October 2004. Freshly promoted to the Championship with a supposedly talented Scottish manager Argyle were beginning to splutter after a bright start. There was some quality in the side - especially Steve Crawford - but a win was definitely needed against pretty uncomplicated but streetwise opponents who took the lead against Argyle's far from adventurous 4-5-1 and seemed to have done enough when up popped David Friio with two headers in stoppage time to secure a very undeserved win. By the time we were at the Priestfield for the away game in January Steve Crawford had played his last game and Scott Taylor had arrived - it was his second game and he missed a sitter from a Trigger knockdown as Argyle went down 0-1. The season continued to wobble until the loan signing of Dexter Blackstock nudged Argyle to safety. So on Saturday however tempted to leave you may get, stay to the bitter end....you'll be wanting to give the boys a big cheer anyway because they're going to win 4-1!

lilcol · Dec 6, 2017

I'll have some of what you are drinking SG, like the optimism, but lets face it, not gonna happen, unless Gills have three or four men sent off!

rongreenblood · Dec 6, 2017

Remember that game only for the terrific ending with a brace for Friio,and all the saddos that had given up and went early,must have heard the cheers as they were walking home!Ha Ha.

mervyn · Dec 6, 2017

One of the benefits of pasoti is the anonymity it provides to own up to all the peculiarities we have as supporters. In my case I often HAVE to leave five minutes early if we are losing badly and don't look like scoring. After some years I finally worked out why. Rather than endure the final stomach churning five minutes of certain loss, I allow the fifteen minute walk back to the car to give me hope that that when I switch the radio on a miracle will have occurred and we've equalised. It never happens. Proof again that it's the hope that finishes you, but I'll probably carry on doing it.

Ade the green · Dec 6, 2017

In anticipation of Gillingham going 0-1 up! We know how that will end.

Devon General · Dec 6, 2017

I remember an away game to Gillingham, I think it was boxing day!

From what I recall the away (Argyle) fans were on an open terrace, it snowed, we lost and had a player sent off late in the game!

Greenheart · Dec 6, 2017

Don't leave early? I always stay till the end to beat the rush!

Steve Evans · Dec 6, 2017

went to gillingham in the 1970's.2-0 down half time with billy rafferty scoring a very late equaliser.'twas this time of the year.the gillingham knuckle draggers decided to throw broken bits of masonry at us from the then crumbling terraces. :facepalm: 'twas very scary.

landons forehead · Dec 6, 2017

Devon General":1h7f3ck0 said:
I remember an away game to Gillingham, I think it was boxing day!

From what I recall the away (Argyle) fans were on an open terrace, it snowed, we lost and had a player sent off late in the game!

Think that might have been 95/96. We certainly played them on boxing day then. From what I remember, it was absoutely baltic, the match was an affront to football with Pulis in one dugout and Warnock in the other, and Argyle lost 1-0 to a penno when Gary Clayton handballed on the line in the last 10-20 minutes.

I've never been back!

lyndhurst · Dec 6, 2017

Nobody knows anyone else's circumstances and mine are such that I have to get away by 4.50.

I will continue to do so and do not appreciate disapproval comments from others.

If I lived in Mannamead with no other personal family issues then I would stay til the end but I do not so don't assume everyone has the same life as you.

IJN · Dec 6, 2017

landons forehead":3mzqo1ea said:
the match was an affront to football with Pulis in one dugout and Warnock in the other!

Imagine that! :shock:

I've been a few times, I remember a thrilling 2-2 draw in the Mariner/Rafferty days, and a terrible 0-1 defeat in a League Cup game whilst we were in the CCC. Mackie missed one from about 3 feet (thank God).

That away end if bleddy awful.

memory man · Dec 6, 2017

Devon General":g6g4iqp5 said:
I remember an away game to Gillingham, I think it was boxing day!

From what I recall the away (Argyle) fans were on an open terrace, it snowed, we lost and had a player sent off late in the game!

Tuesday 26-Dec-1995, League Division Three, Priestfield Stadium, Gillingham

Gillingham (0) 1 Plymouth Argyle (0) 0
Butler (Steve) 83 (pen)

Att: 9,651

Managers
Tony Pulis and Neil Warnock

Team Line-ups:-

GILLINGHAM Jim Stannard; Gary Micklewhite (Neil Smith), Dominic Naylor; Tony Butler, Mark Harris, Richard Green; Dave Martin,
Simon Ratcliffe, Steve Butler, Dennis Bailey, David Puttnam (Leo Fortune-West).

ARGYLE Kevin Blackwell; Mark Patterson, Paul Williams; Gary Clayton (Sent off 82'), Mick Heathcote, Keith Hill;
Ian Baird, Ronnie Mauge (Richard Logan), Adrian Littlejohn (Chris Billy), Mickey Evans, Chris Leadbitter

John Cooper · Dec 6, 2017

Remember a midweek 1-1 up there? I think it was Dave Smith era, game was in doubt with snow all round pitch. Sure that was the point that kick started our season to rise up the table to promotion? Or, am I having a grey hair moment?

Ray Stidwell · Dec 7, 2017

One obscure memory from that 1995/96season Gillingham rivalry was at the FA Cup match at Slough( Nov 95)
When my 3-year old son left his seat to sit in my lap, it was suddenly occupied by a Gillingham scout, none other than Kevin Bremner. An ex-Argyle loanee, but more permanently ( & bitterly!) in the memory as the architect of THAT 21/12/85 match at Elm Park.
( Although I had actually admired him as a good “journeyman”) he got a lot of stick from me ; if he ended up wishing he hadn’t sat there, then that was the objective!
Despite the season ending in glorious promotion, that afternoon will always remain as a bitter pill to swallow, as Reading sub Bremner came on in the second half to turn our 3-0 lead into a 3-4 defeat!

Devon General · Dec 7, 2017

landons forehead":21f4dp0p said:
Devon General":21f4dp0p said:

I remember an away game to Gillingham, I think it was boxing day! P

From what I recall the away (Argyle) fans were on an open house terrace, it snowed, we lost and had a player sent off late in the game!

Click to expand...

Think that might have been 95/96. We certainly played them on boxing day then. From what I remember, it was absoutely baltic, the match was an affront to football with Pulis in one dugout and Warnock in the other, and Argyle lost 1-0 to a penno when Gary Clayton handballed on the line in the last 10-20 minutes.

I've never been back!

I did remember correctly then! It was freezing cold quite literally.

I have never been back either......

Gillingham - don't leave early!

Site Owner