Tales From Grandad’s Tool Shed

These stories are the personal memoirs of Charlie Westwick, born 1879, “The Oldest Gillingham Supporter In The World”, (as told to his grandson).

Once upon a time, when there were no such things as the internet and football supporter message-boards, and everyone who lived in the Medway Towns was a Gills fan, it was the established practice for the old-timers to tell the youngsters all about the Gills – the great games and the great players from the past. For me and my mates for example, growing up in the 1950’s, there were legions of relatives and people who lived round about who could vividly recount tales to us of Cardiff in the Cup in 1924, New Brompton forcing a draw at Manchester City’s Hyde Road ground in 1908, and several old-timers then nearing their Eighties who had actually seen New Brompton play in their very first season.

As a Gills fan who has supported the club for over fifty years, it is now my turn to pass on the memories that were passed on to me, and adding my own which have occurred along the way. The result, which follows, is a canter through the major highlights and lowlights of the history of New Brompton/Gillingham Football Club from 1893 to 2000, presented at an even pace.

The flavour and style is personalised, hence the title, but everything in the tales is researched and verifiable, even if only by established hearsay from the time. Some of the things described will seem incredible, but they really did happen that way. Collectively I hope the recollections of Charlie Westwick form a reasonable potted history of the Gills which is informative and entertaining. With these tales, and a copy of the recently published statistical book “The Definitive Gillingham FC” anyone who has come to support the Gills in the last few years will have little trouble in knocking up a decent score on Mastermind. And if the Mastermind people haven’t read Grandad’s Tales you’ll have the advantage with any question relating to, for example, toilet facilities at Priestfield in 1934 (or rather the lack of!)

Yes, the great games, the great players, the triumphs and tragedies, the rows and the rumours – Grandad has seen the lot. And now he’s telling the lot, exclusively for your enjoyment!

Play Up Brompton!!

Eccles

TALES FROM GRANDAD’S TOOL SHED: THE SERIES

1. Under The Lime Tree – 12th to 14th August 1994
2. Victoriana – 1887 to 1892
3. I’ll Second That, Mr.Chairman! – May to August 1893
4. The Very First Match – September 2nd 1893
5. Professionalism – January to August 1894
6. The Oldest Enemy – Season 1894/95
7. Local Rivalry – 1895 to 1900
8. The Longest Game In The World – October to November 1899
9. Carry On Sergeant – January to February 1908
10. All Change For New Brompton – June 1912 to August 1913
11. Liverpool – January 1914
12. Kent’s Only Football League Club – May 20th 1920
13. The Not So Roaring Twenties – 1920 to 1929
14. A Tale Of Two Cup Ties – January to December 1924
15. Change Of Colours, Change Of Luck? – 1930 to 1934
16. We Had Some Great Players, Honest – 1919 to 1934
17. The Price Of Glory – Saturday, December 1st 1934
18. Life In The Locust Years – 1920 to 1938
19. Kicked Off The Pools Coupon – May 30th 1938
20. The Struggle For Survival – May 1938 to December 1943
21. The Phoenix Soars – Boxing Day 1943 to June 1947
22. Who Saw The Goal? – Saturday January 10th 1948
23. Storming Back – Saturday 3rd June 1950
24. Mixed Fortunes – August 1950 to May 1952
25. Record Busters And Net Busters – November 1952 to May 1955
26. Losing Our Way – June 1955 to November 1957
27. Coal Miners And Texans – December 1957 to May 1959
28. Darkening Skies – August 1959 to July 1961
29. Nightmare – Season 1961/62
30. The Ruthless Messiah – June to December 1962
31. Climbing To The Top – February to September 1963
32. Leaders Of The Pack – September 18th 1963 to March 14th 1964
33. A Matter Of Mathematics – Thursday April 30th 1964
34. Even Dirtier Than Leeds – August 1964 to January 1965
35. To Hull and Back – Saturday January 16th 1965
36. They Don’t Want To Go Up – April to December 1965
37. The Night The Dream Died – Wednesday February 23rd 1966
38. Arsenal – September 1966
39. Aimless Drift – January 1967 to May 1969
40. The Great Escape – Season 1969/70
41. The Struggle For Mastery Of Priestfield – September 1969 to May 1971
42. The Nelson Touch – July 1971 to November 1972
43. Goal-Happy Heroes – December 1972 to December 1973
44. Promotion – Saturday, April 20th 1974
45. Commando Len Takes Over – May to December 1974
46. Walkout – October 15th 1975
47. A Long Wait For The Last Laugh – November 1975 to March 1977
48. Visions Of The Promised Land – April 1977 to May 1978
49. Gills Go For Glory – August 1978 to March 1979
50. White-Hot Passion, Ice-Cold Fury – Swindon! – Saturday March 31st to May 1979
51. Rainy Days – August 1979 to October 1980
52. The Sun Sets On Summers – October 1980 to May 1981
53. A New Beginning – Season 1981/82
54. Peacock In Trouble – August 1982 to October 1983
55. Everton – January 1984
56. Good Times For Gills, Bad Times For Football – Season 1984/85
57. Another Near Miss – Season 1985/86
58. Glory On The Breadline – June 1986 to May 1987
59. The Greatest Game In History – Playoffs : May 1987
60. Ten Days When Gills Shook The World – Wednesday August 26th to Saturday September 5th 1987
61. The Sacking Of Keith Peacock – Tuesday December 29th 1987
62. The First Mr Taylor – January to October 1988
63. The Augean Stables – Season 1988/89
64. Lost Status, Lost Contracts – November 1988 to June 1989
65. County Third Raters – July to December 1989
66. Steady Decline – January 1990 to May 1991
67. It Just Gets Worse And Worse – June 1991 to October 1992
68. Gills Cheat The Hangman – Saturday May 1st 1993
69. A Centenary Celebrating What, Exactly? – Season 1993/94
70. Full Circle – Summer 1994 to Monday 9th January 1995
71. Into The Abyss – Monday January 9th to Saturday March 25th 1995
72. The Magic Flowers – Sunday March 26th 1995 to Monday May 29th 2000

GILLS365 PODCAST

BECOME A FAN