My Matchday - 300 Priestfield Stadium

Gillingham 1v0 Oxford United

League Two

Saturday 22nd October 2011

My penultimate ground on this long journey towards the completing the 92 takes me to the only ground in the football League which is set in the Garden of England - the county of…(wait for it)..Kent!
Gillingham is a town in the unitary authority of Medway which includes the settlements of Brompton, Rainham, Hempstead, Rainham Mark and Twydall.
The name originates from the Gylla's family, followed by the Old English words; ingas (family, followers) and ham (village, homestead) and was first recorded as Gyllingeham in the 10th century.
Gyllingas was a war lord named from the old English word "gyllan" meaning "to shout". He was a famous man in Kent history as he led his fighters into battle screaming and shouting. (If a biopic was made Brian Blessed would be perfect for the role…Eddy)

New Brompton FC formed in 1893 originating from a team called Excelsior which played on the Great Lines. The new club proceeded to purchase a ground on Priestfield Road for £600, which had a wooden stand and a pavilion.
In 1899 a stand was built by a group of dockland workers on the Gordon Road side, made up of wooden benches under a thin roof that remained robust and survived until 1985, being the oldest remaining stand in senior football at that time.
The club changed their name to Gillingham FC in 1913 and the following year built a new stand which was damaged in a gale, having its roof ripped off and most of the ironwork damaged. The structure only lasted one year due to its poor design, pity the dockland workers weren’t around to build another sturdy stand in exchange for beer and tabs!
The Gills were elected to the newly formed Football League Division Three in 1920 which was followed by extensive ground work over the next decade with new terracing and cover to the Rainham End.
The club lost its league status in 1938 and as a Southern League club the renamed Priestfield Stadium witnessed a record crowd of 23,002 for an FA Cup tie with QPR in 1947. Gillingham again became Kent’s only League club in 1950 and more ground improvements followed at a cost of £28,500. The pitch was levelled with a new perimeter wall, as well as new terracing and cover added on Gordon Road.
In 1963 Priestfield became one of the last League grounds to install floodlights at a cost of £14,000, switched on for a League Cup tie with Bury, which was the last noteworthy development until the Taylor Report in 1985.
The Priestfield Stadium as we know today was developed after Paul D.P.Scally took over as chairman in 1995.
The first new stand was built in 1997 on the unused Gordon Road side. The 2,400 capacity stand cost £2m, kept as a single tier due to row of houses on the street, with only 12-15 rows of seats. Above there’s a TV gantry and electric scoreboard central with the club name on the facia in white capital letters.
The main stand at the north side is the Medway Stand opened in 2000. The two tiers are split by a row of 20 executive boxes with two rows of seats outside each box. The stand also housed the changing rooms, media centre, fitness facilities, offices, club shop and the Blue Rock Café nightspot.
The Rainham End terrace was replaced with a single tier cantilevered stand in 1999 and like the other completed stands is decked out in blue seats with white lettering.
The Town End terracing was removed in 2003 and replaced with a temporary seated stand named after the late legendary football commentator Brian Moore who was a former director and Gills supporter. The away end has 3,400 uncovered green seats and depending on the away following only one section of seating is open to spectators.
In the north-east corner is the Conference and Banqueting Centre and the players enter the pitch from here. The ground is completed by a set of four tall corner floodlights which I spotted from the train station and due to a sponsorship deal the ground has been rebranded as the MEMS Priestfield Stadium with a capacity of 11,582
Even though I attended the match as a neutral, I favoured the home side because like a vast majority of football fans on Tyneside, we have a soft spot for the Gills as they were the team that sent SAFC into Division Three in 1987.
As the game progressed my favouritism diminished in desperation to see some goalmouth action from either side, as neither keeper had a save to make in a dire opening 45 minutes. Then when least expected, just on the stroke of half time, the best effort on goal found the back of the net with a spectacular effort from 25 yards from Lewis Montrose.
The U’s dominated after Joe Martin was sent off for a second booking early in the second half with Davis, Potter and Hall all going close for the visitors.
Goal scorer Montrose was shown a late red for a rash challenge on United substitute Asa Hall, then deep into injury time James Constable missed a sitter when clean through on goal, chipping his effort well wide of the post.
The nine-men held on and the result leapfrogged Gillingham above Oxford into fifth spot as the U’s drop down to seventh after their eight-game unbeaten run came to a disappointing end.
The journey from Newcastle to Gillingham is quite a decent trip, once arriving at Kings Cross there’s no clart on with the tube, just a simple stroll around the corner to St. Pancras International to catch the South Eastern connection to Kent. So after departing on the 0630, I arrived in Gillingham bright eyed and bushy tailed by 11.15am.
As Priestfield is a short 10 minute walk from the station I decided to head straight there to take some photos plus I thought while I was on, I may as well enquire about a press pass, because like wor lasses granny use to say “shy bairns get nowt”
On arrival the on duty steward allowed me through the players entrance to the media office where I eventually met a very nice helpful club official called Ray Foord, who on my behalf tried to contact the press officer on his mobile. Unable to make contact he took me up into the players lounge to wait, telling me to help myself to a hot drink and a sit down after my long journey south.
Just then an elderly club official approached me telling me off for wearing jeans as there’s a dress code in the players lounge. He also mentioned that apparently I’ve got him into some kind of trouble, that was until Ray piped up to tell him that I’m not the man he thought I was, seemingly I have a doppelganger in Gillingham!
I decided to decline the offer of a drink and a seat and head into town instead. “Why do you want to do that” said Ray “There’s nothing there!” Of course there were some things in town that I found interesting - Medway Records which is a cracking music store and two GBG listed pubs; Will Adams and the Frog & Toad. When I returned at 2.15pm there was a press pass with my name on it at the desk, so many thanks for your help and hospitality Mr. Foord you’re a genuine gent.

