Gillingham F.C. season 1963-64

Infobox Football club season
club = Gillingham
season = 1963–64
manager = Freddie Cox
chairman = Dr C.S. Grossmark
league = Football League Fourth Division
league result = 1st
cup1 = FA Cup
cup1 result = First Round
cup2 = League Cup
cup2 result = Fourth Round
league topscorer = Brian Gibbs (17)
season topscorer = Brian Gibbs (18)
highest attendance = 17,421 vs Carlisle United (9 October 1963)
lowest attendance =5,274 vs Chester City (7 March 1964)The 1963–64 season was the thirty-second season in which football club Gillingham F.C. competed in the Football League, and the fourteenth since the club's return to the League in 1950. Gillingham finished the season as champions of the Football League Fourth Division, the only honour the club has ever won at a professional level, and also reached the fourth round of the Football League Cup, a feat which the club did not repeat for over thirty years.

Football League

Manager Freddie Cox stuck mainly to the team which had finished in fifth place in the previous season, his only major signing being that of veteran Crewe Alexandra defender Geoff Hudson. The Gillingham team was noted for its strong defensive capabilities, and this was borne out as the Gills conceded only two goals in their first ten matches. Goalkeeper John Simpson went on to set a new club record by conceding only 30 goals all season, and the team finished the season level on 60 points with Carlisle United, but with a fractionally better goal average, and so claimed the championship in the tightest finish in Football League history.

Football League Cup

Gillingham entered the League Cup at the first round stage and defeated Bristol City, followed by a win over Bury in the second round. In the third round the Gills were drawn away to Bristol Rovers of the Third Division. After holding Rovers to a draw, the Gills emerged victorious in a replay at Priestfield Stadium to set up a fourth round match away to Leicester City of the First Division. Top-flight opposition proved too much for Gillingham, who were beaten 4–1 at Filbert Street.

quad statistics

Gillingham used a total of 22 players during the course of the season, two of whom, Mike Burgess and John Simpson, featured in all 52 competitive matches. Brian Gibbs was also ever-present in Football League matches, and finished the season as the team's top scorer, with 18 goals in all competitions.

ee also

*Gillingham F.C. seasons

References

*cite book
last = Brown
first = Tony
coauthors =
title = The Definitive Gillingham F.C.: A Complete Record
publisher = Soccerdata
year = 2003
isbn = 1-8994-6820-X
pages =
*cite book
last = Triggs
first = Roger
coauthors =
title = Gillingham Football Club: A Chronology 1893–1984
publisher = Kent County Libraries
year = 1984
isbn =
*cite book
last = Bradley
first = Andy
coauthors = Roger Triggs
title = Home of the Shouting Men: Complete History of Gillingham Football Club 1893–1993
publisher = Gillingham F.C.
year = 1994
isbn = 0-9523-3610-3
pages =