GILLINGHAM TOWN FC - A BRIEF HISTORY
The club is the oldest in the county of Dorset, having been established at the Phoenix Hotel in the town in November 1879. A successful period starting in the mid-1960s saw them win the Dorset League four times in five seasons. In 1970 they moved up to the Dorset Combination. The club finished bottom of the league in 1984 but avoided being relegated. They struggled at times but highlights included finishing as runners-up to Hamworthy United in 2003 and Portland United in 2008. On the latter of these two occasions, they applied and were admitted to the Western League, joining Division 1 for the following season. In 2012, Gillingham Town finished 3rd behind Cadbury Heath & Melksham Town to seal promotion to the Premier Division. 2013 & 2014 saw the best finishes in the history of the club as they achieved a 3rd place finish at step 5 for two seasons in a row. Despite finishing 9th in the Premier Division in 2016–17, the club resigned from the Western League and dropped back into the Dorset Premier League to concentrate on building their new ground which was 200 yards away from current ground and was completed in 2018. By 2021, their results over the two pandemic seasons were considered good enough for promotion back to the Western League. They've been there ever since, staying safely clear of relegation without troubling the top half.
Hardings Lane, the former home of Gillingham Town FC. Pictures taken on 13th September 2011 on the way to Yeovil Town v Wycombe Wanderers.
Gillingham Town entered the FA Cup for every season between 2008 & 2016. They reached the 2nd Qualifying Round twice, notably beating Taunton Town in a replay in 2012. The FA Vase 2nd Round has also been reached twice. Local cup wins include the Dorset Senior Cup in 2010, the Dorset Premier League Cup in 2002, the Dorset Senior Amateur Cup in 1974 and the WC Stokes Cup in 1977. Also three Mark Frowde Cups, ten Shaftesbury Open Cups, two Shaftesbury Minor Cups and five Blackmore Vale Open Cups. Former Football League defender Adrian Foster managed the club between 2007 & 2013. Gillingham is the most northerly town in Dorset and is pronounced with a hard G rather than a soft G like it's Kent town of the same name. It has a population of just under 12,000. Until 2009, when it ceased for financial reasons, Gillingham hosted an annual 10-day festival of music and sport. Gillingham has had a brass band since 1928 and perform at civic events and carnivals. The town has around 70 shops and a few pubs as well as other facilities including its own train station with hourly services to London & Exeter at weekends.
MY VISIT
The thought of visiting Gillingham Town had come about accidentally whilst playing around with train fares when trying to find good value fares for a Saturday game. The main reason that it made the shortlist was that it was one of three along with Middlezoy Rovers and Wincanton Town that I needed to complete the Western League Division 1. It was a bit of a trek but just about doable midweek but with chances to go to the likes of Oxford, Reading, Basingstoke, Andover and Salisbury en route, a Saturday visit greatly appealed. I was originally considering going on a couple of occasions in February, however, I backed out when I saw the weather. It turned out to be a wise decision as on both occasions, the game was called off due to a waterlogged pitch. I thought I'd started a blog for them but in fact, I must have held off as I found nothing.
The decision to do this game was thought of on Saturday evening and confirmed on Monday. It took me a while to put a plan together due to the large number of choices but eventually, I opted to stop at Reading and Andover on the way, plus Basingstoke on the way back. Due to time constraints, I thought I had to sacrifice a proper pub crawl in Reading, a look around Salisbury and one of the Wetherspoon on the way home. Ticket-wise, Trainsplit served me well with splits at Oxford, Reading, Andover and Salisbury, a total of ten tickets in all and half the price of going via London. £37.25 was the flexible fare, with the only stipulation that I couldn't go through Salisbury until after midday. It worked out at 18.4p a mile with of course Chiltern at 19p a mile. The cheapest was the Andover to Salisbury return leg, a bargain 8.3p a mile.
I had a reasonably sensible suggestion from Colin when we went to Elstow on Wednesday as he reminded me about the Wycombe to Reading bus. I had known about it before but assumed it stopped early evening as was the case back when I went to Reading City in 2019. However, upon double-checking, I found that it now runs until 11 PM. This was precisely the sort of long-distance service that the £2 fare cap was designed for. This would add little time to the outward journey and allow me the time for a pub crawl in Reading post-match should I wish, which knowing me, I would. I'd already worked out via Trainsplit the cheapest fare with splits. On Friday afternoon, I booked everything on Trainpal with the aid of vouchers for £16.83. With the £4 bus, that would make the fare under £21 and once I had claimed TopCashback and cashback on my debit card, closer to £20. It had been a hard week at work so I had a few cans on Friday night whilst I researched the club history. I still got into bed to watch TV at 9 though, having had a week of short sleep.