I had planned to meet up with squad#68 Jonathan Elton when I eventually came to tick off Priestfield, as he lives in nearby Chatham, but unfortunately it was badly timed as he’s currently on holiday.

I received an email from squad#153 Mark Chatterton this week saying he would love to meet for a drink to celebrate my 300th ground, but he text me that morning saying he couldn’t make it due to car trouble.

Last week I had my annual bevvy with squad#31 Steve Dobson prior to his beloved Spurs playing at Newcastle, he was in the company of football blogger Richard Bysouth who said he hadn’t been to Gillingham. But guess what? I didn’t meet him either, as he was running late so we didn’t have time for a drink, although luckily I bumped into him at half time and we also had a quick word after the match.

Overall I had a great day, the only downer being engineering works between Peterborough and Doncaster which put an extra 2 hours on the journey home, so it was nearly midnight when I arrived back at 100FgC HQ. Nevertheless that couldn’t spoil my good mood after completing another expedition from The 92 tour, which leaves me with just one left to go and that final destination is a club with a brand new stadium that coincidently once used to play home games at Priestfield.

Matchday stats GFC 1(Montrose 45) OUFC 0
att.5819
Admission:Press (£21-£24)
Programme £3

Flysouth Bysouth(report to follow)

Ground no.300 Priestfield Stadium - Matchday web album (20 pictures)

