Thetownend.com

Local bragging rights at stake for me personally. Can they end my personal hoodoo of never seeing us win here, going right back to the play off semi final?
Probably not. 2-2

A score draw seems like a reasonable prediction.

We haven't beaten them in the last 7 meetings.
Jills 1-4 Town

Almost Franchise level of underachieving this season.

Who can ever forget the play off games and expect them to be promotion rivals again next season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ1qEyiKD1c&pp=ygUNZ2lsbGluZ2hhbSBmYw%3D%3D

The lucky heather to fall in our favour today, 2-1 win

1987, absolutely epic. Great days...

To be fair,Ainsworth has done almost a "Holloway".

Selhurst Park…….Stevie White a player and what a night that was :pint:

What does that involve?

In most of the games at the end of that season (including the playoffs) we went behind early and the fought our way back into the game. So was a nice change to score early at Selhurst Park.
We drove up and parked and were basically in an area where all the Pikey fans were. Fortunately there weren’t many of the around by the time we were going back to the car

Pre match anywhere but Gillingham in The West Gate Inn.
To which end, the grand tour of Kent stops off in Canterbury ahead of the big game.

Not sure what Chaucer would have made of a pilgrimage to Gillingham.
Would like to think that the ale content on the journeying to get here would have won a nod of approval from the great man were he alive today.

A small sense of achievement at making it to all 23 away games for the first time.
Zero satisfaction from it being such a poor and unrewarding season overall.

The chief architect was of course Kennedy.
Even the normally gregarious Tooting Beer Monster was lost for words after Salford.

The abject misery of Colchester and to a lesser degree Bradford were, in hindsight, a result of the large dose of proverbial castor oil that Holloway had to administer in order to expel the Sluaghs (Irish demons) from the psyche of the squad.

Will the first genuine pre season hope in 3 years be cancelled out by a case of this is Swindon, what can go wrong, will go wrong.
We'll see.

There were some "highs" on the road.
Carlisle and Walsall in particular.
Finally putting the Cheltenham bogey to rest was satisfying but meaningless in a nothing season.

More importantly the handful of really crap journeys were on the return legs, so valuable drinking time was largely unaffected.

The occasional socials as always were fun and by far the best part of the day.
The reassuring presence of the familiar faces. Putting names to some of them. Meeting Duke of Banbury.
Sometimes though it was just good to keep my own company.

For those with an interest in the economics of mediocrity, then yeah, about £3k to cover tickets, transport & accommodation for 25 away trips and not including the fluid diet essentials.

No complaints. It's a lifestyle choice willingly made.
Not one that is recommended as ultimately it's a form of madness.

Rushing at Paddington at about 7.30am as running late for the connection to Colchester, falling over, and not knowing it at the time, fracturing a shoulder.
07:30. In the morning. Colchester. In a hurry. More than 12 hours to kick off. Madness.

Anyway, there is a game today and the Gillingham jinx is still in place.
Did think about it being better to break the curse next season in what might be a more important fixture, as I'd expect both clubs to have gotten their shit together a bit better on the pitch.
Then again, fuck it. Jiggling breasticles Batman, let's win this.

On that note, have a good one and I'll see you bunch of lovely cunts again on an away matchday thread in August no doubt.

You haven’t made it yet !

 :)

That's very true, particularly after stumbling across Wobbly Bob on draught in very pleasant Canterbury.
I'm holding a ticket for someone so have to make it, somehow.

Turned a downward trajectory into an upward one

Hell yeah. The convoy of cars and coaches going down the M4.

Cars all the way down the M4 and the centre of town gridlocked late Friday night into Saturday morning.

Thinking back,even some of our successes have been tainted by bloody Priestfield. Lost the first play off final leg there. Danny Wilson's(?) first game,the opening match we lost 5-0. We ended up in the play offs, Gillingham got relegated. Paolo Di Canio's championship was confirmed at Priestfield even though we lost 3-1.
Today has to be the day!

Yup. A graveyard

Since he took over its been DDDDWDW.

Not sure what kind of season Hutton has had.
He might have flourished under Holloway with the regular supply of ammunition for Smith.

