List of Gillingham F.C. managers

William Ironside Groombridge held the post of club secretary for over 20 years and is regarded as the first man to have held a role equivalent to the modern-day position of club manager.

Gillingham F.C. is an English association football club originally formed in 1893 and known until 1913 as New Brompton F.C. The first man to hold a role equivalent to what is today referred to as a manager was William Ironside Groombridge, who was appointed as club secretary in June 1896 and quickly expanded the role to cover all aspects of team and club administration. Apart from two two-year spells when the club opted to appoint a full-time team manager to allow Groombridge to concentrate solely on club administration, he fulfilled the dual roles of secretary and manager until after the First World War. Upon being admitted to the Football League in May 1920, the club appointed Robert Brown as manager, but he resigned without ever taking charge of a match. He was replaced by Scotsman John McMillan, the club's first non-English manager.

The next significant manager of Gillingham was Archie Clark, under whose management the club returned to the Football League in 1950, having been voted out in 1938. Freddie Cox was the first manager to win a major trophy with Gillingham, taking the Football League Fourth Division championship in the 1963–64 season. Under his successor, Basil Hayward, the club was relegated back to the Fourth Division in the 1970–71 season, but Andy Nelson led the club to promotion back to Division Three three years later. After the Gills were relegated once again in the 1988–89 season, Tony Pulis managed the club to promotion seven years later. Pulis also took the team to the final of the play-offs for promotion to the second tier of English football in the 1998–99 season. Pulis was sacked immediately after this for gross misconduct,[1] but his successor, Peter Taylor, took the club back to the play-off final the following season, in which victory over Wigan Athletic saw the club promoted to Division One for the first time in its history. Peter Taylor left to join Leicester during the close season and club captain Andy Hessenthaler took over as manager for the club's first, and to date only, stint in the second tier.

After Hessenthaler was dismissed following a poor start to the 2004–05 season, the club saw a number of managers come and go in a relatively short time before Mark Stimson's arrival in 2007. His two and a half year tenure saw the club promoted back to the third tier via the play-offs, but he was dismissed the following season. Hessenthaler then returned to the club for a period of two years before he was promoted to Director of Football to make way for Martin Allen. Allen became only the second manager to win a trophy with the club, leading the team to the League Two championship in 2013, but he was dismissed a few months into the following season after a poor start, following which another former manager, Peter Taylor, returned to the club.

Managers

Statistics are correct up to 7 February 2015 and include all senior competitive peacetime first-team matches. Minor county competitions such as the Kent Senior Cup and Kent Senior Shield are not included as the club rarely, if ever, fielded its first team.

