1998–99 Gillingham F.C. season

Gillingham were 2–0 up with less than ten minutes remaining but conceded two late goals, and Manchester City won the subsequent penalty shoot-out to gain promotion.Despite leading the team to the play-off final, manager Tony Pulis was dismissed from his job shortly afterwards amid allegations of gross misconduct.[6] There were significant changes to the playing squad ahead of the season, and the records for the highest transfer fees received and paid by Gillingham were both broken.Shortly after the end of the 1997–98 season, Jimmy Corbett, an attacking midfielder who had debuted in August 1997 at the age of 17, moved to FA Premier League club Blackburn Rovers for an initial fee of £525,000 (equivalent to £1.27 million in 2023); clauses in the contract meant that the fee had the potential to nearly double if Corbett played more than a specified number of games at the higher level.[18][19] Gillingham achieved their first victory of the season at the fifth attempt, defeating Wrexham 4–0; Asaba scored his first goal since joining the club and the result took the team up to 12th in the table.[24] Between 20 October and 10 November, Asaba scored in five consecutive games, four of which resulted in victories, taking his total number of league goals to ten.[25] Taylor, however, had only scored three league goals and was receiving negative reactions from some Gillingham supporters, who considered him out of shape and his large transfer fee a waste of money.Two weeks later, however, the red card was overturned by a special commission convened by the Football Association, the sport's governing body in England, based on evidence provided by police officers present at the game.[33] In the final game of February, Gillingham recorded their best ever Football League win away from home when they beat Burnley 5–0 at Turf Moor; Taylor scored all five goals.[36] In the following match, Taylor scored in the final minute to gain the team a draw against fellow promotion contenders Preston North End.[37][38] In March, Gillingham lost 4–1 to Wigan Athletic, the most goals conceded by the team in a single game during the season, but followed it up with a 4–0 win over Lincoln City.Four days after the second of these victories, Wigan Athletic lost to Wycombe Wanderers, meaning that Gillingham were guaranteed a place in the play-offs irrespective of the result of the final match of the regular season.[45] Gillingham's final game resulted in a 1–0 win away against Notts County, Asaba scoring the only goal; this meant that they finished the regular season fourth in the table, seven points below second place.[49] Having been largely thwarted by the Gillingham defence in the open 45 minutes, Preston had more goalscoring chances in the second half; goalkeeper Vince Bartram dived full-length across his goal to keep out a shot from Jon Macken.[58] FW = Forward, MF = Midfielder, GK = Goalkeeper, DF = Defender One month after the play-off final, Pulis was dismissed from his job as the club's manager, amid accusations of gross misconduct on his part,[61] a decision which led to a lengthy and acrimonious court case between him and Scally.[68] After defeating Stoke City in the semi-finals, Gillingham beat Wigan Athletic in the final to gain promotion to the second tier of the English football league system for the first time in the club's history.
Football manager Tony Pulis
Gillingham manager Tony Pulis (pictured in 2014) was the club's manager for a fourth season.
Footballer Andy Hessenthaler
Andy Hessenthaler (pictured in 2009) captained Gillingham during the 1998–99 season.
Footballer Kevin Lisbie
Kevin Lisbie (pictured in 2013) joined Gillingham on loan from Charlton Athletic in the latter portion of the season.
Footballer Paul Dickov
Manchester City 's Paul Dickov (pictured in 2008) scored a late equalising goal in the play-off final.