Then again RB v RWB for next season might have been an issue for next season with preferred formation etc.

Gills fans say hes decent attacking but cant defend. Sounds familiar!

1 goal and just 2 assists all season so far. To put that into context...Botan Ameen has the same amount in just 12 appearances.

I hope we play Ameen today from the off against him, Ameen will roast him alive.

A good turn out by Town today by the look of it, Town already taken over the Southern Belle pub in Pikeyville.

Danny Westwood is a horses arse,
he's the meanest,
he sucks a horse's penis,
Danny Westwood is a harses arse.

Wasn't it Priestfield where PdC subbed Foderingham in the first half leading to water bottle kicking and other hissy fitting?

Unfortunately, can's see beyond a defeat today !
Our record against these f*ckers is abysmal !
Ainesworth is a very good manager and has had a positive effect on 'em.
Plus, I can't see our lot being as motivated, now the Holloway holy grail has bitten the dust ! I'm not saying they'll roll over now, and Ollie will try to inspire them, but it's not the same as chasing a dream !
Also, not sure what team he's gonna put out ?

Hope I'm wrong !

Believe it was at Preston.

It was indeed Preston. Still one of the weirder away days I've been on

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GpdaUJgWwAAURT1?format=jpg&name=large)

You can’t read and you can’t write,
You wear gold and Nikes,
Cos you come from Gillingham,
And you’re all fucking pikies

Wright's fiftieth game for the club - only signed in summer, the guy is an absolute dream fitness wise.

I hope we can fend off bids from Crawley and MKD in the Summer for him.

Rovers losing 2-0 home to Reading, Burton now have to get 1 win in the last 3 games to relegate them!

And with Luton winning the pressure is on the piss stains.

Williams up to his old tricks already, great when hes on your team but frustrating against your team!

Decent crowd there today, looks like about 500 Town fans there too.

Good point blank save by Ripley.

Lively start so far.

Kirkman picks the ball up and loops a pass to Glatzel but its a bit strong.

Glatzel finds Smith in the box but his chest is too strong, great chance on the counter.

Cotterill gets away with a slack pass at the back.

Hutton as usual cant take being pressed and gives the ball away, we are pressing them very well so far.

Lovely 1 touch move by Town, but Glatzels cross is wild, some good passing leading to it though.

Clarke lax at the back but wins the ball back and then a free kick, a bit loose.

Wow most obvious handball of the season by the Gills player. Tshimanga would have been clean through.

Wright FK deflected for a corner.

Clarke went to the floor in the box but the ref doesnt give anything.

Ripley 80 yard pass to Smith on the edge of the box but he cant get enough onto the header.

Nichols with a solid tackle on the edge of our box as we clear danger.

Glatzel is all over the place so far, Kirkman crosses from deep but its too near the keeper.

Nichols with a superb tackle on the CB as he brings it forwards.

Glatzel 1 2 with Smith but Glatzel is just offside, some lovely flicks and movement by Town so far in attack.

Easy take by Ripley to that shot/cross.

Good move by Town that ends in a wild long cross by Cotterill from a great attacking position.

Kirkman finds Kilkenny and his cross evades everyone.

Nichols started the move, he has really settled into thet attcking midfield (in the hole) position in the last few games.

Glatzel falls in the box but the ref waves it away, hes twisting and turning so much today.

Kilkenny takes the ball off the defender but his shot is saved and goes got a corner.

Playing reasonably well I think

I imagine this ref is big on self love

My eye is drawn to Kilkenny this afternoon, he is so important to how we want to play, a real livewire in the middle who is involved with everything we do even without the ball..

Another good move but Freckleton hits a hard cross into his mummy daddy button and he falls like a tree being felled.

Nichols volley saved after a long throw, they then give it away and Tshimanga shoots high from 20 yards, 2 good chances.

Thier keeper goes to the floor, to ease the pressure we are putting on them.

:D I thought that as soon as I saw him flick his hair behind his ear before kick off - a lower league Mark Clattenberg

Wright long FK straight to the keeper.

68% possession so far for Town.

Jills have an attack, it goes wide but its an attack!

2 mins added.