NameNationalityFromToPWD[2]LWin%[3]HonoursNotes
Groombridge, WilliamWilliam Groombridge (secretary)  England 3 June 1896[4] May 1906[5] 403 156 90 157 38.71 [6]
Smith, StephenStephen Smith  England May 1906[5] Summer 1908[7] 84 24 19 41 28.57 [8]
Groombridge, WilliamWilliam Groombridge (secretary)  England Summer 1908[4] Summer 1913[9] 212 75 45 92 35.38 [10]
Gilligan, SamSam Gilligan  England Summer 1913[9] Summer 1915[9][11] 81 22 17 42 27.16 [12]
Collins, GeorgeGeorge Collins  England 28 July 1919[13] 12 May 1920[14] 47 11 10 26 23.40 [15]
Brown, RobertRobert Brown  England 12 May 1920[14] 9 June 1920[14] 0 0 0 0 —
McMillan, JohnnyJohnny McMillan  Scotland 2 July 1920[16] 3 August 1922[17] 135 42 28 65 31.11 [18]
Groombridge, WilliamWilliam Groombridge (secretary)  England 3 August 1922[17] 10 May 1923[19] 44 16 7 21 36.36 [20]
Curtis, HarryHarry Curtis  England 10 May 1923[21] 30 March 1926[22] 135 45 39 51 33.33 [23]
unknown caretaker 30 March 1926[22] 12 April 1926[22] 4 1 2 1 25.00 [24]
Hoskins, BertBert Hoskins  England 12 April 1926[25] 29 March 1929[22] 127 36 31 60 28.35 [26]
unknown caretaker 29 March 1929[22] 7 May 1929[27] 8 1 2 5 12.50 [28]
Hendrie, DickDick Hendrie  Scotland 7 May 1929[27] 29 December 1931[29] 108 30 22 56 27.78 [30]
unknown caretaker 29 December 1931[29] 18 January 1932[27] 3 3 0 0 100.00 [28]
Maven, FredFred Maven  England 19 January 1932[31] 25 May 1937[32] 246 80 56 110 32.52 [33]
Ure, AlanAlan Ure  England 26 May 1937[32] 16 June 1938[34] 45 11 6 28 24.44 [35]
Harvey, BillBill Harvey  England 11 July 1938[36] 19 July 1939[37] 48 30 7 11 62.50 [38]
Clark, ArchieArchie Clark[39]  England 2 August 1939[17] 23 November 1957[40] 577 251 128 198 43.50 Southern League champions 1946–47 and 1948–49,
Southern League Cup winners 1946–47,
Kent League champions 1945–46		 [41]
Barratt, HarryHarry Barratt  England 23 November 1957[40] 4 May 1962[42] 226 82 54 90 36.28 [43]
Cox, FreddieFreddie Cox  England 13 June 1962[34] 17 December 1965[44] 172 83 42 47 48.26 Fourth Division champions 1963–64 [45]
Boswell, JimmyJimmy Boswell (caretaker)  England 17 December 1965[46] 4 January 1966[46] 2 2 0 0 100.00 [47]
Hayward, BasilBasil Hayward  England 4 January 1966[48] 25 May 1971[32] 282 89 80 113 31.56 [49]
Nelson, AndyAndy Nelson  England 24 June 1971[50] 3 May 1974[51] 151 66 37 48 43.71 [52]
Ashurst, LenLen Ashurst  England 6 May 1974[53] 15 October 1975[54] 61 23 19 19 37.70 [55]
Collins, BillBill Collins (caretaker)[56]  Northern Ireland 15 October 1975[54] 27 October 1975[57] 3 0 1 2 0.00 [58]
Summers, GerryGerry Summers  England 27 October 1975[57] 22 May 1981[59] 292 92 106 94 31.51 [60]
Peacock, KeithKeith Peacock  England 14 July 1981[61] 29 December 1987[62] 370 161 90 119 43.51 [63]
Taylor, PaulPaul Taylor  England 29 December 1987[62] 26 October 1988[64] 40 11 8 21 27.50 [65]
Burkinshaw, KeithKeith Burkinshaw  England 31 October 1988[64] 11 April 1989[66] 32 8 4 20 25.00 [67]
Richardson, DamienDamien Richardson  Ireland 11 April 1989[66] 8 October 1992[68] 174 54 49 71 31.03 [69]
unknown caretaker 8 October 1992[68] 26 October 1992[70] 2 0 0 2 0.00 [71]
Roeder, GlennGlenn Roeder  England 26 October 1992[70] 9 July 1993[72] 37 8 12 17 21.62 [71]
Flanagan, MikeMike Flanagan  England 12 July 1993[73] 28 February 1995[74] 90 20 27 43 22.22 [75]
Smillie, NeilNeil Smillie (caretaker)  England 28 February[74] May 1995[76] 10 6 3 1 60.00 [77]
Pulis, TonyTony Pulis  Wales 29 June 1995[78] 30 June 1999[79] 218 94 62 62 43.12 [80]
Taylor, PeterPeter Taylor  England 7 July 1999[36] 12 June 2000[81] 62 34 12 16 54.84 Second Division play-off winners 1999–00 [82]
Hessenthaler, AndyAndy Hessenthaler  England 29 June 2000[78] 23 November 2004[83] 228 77 54 97 33.77 [84]
Gorman, JohnJohn Gorman (caretaker)  Scotland 23 November 2004[83] 30 November 2004[85] 1 1 0 0 100.00 [86]
Hare, DarrenDarren Hare
Roberts, IwanIwan Roberts
Smith, PaulPaul Smith
(caretakers)		  England
 Wales
 England		 4 December 2004[87] 7 December 2004[88] 1 0 0 1 0.00 [89]
Ternent, StanStan Ternent  England 7 December 2004[88] 15 May 2005[90] 25 7 11 7 28.00 [91]
Cooper, NealeNeale Cooper  Scotland 21 May 2005[92] 15 November 2005[93] 22 7 5 10 31.82 [94]
Jepson, RonnieRonnie Jepson  England 15 November 2005[93] 9 September 2007[95] 87 32 16 39 36.78 [96]
Onuora, IffyIffy Onuora
Docherty, MickMick Docherty (caretakers)		  Scotland
 England		 9 September 2007[97] 8 October 2007[97] 5 2 1 2 40.00 [97]
Onuora, IffyIffy Onuora (caretaker)  Scotland 8 October 2007[97] 1 November 2007 4 2 2 0 50.00 [98]
Stimson, MarkMark Stimson  England 1 November 2007[99] 10 May 2010[100] 144 48 41 55 33.33 2009 Football League Two play-off Final winners [101]
Hessenthaler, AndyAndy Hessenthaler  England 21 May 2010[102] 8 May 2012[103] 101 39 29 33 38.61 [84]
Allen, MartinMartin Allen  England 5 July 2012[104] 13 Oct 2013[105] 64 27 17 20 42.19 Football League Two champions 2012–13 [106]
Taylor, PeterPeter Taylor  England 14 October 2013[107] 31 December 2014[108] 67 23 14 30 34.33 [109]
Hessenthaler, AndyAndy Hessenthaler
Lovell, SteveSteve Lovell
Hare, DarrenDarren Hare
Patterson, MarkMark Patterson (caretakers)		  England
 Wales
 England
 England		 31 December 2014[110][111] 7 February 2015 8 3 2 3 37.50 [84]
Edinburgh, JustinJustin Edinburgh  England 7 February 2015 Present 0 0 0 0 —