I was well used to waking up early so I was awake well before my 6.30 alarm. I got ready with a lot more enthusiasm and speed than I do for work - 15 minutes as opposed to 40. It was a four-mile walk down Wycombe with me stopping for a Tesco meal deal for breakfast. I was at the bus station by 7.55, getting the earlier 8 am bus. I'd seen a shop that a car through the front of the shop and police tape over the front, typical High Wycombe degenerates. A good business too with Indian food and tea. The bus was lovely and calm, part of the beauty of setting off early. It was free too, owing to a broken ticket machine, another small sum saved. I was in Reading by 9.30, getting dropped off near the Back Of Beyond, my 324th Wetherspoons. Some disgusting noisy brats were running around most of the pub so all the decent people sat in the far corner of the pub whilst the oblivious parents let them run amok. I left early and it was just as well. Reading was a mixed bag, some good, some bad but I'd have to wait until later to see the best part. But the train station was one of the ugliest I've been to, up there with Middlesbrough. It was also pretty complicated with plenty of platforms and a fair walk to platform 2 from my entrance. Perhaps it's a far nicer entrance at the other end but certainly it has a good range of destinations for future hops.
The Trainpal app had the tickets the wrong way around but happily, they were in my email too so I was all sorted. The first leg of the journey was a short hop on the GWR to Basingstoke which was useful to recharge my phone. The second leg needed a quick change to the SWR. I had to resort to using my power bank for this one but the seats were exceptionally comfortable. With the train carrying on to Exeter, it's one I'll be considering using in the future. I was at Andover at 11.25. It was quiet near the train station and a twenty-minute walk to town. The Tap at the Lamb provided me with a pint of Newton Court Major. It was 5.70, a sign of the times and a bit sweet for my liking. A lovely pub too but with time limited and needing to eat, I would move on to the Wetherspoons. Korean Strip burger and chicken jalfrezi were sold out so I went for a chicken and bacon Panini with chips and a pint of Black Dragon for £8.67. It was all very nice, just like Andover, a small pleasant town with decent people. Via a trip to Poundland, I was back at the station with eight minutes to spare. The last leg of the journey was bang on time, no charging again but nice and quiet. A few games of my Berwick save were played with poor league but good cup form. I made use of the toilet to have a good clearout but was out in time to get off at Gillingham just after 2.15. I was at the ground by 2.30. It was £8.50 including the programme. I then headed to the bar, paying £4.50 for a pint of Thatchers Spiced Apple. A new one for me, tasting all the better knowing it was going to help a football club.
Gillingham Town were having a disappointing season but were safe from relegation. They'd not won in five games, drawing their last game 1-1 at AEK Boco. Portishead by contrast, could seal the title with a win. They'd won their last five games, most recently 3-1 at Cheddar. They had four games in which to gain the two points that they needed,one unless they suffered a catastrophic collapse in goal difference. The visitors, as expected, were well on top. After four minutes, they were ahead, a header hit the underside of the bar and despite some bravery on the line, it was followed up by Jack Harper for 1-0. Gillingham weathered the storm well but on 16 minutes it was 2-0, a long range shot from Ethan Feltham. It was 3-0 on 19 minutes thanks to Calum Townsend's header and it looked as if it might be a landslide. A couple of minutes later, a Kyle Egan penalty was converted to make it 4-0. On 26 minutes it was five, a superb half volley from outside the area to see Feltham get his second. The scoring was stemmed for a while but on 39 minutes, Gillingham were reduced to ten men following a foul but the free kick came to nothing. Little changed after the break, a second for Townsend on 48 minutes with a low shot before a goal was ruled out for offside. A darting run and a finish from around the penalty spot made it 7-0 on 64 minutes, Kyle Egan getting his brace. With fifteen minutes to go, it was 8-0, a close-range finish netting Egan his hat trick.
The worst part of the journey was having to wait until 17:50 to leave Gillingham. The plan was to have a quick change at Basingstoke and then head to Reading, arriving at 19:35. Should a pub crawl ensue, and there was no reason why it shouldn't, I'd get the 9 PM bus home, pop in for a couple at the Rose & Crown in Wycombe before deciding what to do. Less likely, but cheaper was to get the 8PM bus home in time for the last bus from Wycombe back home. Contrary to what I'd been told, Gillingham had a few places worth a look but I was resisting another pint until I got back to Reading. I did not want to end up as hammered as Gillingham who barely got into the attacking third all game. Portishead were worthy champions and celebrated on the pitch at the end of the game. I left, passing the remnants of the old ground on the way and stopping for a drink. I was half an hour early at the train with the platform smelling strongly of drugs. People were pretty respectful though and with the way life is at the moment, who can blame them?
THE GROUND
HARDINGS LANE is more plain and basic than the clubs former home but parking is plentiful and the bar has a good range. Food is more basic with hot food restricted to hot dogs and pasties. The ground itself is mainly open with a seated stand for 100 and covered standing for the same amount. The town is a five-minute walk away and the train station a fifteen-minute walk.