My Matchday - 261 Globe Arena

Morecambe 1v1 Gillingham
League Two
Saturday 28th August 2010
Morecambe was a favoured holiday destination when I was a bairn, and I don’t mean the ill fated The World of Crinkley Bottom attraction in Happy Mount Park.
I fondly remember spending a few summers in the late 1970’s boarding the coach at Gallowgate bus station with my Mam & Dad and sister Gillian on route to Pontins at Middleton Tower.
The holiday camp was based around a huge building in the style of an ocean liner built in the centre of a large lake. I don’t look back with much nostalgia at these holidays. I spent most of the week suffering from asthma due to the thick woollen blankets in the chalets, sprouting a face full of spots due to the overcooked fried bread breakfasts and having no money left by Sunday after blowing my pocket money in the amusement arcade.
After 30 years apart, I’ve frequently returned to this Lancashire seaside town over the past two years. My last visit for football reasons was early in 2009 when ticking off Christie Park, for a League Two clash with Gillingham, so for my latest return to visit the town’s spanking new stadium, Morecambe again faced The Gills for the first time since that fixture took place.
Going into kick off both teams were without a league win between them this season and come the final whistle that unwanted record remained intact, both having to settle for a share of the points.
Gills were the dominant side in the first half, Shrimps skipper Barry Roche keeping his team in the game, pulling off a string of fine saves to twice deny danger man Barcham and producing a splendid double save from Bentley and Spiller.
Morecambe improved in the second half and after a lively start took the lead just before the hour mark. Craig Stanley got on the end of a Mark Duffy cross with a free header from 12 yards.
Gillingham made a double substitution with a quarter of an hour remaining and finished the game strongly. Danny Spiller grabbed the equaliser on 83 minutes, getting on the end of a Palmer free kick to score from a tight angle at the far post.
Spiller wasted a golden opportunity to win the game, blazing over from 12 yards and Roche again denied Barcham with another great save to earn his side a well earned point.

The Globe Arena cost around £12m and is built by Globe Construction, who claim the naming rights having agreed a £250,000 five year sponsorship deal.
After 89 years at Christie Park, work on the 6,476 capacity stadium began in May 2009, a year later than originally planned due to delays with planning, sales and legal agreements. The construction of the Main Stand began in September 2009 with the other three stands developed at the turn of the year.
After a bit of a false start with all three pre-season fixtures postponed, the stadium opened in time for Morecambe first competitive home match of the season against Coventry City in the 1st Round of the Carling Cup on August 10th. The occasion was marked with a 2-0 win with the honour of the first goals at the Arena scored by Andy Fleming.

The Main Stand has a capacity of 2,173 and is named after chairman Peter McGuigan, in recognition of his 10 years in charge of the club.
The stand has all the facilities which the club previously lacked with five private boxes, sponsors lounges, sizable press area and a large hospitality suite which isn’t just used on match day but throughout the year.
The stand runs pitch length, decked out in gleaming white seats with a red section in the centre which is in front of the hospitality and private boxes.
There are covered terraces behind each goal. The West Stand is called the MBW Stand, named after the local wine business and holds 2,234 home spectators, with two disabled sections situated at the front.
The opposite stand is slightly smaller, set further back with the bottom of the terrace parallel with the crossbar. The East Terrace is known as The Bay Radio Stand and accommodates 1,389 visiting fans.
The Main Stand looks across to the Open Terrace which is an uncovered standing section which is reminiscent of the old Car Wash Stand at Christie Park. The 606 capacity terrace is split into two sections with a refreshment area and TV gantry block in between, as well as a large community block in the north east corner.

I headed up to Morecambe via the M6 from the Smudgers bank holiday weekend base in the outskirts of Blackpool. On arrival after a quick look at the ground I met up with 100FgC squad#155 James Little for a pre match drink at the William Mitchell pub, which is only a ten minute walk from the stadium and has a good selection of ales and also allows free use of their car park.
Edinburgh based James had already visited the Globe Arena for the Carling Cup tie with Coventry City. His description of the new ground was “An upmarket version of what they used to have”
A few more of the 100FgC squad got in touch prior to my impending visit to give their opinions, having attended last Tuesday’s clash with Burnley in the Carling Cup.
#86.Jim Morris described it as “A great day out with friendly stewarding, motorbike parking and photos allowed”
#83.Ralph Pomeroy added “Not bad for a new one .. its very much like an updated Christie Park” while one of our newest members of the squad #161.Micheal Swaffield said “We all thought that the Shrimps had replicated what they had before, although the main stand did look more modern! See if you spot the floodlight at the away end that looks out of position!
So the general consensus amongst the squad seemingly suggests that Morecambe have produced a modern day version of Christie Park, however I have read of issues concerning the restricted view in the Main Stand and the width of the alleyways, so I will be interested to read other reviews to subsequent visitors to the stadium.