References

General
Specific
  1. ↑ Casey, Phil (12 January 2001). "Scally denies financial malpractice at Gillingham". The Independent. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
  2. ↑ Drawn matches decided by penalty shoot-outs are counted as draws.
  3. ↑ Win% is rounded to two decimal places.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Elligate, p.100
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Bradley, Triggs, p.42
  6. ↑ Brown, pp.14–23
  7. ↑ "Manager History for Gillingham". Soccerbase. Retrieved 12 December 2008.
  8. ↑ Brown, pp.24–25
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Bradley, Triggs, p.57
  10. ↑ Brown, p.26–30
  11. ↑ Competitive football was abandoned after the 1914–15 season due to the escalation of the First World War and did not resume until 1919. Gilligan did not return to the club after the war.
  12. ↑ Brown, pp.31–32
  13. ↑ Elligate, p.117
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Elligate, p.104
  15. ↑ Brown, p.33
  16. ↑ Elligate, p.111
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Elligate, p.120
  18. ↑ Brown, pp.34–35
  19. ↑ Elligate, p.103
  20. ↑ Brown, p.36
  21. ↑ Elligate, p.84
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 Elligate, p.55
  23. ↑ Brown, pp.37–39
  24. ↑ Brown, p.39
  25. ↑ Elligate, p.62
  26. ↑ Brown, pp.40–42
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 Elligate, p.82
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Brown, p.42
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Elligate, p.203
  30. ↑ Brown, pp.43–45
  31. ↑ Elligate, p.21
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 Elligate, p.94
  33. ↑ Brown, pp.45–50
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Elligate, p.105
  35. ↑ Brown, p.51
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 Elligate, p.112
  37. ↑ Elligate, p.115
  38. ↑ Brown, p.52
  39. ↑ Clark's statistics include three matches (two wins and one defeat) played at the start of the 1939–40 season before competitive football was abandoned due to the outbreak of the Second World War.
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 Elligate, p.180
  41. ↑ Brown, pp.53–67
  42. ↑ Elligate, p.78
  43. ↑ Brown, pp.67–71
  44. ↑ Elligate, p.195
  45. ↑ Brown, pp.72–75
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 Triggs, Roger (2001). The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. Tempus Publishing Ltd. p. 62. ISBN 0-7524-2243-X.
  47. ↑ Brown, pp.75
  48. ↑ Elligate, p.11
  49. ↑ Brown, pp.75–80
  50. ↑ Elligate, p.107
  51. ↑ Elligate, p.77
  52. ↑ Brown, pp.80–83
  53. ↑ Elligate, p.81
  54. ↑ 54.0 54.1 Elligate, p.160
  55. ↑ Brown, pp.84–85
  56. ↑ Bradley, Andy (12 October 1985). "10 Years Ago". Gillingham F.C. Official Matchday Magazine.
  57. ↑ 57.0 57.1 Elligate, p.165
  58. ↑ Brown, p.85
  59. ↑ Elligate, p.92
  60. ↑ Brown, pp.85–90
  61. ↑ Elligate, p.114
  62. ↑ 62.0 62.1 "Football: Gillingham dismiss Peacock as manager". The Times. 30 December 1987. Retrieved 12 December 2008.
  63. ↑ Brown, pp.91–97
  64. ↑ 64.0 64.1 Bateson, Bill; Albert Sewell (1989). News of the World Football Annual 1989/1990. Invincible Press. p. 265. ISBN 0-85543-172-5.
  65. ↑ Brown, pp.97–98
  66. ↑ 66.0 66.1 Bateson, Bill; Albert Sewell. News of the World Football Annual 1989/1990. pp. 268–269.
  67. ↑ Brown, p.98
  68. ↑ 68.0 68.1 Elligate, p.155
  69. ↑ Brown, pp.98–102
  70. ↑ 70.0 70.1 "Barnet players settle dispute with chairman – Football". The Times. 27 October 1992. Retrieved 12 December 2008.
  71. ↑ 71.0 71.1 Brown, p.102
  72. ↑ "Roeder appointed Watford manager – Football". The Times. 10 July 1993. Retrieved 12 December 2008.
  73. ↑ Pike, Keith (13 July 1993). "Deane transfer causes split – Football". The Times. Retrieved 12 December 2008.
