1984–85 Gillingham F.C. season

[8] In his place, Gillingham signed two experienced defenders, Keith Oakes from Newport County and Joe Hinnigan from Preston North End.[13] Home appliance manufacturer Zanussi signed a three-year sponsorship agreement with the club, meaning that the company name was displayed on the players' shirts.[15] Victories against Cambridge United and Wigan Athletic, in both of which Cascarino scored, meant that after four games Gillingham were top of the Third Division league table.[15][20] David Fry, the club's reserve goalkeeper, replaced the injured Ron Hillyard for the Brentford game, and retained his place until late November.[15][21][22] Gillingham defeated Reading on 23 October to record their first win for five games,[15] and were moments away from beating Bradford City four days later but conceded a last-minute equaliser.[15][21][22] Shearer extended his run of scoring in consecutive league games with two goals in a 4–0 win at home to Preston North End on 1 December, which took Gillingham back up to third in the table.[32] Eleven days later, Jeff Johnson was the fourth Gillingham player to be sent off in less than three weeks when he was dismissed in a 2–0 win over Orient; Shearer was injured in the same game and would not play again until March.[37] Fry took his place and conceded only one goal in the next three games,[15] which included a 2–0 win over Brentford on 9 March during which Mehmet scored from the first penalty kick awarded to Gillingham since the previous May.[15][39] Gillingham's unbeaten run came to an end with a 3–1 defeat to Bristol City on 16 March; Fry was dropped for the next game and replaced by the Republic of Ireland international goalkeeper Jim McDonagh, whom Peacock had signed on loan from Notts County.[43][44] Derek Hales, a veteran forward signed from Charlton Athletic, made his debut against Burnley in place of Shearer, who had suffered another injury in the match against Millwall.As a Third Division club, Gillingham entered the 1984–85 FA Cup at the first round stage; their opponents were a semi-professional team, Windsor & Eton of the Isthmian League.Gillingham took a 2–0 lead but conceded a goal close to the end of the game and only a save from Fry in injury time denied Windsor & Eton a draw.The first leg drew an attendance of 8,881, the largest of the entire season at Priestfield;[30] after Gillingham conceded a goal in the first half, Cascarino quickly equalised but Leeds scored again shortly before the end of the game.The tournament was regarded as of little importance and the first leg of the two-legged tie drew an attendance of only 963, the lowest recorded for a competitive match at Priestfield since the Second World War.[68][69] Four other players made fewer than five appearances during the season, including another teenager, Paul Edwards, who played as a substitute in both Associate Members' Cup games.[73] During the break between seasons, there was speculation that he might move to a higher-level club, with Coventry City of the First Division reported to be interested in signing him,[74] but ultimately he remained at Gillingham.
Footballer Steve Bruce
Steve Bruce left the club prior to the new season.
Aerial view of Bootham Crescent football stadium
Gillingham suffered a heavy defeat in November at Bootham Crescent (pictured in 2021) , home of York City .
Footballer Jim McDonagh and a referee
Jim McDonagh (left) joined the club on loan after Ron Hillyard was injured.
Head and shoulders shot of footballer Tony Cascarino
Tony Cascarino was the team's top goalscorer.