Footballer Nyron Nosworthy
Nyron Nosworthy (pictured in 2012) made his debut during the season and would go on to play 200 games for Gillingham. [ 57 ]
GillinghamPaul ScallyTony PulisSecond DivisionFA CupLeague CupLeague TrophyCarl AsabaManchester CityWycombe WanderersHome coloursAway colours1997–981999–20001998–99 English football seasonGillingham F.C.Football League Second DivisionEnglish football league systemthe Football Leaguevoted back into the leagueforwardstransferpromotionFootball League First Divisionplay-offsPreston North Endsemi-finalsWembley Stadiumpenalty shoot-outFootball League TrophyFootball League CupPaul SmithPriestfield Stadiummanager1998–99 seasonFootball Leagueelected back into the Leagueprevious seasonFirst DivisionAndy Hessenthalercaptaintransfer feesJimmy Corbettattacking midfielderFA Premier LeagueBlackburn RoversAde AkinbiyiBristol CityRobert TaylorBrentfordJohn HodgeWalsallMark SaundersPaul WilliamsPlymouth Argyle1995–96 seasonaway shirtsfriendly matchesCrystal Palaceleague tableBristol RoversBarry AshbyAdrian PennockBlackpoolReadingWrexhamColchester UnitedSepp BlatterNational Football MuseumDeepdaleMacclesfield Townhat-trickNotts CountyMillwallDavid Greenered cardthe Football AssociationBurnleyTurf MoorFred CheesmurMerthyr TownKevin Lisbieon loanCharlton AthleticWigan AthleticLincoln CityBournemouthSky TVOldham AthleticStoke CityPenalty kickOwn goalYork CitySaundersHessenthalerChesterfieldNorthampton TownGallowayTaylorAFC BournemouthSouthallLuton TownBalmerPattersonFulhamButtersLisbiePaul Dickovtwo-legged tieDavid EyresVince BartramJon Mackenaggregate victorythe finalKevin Horlockinjury timeextra timeneutral venuea.e.t.1998–99 FA Cup1998–99 Football League CupSouthend UnitedThird Division1998–99 Football League TrophySwansea CityTorquay UnitedThe New DenPennockNyron NosworthyBrian StathamFranck RollingKenny BrownMarcus BrowningMatt BryantSteve ButlerGuy ButtersDarren CarrTony DobsonRoland EdgeStuart ElliottMick GallowayMark PattersonJames PinnockNicky SouthallJim StannardForwardMidfielderGoalkeeperDefenderPeter Taylor1999–2000 seasonBBC NewsAFS EnterprisesThe TimesThe GuardianThe IndependentThe Sunday TimesThe Independent on SundayThe ObserverNewspapers.comSoccerbaseNottinghamDurringtonNew Holland PublishersHeadline Book PublishingStroudGillingham F.C. seasons1893–941894–951895–961896–971897–981898–991899–19001900–011901–021902–031903–041904–051905–061906–071907–081908–091909–101910–111911–121912–131913–141914–151919–201920–211921–221922–231923–241924–251925–261926–271927–281928–291929–301930–311931–321932–331933–341934–351935–361936–371937–381938–391939–401944–451945–461946–471947–481948–491949–501950–511951–521952–531953–541954–551955–561956–571957–581958–591959–601960–611961–621962–631963–641964–651965–661966–671967–681968–691969–701970–711971–721972–731973–741974–751975–761976–771977–781978–791979–801980–811981–821982–831983–841984–851985–861986–871987–881988–891989–901990–911991–921992–931993–941994–951995–961996–972000–012001–022002–032003–042004–052005–062006–072007–082008–092009–102010–112011–122012–132013–142014–152015–162016–172017–182018–192019–202020–212021–222022–232023–242024–251998–99 in English footballUEFA Euro 2000 qualifyingGlenn HoddleHoward WilkinsonKevin KeeganPremier LeagueFootball ConferenceIsthmian LeagueNorthern Premier LeagueSouthern LeagueEastern Counties LeagueHellenic LeagueKent LeagueMidland AllianceMidland Football CombinationNorth West Counties LeagueNorthern Counties East LeagueNorthern LeagueSussex County LeagueUnited Counties LeagueWessex LeagueWest Midlands (Regional) LeagueWestern LeagueCombined Counties LeagueEssex Senior LeagueSpartan South Midlands LeagueQualifying roundsCharity ShieldFA TrophyFA VaseChampions LeagueUEFA CupCup Winners' CupIntertoto CupArsenalAston VillaChelseaCoventry CityDerby CountyEvertonLeeds UnitedLeicester CityLiverpoolManchester UnitedMiddlesbroughNewcastle UnitedNottingham ForestSheffield WednesdaySouthamptonTottenham HotspurWest Ham UnitedWimbledonBarnsleyBirmingham CityBolton WanderersBradford CityCrewe AlexandraGrimsby TownHuddersfield TownIpswich TownNorwich CityOxford UnitedPort ValePortsmouthQueens Park RangersSheffield UnitedStockport CountySunderlandSwindon TownTranmere RoversWatfordWest Bromwich AlbionWolverhampton WanderersCardiff CityCarlisle UnitedChester CityHull CityMansfield TownRochdale