I’d like to thank Morecambe for their hospitality, especially Derek Quinn for making me feel welcome. He told me to enjoy myself and to “Be nice to us” in my report. But how could I be unkind to such a friendly and hospitable club such as Morecambe? The club, players and their fans seem to have taking to their new surroundings like a duck to water (Shouldn’t that be Shrimp to water…Eddy) so I’d like to wish them all the best in their 21st century version of Christie Park.

Matchday stats

MFC 1(Stanley 59)GFC 1(Spiller 83)

att.2,325

Admission (PP)

seats:£16-£22 standing:£13-£15

Programme £3

Ground no.261 Globe Arena - Matchday Web album(17 pictures)

My Matchday - 198 Christie Park

Morecambe 0v1 Gillingham
League Two
17th January 2009

Morecambe is a Lancashire seaside resort off the Irish Sea within the City of Lancaster. In 1889 the villages of Bare, Poulton-le-Sands and Torrisholme became communally known as Morecambe, with the three villages still maintaining their own identity and original names.

Morecambe FC formed in 1920, playing their first season in the Lancashire Combination League whilst sharing the towns cricket ground at Woodhill Lane. The club moved to their own ground the following year, thanks to the financial backing of retired businessman and supporters club president Joseph Barnes Christie, who acquired land to rent on Lancaster Road.
The ground was then know as Roseberry Park, originally having a 700 capacity wooden stand, dressing rooms and a covered end known as the ‘Scratching Shed’ with the ground’s first league action played in August 1921, against coastal neighbours Fleetwood, in front of a healthy crowd of 3,500, with similar sized crowds maintained during their first season.

The ground was renamed Christie Park in January 1928, honouring Mr Christie who was now the club president, he formed the club into a limited company with a share capital of £1,000. He purchased the ground and gave it to the Corporation of Morecambe on the condition that it could be only used by Morecambe FC, and should the club ever disband it should become a children’s playground, sadly the clubs great supporter and benefactor died the following year.

The grounds steady progress began with cinder banking added to the Lancaster Road end with a covered concrete stand at the town end in the late 1950’s costing £2,000. Another £4,000 was spent on installing floodlights at the turn of the next decade. The Main Stand was built in 1962, at a cost of £20,000 as part of major ground improvements totalling £35,000, the same year as the ground witnessed it’s record gate, 9,383 for a 3rd Round FA Cup tie against Weymouth, then in 1968 the old fans favourite the ‘scratching shed’ was demolished to make way for a new covered terrace at the Christie Avenue end.

In 1967-68 they were Lancashire Combination champions for a fifth time, and the following season became original members of the Northern Premier League. The Shrimps made little impact in the new division, but glory came in the FA Trophy, the biggest day in their Non-League history saw a 2-1 victory over Dartford in the 1974 final at Wembley.
The clubs ambition to rise up the pyramid began with more ground improvements during the 1990’s which included new floodlights and grass banking replaced by concrete terracing, their desire was fulfilled when in 1994-95 they joined the Conference after finishing runners-up to Marine in the Northern Premier League.

In 1997 a new £560,000 stand was built at the town end with major improvements made to the South Stand bringing Christie Park up to Football League standards. League football was eventually accomplished, following play-off semi finals defeats in 2002-03 to Dagenham & Redbridge, then three years later to Hereford, it was third time lucky in 2006-07, after disposing of York City in the semis they went on to beat Exeter City 2-1 in the first Conference Final to be played at the new Wembley.

Last season the club comfortably maintained their newly found league status, finishing in 11th position with sixty points, season highlights including League Cup victories away at Preston North End and Wolves.

