As we wait for news of new signings and the release of the fixture list, I have been thinking about the my favourite Gillingham goals, not necessarily the best or the most important goals but those that have stuck in my memory for reasons probably known only to me, I have picked 5 tell me if you remember these and which are your favourites. 1. Bob Taylor v Fulham at Priestfield 28th Nov 1998, A late winner headed home from a John Hodge cross following a quick breakaway this was Fulham on their way up through the divisions and itâs one of those goals that when I watch it on You Tube the hairs on my neck stand up, the Rainham end was still standing at the time and went berserk. 2. Peter Beadle v Blackpool 11th April 1992. I think we were down to 9 men Joe Dunne was in goal and Beadle lashed home a volley from about 20 yards 3. Alan Walker V Brentford (FA Cup 1st round) 18th Nov 1991, we were 3-1 down in a West London Monsoon, Alan Walker arrived to head home Karl Elseys cross from 18 yards out. The match was live on sky I have still got it on VHS and remember Andy Grays comment âthat was a magnificent headerâ 4. Dean MacDonald v Chesterfield 4th Nov 2006, 1 Nil down going into stoppage time Gary Mulligan equalised with one of his best goals for us, but in stoppage time MacDonald bettered it with a brilliant goal. 5. Leroy Griffiths (bet you didnât see that coming)v Nottm Forest 29th Dec 2007, A false dawn that season as we completely outplayed a Forest side on their way to promotion, it was just a tap in really, but boy did he hit and it flew in. Hope that brings back a few memories, it certainly has for me.
Bit of nostalgia for you: Some of my memorable but less important goals came from a player most will probably never have heard of on here... Peter Feely. Probably best described as your modern day Cody McDonald. Had to check wiki for the following stats, come on my memory is not that good - lol 22 goals in 41 games, just as a modern day comparison Cody in the same number of games 25 goals (3 more). At 6ft tall, memory tells me most seemed to connect with his head. None more memorable than his hat trick against Halifax Town in 1974. Never really did remember what happened to him, other than noting he parted for Sheffield Wednesday, probably with that traitor Len Ashurst.
Nicky Southall vs Sheffield Wednesday in the FA cup in 99/00 season. What a feeling that was, what a game that was. All 3 of the goals against a (then) Premier league side were brilliant in what was a supreme season. Any of the play off goals at Wembley (goes without saying really).
Bit before my time but obviously hessenthaler at stoke and more up to date Gavin Tomlin goal v Hereford and Deon Burton goal vs Morecambe .
Southalls goal made the Goal of the Month shortlist surely the only Gills goal to ever to do that, I seem recall we scored a couple of very good goals V Bradford in the cup that season too (they were prem league too at the time) and Hessenthalers goal in the 1st leg of the Play Off semi at Stoke would also be right up there, the more I think about it the more I think of..Guy Butters V Stockport our first in the 2nd tier of English football and Tommy Johnsons v Charlton in the cup.
Curtis Weston's goal against Shrewsbury a few years ago, the one that made the Mitre Goal of the Year top 3, that was a beaut. He score another similar one to it that season (09 was it) against Wycombe, although I stand to be corrected on the year and team.
Remember Halifax game. All those blue & white ballooons blowing down the pitch. I always liked Tony Eeles (even more afer that day) Cant remember what happened to him though. I came out of the Black Lion pub and walked down to the ground with a lifelong Shaymen supporter who had parked in Mill Road. The Shaymen also lost their final match of the season (with Brighton?) and went out of the league. Another goal I remember was scored by Arnold 'Johnny' Mitchell for Exeter that ended our 50 plus undefeated run of home games in mid sixties. What a choker that was! As a boy at the Town End in the late fifties I saw our left half Davie Laing burst the netting taking a penalty. The ref ordered it to be retaken due to some minor irregularity, and Davie cooly stepped up and smacked it straight through the same spot and in to the crowd once more!
It was Paul Baker who scored the second goal v Halifax, the ' King Sized' Chris Pike arrived the following season and scored a goal every 2 games including I believe, a hat trick of headers, he is also Gareth Bales uncle!
I agree with Gemini Weston's 20/25 yard volley at home against Shrewsbury in 09 was one of my favourites. Also Jackson's goal against Villa at home and his 89th min header in the Play-Off Final are also amongst my faves. A more obscure one is a Darius Henderson strike from the edge of the box in 2005(?) at home to Burnley. He just seemed to strike it so sweetly before the defender got to him and went in bottom left corner. Not exactly goal of the season but memorable nonetheless.
Dave Smith against Swindon in the home leg of the play off final - Never known a better atmosphere in the Rainham End than after that one. Sadly it all ended badly.
Or a better atmosphere (for 10 minutes) in the away end (side) after the Elsey Rocket a few days later. Again, sadly... That's my most memorable goal. Also brb, I remember Peter Feely. One of my faves back then. My first memory of him was chasing a lost cause down towards the corner flag at the Old RE. He got there, pulled the ball back and we nearly scored from nothing. At that time, I couldn't ever remember a Gills player busting a gut like that before. I was smitten.
Ahhhh some wonderful goal memories flooding back in this thread. Well the two obvious ones are - Thommo to get us to Div 1 (as it was then) for the first time ever - Hessy away to Stoke, the last minute screamer that made it all possible. I was RIGHT behind the goal as that flew in to send us home happy Now here are some less obvious ones that have not yet been mentioned: - Simeon Jacko home to Bristol Rovers in 2010... last minute winner in Chris Dickson's first game of his second spell - so the already high renewed optimism hit the roof and it looked like we might actually stay up. Sadly it was a false dawn and we didn't :-( - Several have rightly mentioned Southall's FA Cup beauty... what about Johnny Hodge's strike against Bradford to make it 3-1! Yes yes deflected, but what a moment - that was our first taste of FA Cup upset for a good long while! - Junior Lewis at home to Wigan in 99-00. Top of the table clash, 85th minute, and Junior wins it with a sublime chip, with Roy Carrol out of position. I will never forget how it agonisingly dropped in, over the heads of the two defenders trying to jump for it on the goal line.