Gillingham F.C.Keith PeacockThird DivisionFA CupLeague CupAssociate Members' CupTony CascarinoLeeds UnitedColchester UnitedHome coloursAway colours1983–841985–861984–85 English football seasonFootball League Third DivisionEnglish football league systemthe Football Leaguevoted back into the leagueleague tablepromotionSecond DivisionYork Cityknock-out competitionsFootball League CupKeith OakesPriestfield StadiumSteve Bruce1984–85 seasonGillinghamFootball LeagueelectedFourth Division1978–79managerPaul TaylorBill Collinsfirst-teamyouth teamDave MehmetcaptainFirst DivisiondefenderNorwich CitytransferNewport CountyJoe HinniganPreston North EndTarki MicallefmidfielderDave ShearerforwardGrimsby TownPaul Shinnerssemi-professionalFisher AthleticfriendliesBrighton & Hove AlbionMaidstone UnitedAlliance Premier Leaguenon-League footballaway kitHome applianceZanussiBootham CrescentOrientsubstituteCambridge UnitedWigan AthleticHull CityPlymouth ArgyleBrentfordMartin RobinsonCharlton AthleticBristol CityDavid FrygoalkeeperRon HillyardReadingBradford CityequaliserBurnleyRotherham UnitedBolton WanderersLincoln CityDoncaster RoversJohn LeslieJohn SharpeDerby Countysent offrefereeBristol RoversJim McDonaghAFC BournemouthTerry CochraneJeff JohnsonSwansea Citypenalty kickRepublic of IrelandNotts CountyDave RushburyMillwallDerek HalesWalsallhat-trickOwn goalCascarinoCorbettLeslieMehmetHinniganCochraneWeatherlyShearerRobinsonMuskerCollins1984–85 FA CupWindsor & EtonIsthmian Leagueinjury timeCardiff CityIpswich TownPortman Road1984–85 Football League Cuptwo-legged tieaggregate score1984–85 Associate Members' CupPaul CollinsShinnersIan MacowatRussell MuskerMel SagePeter ShawJohn SittonMark WeatherlyProfessional Footballers' Association Team of the YearCoventry City1985–86 seasonBBC SportAFS EnterprisesHull Daily MailNewspapers.comThe Daily TelegraphWestern Daily PressThe Sunday TelegraphThe ObserverSunday PeopleSunday MirrorManchester Evening NewsRec.Sport.Soccer Statistics FoundationReading Evening PostSunday SunThe GuardianCoventry Evening TelegraphNottinghamQueen Anne PressDurringtonHugman, BarryStroudTempus PublishingGillingham F.C. seasons1893–941894–951895–961896–971897–981898–991899–19001900–011901–021902–031903–041904–051905–061906–071907–081908–091909–101910–111911–121912–131913–141914–151919–201920–211921–221922–231923–241924–251925–261926–271927–281928–291929–301930–311931–321932–331933–341934–351935–361936–371937–381938–391939–401944–451945–461946–471947–481948–491949–501950–511951–521952–531953–541954–551955–561956–571957–581958–591959–601960–611961–621962–631963–641964–651965–661966–671967–681968–691969–701970–711971–721972–731973–741974–751975–761976–771977–781979–801980–811981–821982–831986–871987–881988–891989–901990–911991–921992–931993–941994–951995–961996–971997–981998–991999–20002000–012001–022002–032003–042004–052005–062006–072007–082008–092009–102010–112011–122012–132013–142014–152015–162016–172017–182018–192019–202020–212021–222022–232023–242024–251984–85 in English footballBobby RobsonRous Cup1986 FIFA World CupqualificationGroup 3Ciudad de México Cup TournamentAzteca 2000 TournamentNorthern Premier LeagueSouthern LeagueCombined Counties LeagueEastern Counties LeagueEssex Senior LeagueHellenic LeagueKent LeagueMidland Football CombinationNorth West Counties LeagueNorthern Counties East LeagueNorthern LeagueSouth Midlands LeagueSussex County LeagueUnited Counties LeagueWest Midlands (Regional) LeagueWestern Leaguequalifying roundsCharity ShieldFA TrophyEuropean CupUEFA CupEuropean Cup Winners' CupBradford City stadium fireHeysel Stadium disasterArsenalAston VillaChelseaEvertonLeicester CityLiverpoolManchester UnitedNewcastle UnitedNottingham ForestQueens Park RangersSouthamptonStoke CityWest Ham UnitedBirmingham CityCarlisle UnitedHuddersfield TownManchester CityWolverhampton WanderersBournemouthBlackpoolChester CityMansfield TownNorthampton TownPort ValeRochdale