Christie Park has a capacity of 6,400, the Main Stand has a traditional old fashioned look to it, sitting perched on the half way line with 1200 red flip seats, with a wee small standing section at the front. The dugouts are situated centrally in front of the stand with the players tunnel further along towards the south side, with a small stand to cater for disabled supporters towards the north end.
The North Stand terrace looks brand new, spick-and-span with bright red crash barriers, opposite is the away end, a smaller terrace with a police control box situated centrally, the back walls are painted battleship grey, covering the wording of the previous sponsors name. The Car Wash Terrace is the only uncovered part of the ground, a shallow terrace which is broken up by the scaffold assembled TV gantry and four thin floodlight pylons.

Eric & Ernie’s rendition of ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ greeted the two teams, but the match didn’t produce many bright spots, with Gillingham taking all three points courtesy of a first half strike from Curtis Weston. The Gills started the better side and almost took the lead when a Mulligan shot hit the post, then on 19 minutes the same player was again denied by the woodwork, but this time Weston was on hand to net the rebound. The Shrimps pushed for an equaliser in the second half, but overall lacked that extra spark in front of goal, with the best effort coming from Stanley, which produced a brilliant save from Royce. Gillingham looked to grab a second goal on the break and defended well as the conditions worsened, holding on to claim victory.

I travelled to Morecambe by car, chauffeured by Alan Price(100FGC squad#26) along with his wife Karen(squad#126) and Dave Edwards(squad#52) setting off at 9am.

We stopped off in Lancaster city, taking a look at the home of the Dolly Blues (My Matchday planned for 10th April) then arrived in Morecambe at around 11.30am, heading straight to the ground. We purchased some goods from the club shop, then luckily found that the ground gates were open, meaning we could have a pre-match preview of Christie Park, taking a leisurely walk around the stadium and take some decent photographs.
We then headed into the town centre to see the statue of the towns favourite son Eric Morecambe, before heading off for something to eat. Alan had already researched where the towns best chippy was, the honour going to Atkinsons, found in a side street off Marine Road West (they’ve also got a chippy next to the ground) after enjoying the delicious haddock & chips on the seafront, I was thirsty for some decent ale, so I headed off on a pub crawl and arranged to meet back up later on.
The first pub I visited was named after the great man himself, Eric Bartholomew (JD Wetherspoons), followed by the towns oldest pub the ‘Smugglers Den’ and finally the York Hotel on Lancaster Road, the closest pub to the ground. (Full details on Bevvy Almanac)
I prefer to stand at the match, so with it being a dry day I opted for the Car Wash Terrace, standing on the half way line close to the action just like being at a Non-League match, I later regretted not choosing the North Stand, as it lashed down in the last twenty minutes, so I got a right drenching!

I enjoyed visiting Morecambe and look forward to returning, the club have announced plans to move to a new purpose built stadium in the Westgate area of the town. The new ground will have a capacity of 6,800(2,100 seats), the project also includes training facilities, hotel, drive-through-restaurant and car park facilities, which should be up and running by the start of 2010-11 season.
We made good time heading back home, arriving back at 7.30pm, with Mr. Price’s rendition of ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ an added bonus (well maybe not!) to our journey back north, overall a brilliant day out or as the legend Mr Morecambe would have wisely put it "Wah-hey! "

LINKS
Match Report
100FGC visits- Tims 92 (Sept’07) The Groundhog (Dec’08)
Bevvy Almanac - ‘Revisiting Eric’

Matchday stats
MFC 0 GFC 1(Weston 19)
Att. 2027
Admission £12 (standing)
Programme £3