  74. ↑ 74.0 74.1 Elligate, p.43
  75. ↑ Brown, pp.103–104
  76. ↑ Triggs, Roger (2001). The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. Tempus Publishing Ltd. p. 298. ISBN 0-7524-2243-X.
  77. ↑ Brown, pp.104
  78. ↑ 78.0 78.1 Elligate, p.109
  79. ↑ Elligate, p.110
  80. ↑ Brown, pp.105–108
  81. ↑ Unlimited, Football (12 June 2000). "Foxes acquire new Taylor". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 23 September 2009.
  82. ↑ Brown, p.109
  83. ↑ 83.0 83.1 Elligate, p.181
  84. ↑ 84.0 84.1 84.2 "Andy Hessenthaler's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  85. ↑ "Gorman appointed Wycombe manager". BBC. 30 November 2004. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  86. ↑ "John Gorman's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 12 December 2008.
  87. ↑ Roberts, Iwan (10 May 2005). "Diary of a footballing nomad". The Independent (London). Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  88. ↑ 88.0 88.1 "Gills unveil Ternent as manager". BBC. 7 December 2004. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  89. ↑ "Cardiff 3–1 Gillingham". BBC. 4 December 2004. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  90. ↑ "Ternent quits as Gillingham boss". BBC. 15 May 2005. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  91. ↑ "Stan Ternent's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 12 December 2008.
  92. ↑ "Cooper named as Gillingham boss". BBC. 21 May 2005. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  93. ↑ 93.0 93.1 "Gillingham manager Cooper resigns". BBC. 15 November 2005. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  94. ↑ "Neale Cooper's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 12 December 2008.
  95. ↑ "Gillingham manager Jepson resigns". BBC. 9 September 2007. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  96. ↑ "Ronnie Jepson's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 12 December 2008.
  97. ↑ 97.0 97.1 97.2 97.3 "Caretaker Docherty leaves Gills". BBC. 8 October 2007. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  98. ↑ "Iffy Onuora's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 12 December 2008.
  99. ↑ "Gills unveil Stimson as new boss". BBC. 1 November 2007. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  100. ↑ "Stimson departs Priestfield". Gillingham F.C. 10 May 2010. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  101. ↑ "Mark Stimson's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 24 May 2009.
  102. ↑ "Andy Hessenthaler named new Gillingham boss". BBC Sport. 21 May 2010. Retrieved 21 May 2010.
  103. ↑ "Andy Hessenthaler pays for failing to take Gillingham to play-offs". The Guardian. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  104. ↑ "Martin Allen appointed new Gillingham manager". BBC Sport. 5 July 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  105. ↑ "Martin Allen: Gillingham manager sacked after 16 months". BBC. 13 October 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  106. ↑ "Martin Allen's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  107. ↑ "Gillingham: Peter Taylor named interim boss after Martin Allen exit". BBC. 14 October 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  108. ↑ "Peter Taylor: Gillingham sack manager". BBC. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  109. ↑ "Peter Taylor's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  110. ↑ "Peter Taylor: Gillingham sack manager". BBC. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  111. ↑ Cawdell, Luke (5 January 2015). "Gillingham are being led by a team of coaches, consisting of Steve Lovell, Andy Hessenthaler, Darren Hare and Mark Patterson". Kent Online. Retrieved 20 January 2015.