Corner to Town.

Easy take by the keeper.

HT 0-0

Town totally dominating proceedings so far, we look a level higher than the Jills so far. Our pressing and movement has been brilliant.

We've played really quite well yet not created much.

If we can turn performances like that into a consistent thing we should feel positive about on the pitch stuff for next season, just a shame the rest of the club will still be a mess.

The state of the barnet is admirable but maybe not suited to the skin fade world of officiating in the EFL.

Well in the game.
We can do this.

Jillies still strong on the break but we can win this today. Break that results hoodoo here. I was at the last win back in 1987 the day after Boxing day under Macari, lets do it again.

Smith trying so many flicks and backheels today, shows hes more than just a big man up front who is good in the air.

Fortunately I’m not there, have been 3 times (all defeats) and haven’t seen us score a goal

Not the sort of town you want to visit more than once TBH is Gillingham.

I would like to see Ameen come on for Cotterill or Tshimanga, and put him up against Hutton who still cant defend at all.

Gills coming back into the game a bit more this half.

Wright with a far too heavy pass to Smith as he broke away.

Glatzel had a really good first half but his touch has gone a bit this half.

Gillingham have a bloke on the bench who is the spitting image of Borat.

Suckers

0-1 first shot on target.

Fucking soft defending

Good finish TBF but not good defending.

Freckleton done like a kipper.

Not just Freckleton, Clarke was poor there too.

Smash N Grab.

They have 2 chances and score with 1, we have 5 chances and dont score.

Cant wait to stop seeing Clarke at CB.

Before his last injury he did well there but its not been working that well in recent games.

1-1

1-1

What a goal, 30 yard FK by Wright.

Yellow for the striker for a foul on Clarke.

Clarke not having his best game today, thats the 3rd time hes given the ball away.

Nichols looks injured.

Westley on for Tshimanga
Butterworth on for Kirkman
Ameen on for Nichols.

The big striker is bothering Clarke a lot.

Ofoborh on for Cotterill.

Clarke gives away another free kick.

Glatzel gives the ball away cheaply but he got back to tackle, but that was really sloppy.

Clarke with another foul on the half way line. He looks tired.

So many bad touches this half from both teams and pretty much every player too.

Nice break by Butterworth but he loses control and fouls the defender. that pretty much sums up Butterworth for me.

I dont think Ameen has had a touch yet. When you have a player with his pace and control you need to utilise him.

Clarke goes to the deck now.

This ref is fucking awful

Red card for Gills

Red for Jonny Williams.

Tehe

Two red cards!

Something went on but I didnt see what it was!

Another red for Gills.

FT 1-1

Well that all went a bit wierd for a bit.

Love to see a video of what happened there.

Not quite as weird as what went on the 70's.  The grudge continues.

TBH it wasnt that far off! I remember the game in 79 very well, its a funny old game Saint.

I was on holiday, the punch-up in the tunnel and the involvement of the Old Bill were reported live from the County Ground on national radio during Sports Report.

It was great back then! I was at the game as a 13 year old and thought it was quite funny at the time, no way did I think the rivalry would extend for nearly 50 years.

Own up, who has created the Clem Morfuni parody twitter account @STFCChairman?

Well I was at the ground and didn't realise Jonny Williams was sent off til I got back to the car! Unbelievable

Anthony Hall on the radio at the moment talking about architecture.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2PyeXRwhCE

Wrestlemania with their guy & Ofoborh on our penalty spot.

Ref must have had some help with that one as he'd just finished dishing out the 2nd yellow to Williams.

Haha. Good work

Another entertaining lower league scrap .

I can't believe we can never beat this pile of crap at theirs

.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnGpD-rqNTU&pp=0gcJCYQJAYcqIYzv

It's bloody annoying, Cheltenham away jinx over, gills next season

Thing is our Jinx’s only get ended by shit managers.

Sheridan slayed Oxford & Kennedy defeated Cheltenham.

German Gills coverage of both fixtures this season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZz4eBbSDrs&t=4s


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRd1dN488go

Oh..Good point

So it's a good thing we didn't win...

Clemente will be nabbing that for his end of season column in the programme