Ground no.198 Christie Park - Matchday Web album

My Matchday - 127 Galpharm Stadium

Huddersfield Town 3v1 Gillingham
Football League One
3rd February 2007
att.9167

Finally a return to the Yorkshire Borough of Kirklees and a visit to the ground which was dubbed the ‘stadium of the nineties’ when constructed in 1994-‘The Galpharm Stadium’ or if you still can’t get used to the new name ‘The McAlpine Stadium’
It’s almost 23 years since I last visited Huddersfield,back in the Leeds Road days,and as you may have read on these pages,it was way back in the days of amusing haircrimes(contributed comment of Helge of Munich) and a entirely different football era.
The Galpharm Stadium is a ground of true splendour, which won the RIBA Stirling Prize for architecture in 1995,the main contractor in the construction was Alfred McAlpine,at an estimated cost of £40 million,part of the original deal was the naming of the stadium after the firm for the next 10 years,an option which they didn’t prolong,so in 2004 Galpharm Healthcare Ltd took up the sponsorship,hence the new name.
The Terriers home has a capacity of 24500,the ground has a unique contour, there are four separate stands,all which are shaped like orange segments,the Panasonic Stand and the Riverside Stand are two-tiered and the Antich Stand along with the away end,Pink Link Stand are single tiers,the four corners are open,but this is the main characteristic of the stadium,as the structural supports meet and form which looks like four giant robotic legs which acts as a support for the floodlights.
I sat in the top tier of the Panasonic Stand,which seems to be the main stand for families and the view was excellent,to my left the Antich Stand is the main singing end,where there’s a constant din of a drum throughout,I don’t know what tune they were banging out but it sounded like ‘Shang-a-lang’ by the Bay City Rollers.
Behind the opposite goal is the away end which has an electric scoreboard,and the main stand has hospitality areas which not only benefits The Town’s supporters but also their Rugby League residents Huddersfield Giants,this stand also features a podium for the presentation of trophies and medals.
Before the main event the supporters are introduced to a special,but regular guest,who can this be,I wondered? Then on runs the one and only Terry The Terrier,the hairy faced one laps up the applause and does a wee lap of honour,to 'Who let the Dogs out'
On a glorious February summers day,the teams entered the arena to the sound of the tune from the ‘Old Spice’ aftershave advert (Carmina Burana)and it only takes 3 minutes for Town to take the lead,the goal is greeted by the jingle of the Mary Hopkins song ‘Those Were The Days’ covered by (not sure but sounded like) Black Lace,and within another 5 minutes I again had to suffer the same song as Town living legend “Boothy”celebrated his new improved contract with his opener of his two goal brace.
I travelled to Huddersfield by train,(1st class compartment,of course)my travelling companion when I went to Donny earlier in the season was best mucker Jimmy,but this time,we left each other at York,as he was on a all day bender with some of his work collegues,so I went on to Huddersfield alone.
I looked at the FGG for the best pubs to visit on arriving in the town,my first call was a social club on Leeds Road called the Bradley Mills Working Mens Club,I was looking forward to a few pints and watching the Merseyside derby on Sky.I got myself a pint and found the TV switched off,a lad appeared with the TV remote in his hand “Get in!,get the match on” I thought,but imaging my disappointment when he put the teletext on with the latest score from Anfield on view,I used to do that a good 20 odd years ago,but not now in the days of internet,mobile phones and satellite television.
I swiftly knocked my pint back after realising I was sitting in ‘a regulars seat' and after trying Rickys and the Market Tavern,no football on,just Rugby from the Beeb,my last call was the Gas Club just next to the stadium,there I found I had to pay to get in,”paying to get in a pub!!,it’s Huddersfield not bliddy Blackpool” so I gave it up as a bad job and went on to the stadium.
Overall another enjoyable trip to Yorkshire(although I can’t understand how the SkyTV satellite doesn’t seem to hit Kirklees) as far as ‘The Pharm’ is concerned it’s a Premiership ground in League One,a distinctive structure which the residents of Huddersfield can be proud of, not just another lifeless bowl that clubs knock up nowadays,so the Terriers are now barking away in a palace and not a rusty old kennel.
Match report. / Aerial picture