Gillingham comments

California Bee

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Gillingham comments

GPG states: "Older fans will remember some classic encounters against the side from Kent and another on Saturday is just what's needed at the moment."

Actually, older fans remember that Gillingham were not in the league and Brentford were gracing the First Division (top flight) along with Grimsby Town. Meanwhile Crystal Palace, Watford, Southampton, Norwich, Cardiff City, Ipswich and Nottingham Forest were forgotten nonentities in the Third Division in those days.
 

Gillingham comments

GPG states: "Older fans will remember some classic encounters against the side from Kent and another on Saturday is just what's needed at the moment."

Actually, older fans remember that Gillingham were not in the league and Brentford were gracing the First Division (top flight) along with Grimsby Town. Meanwhile Crystal Palace, Watford, Southampton, Norwich, Cardiff City, Ipswich and Nottingham Forest were forgotten nonentities in the Third Division in those days.

I said older not elderly. ;) I was thinking more of those nippers out there who have joined in the last 5 years or so. I'm one of those "older" fans.
 

Gillingham comments

GPG states: "Older fans will remember some classic encounters against the side from Kent and another on Saturday is just what's needed at the moment."

Actually, older fans remember that Gillingham were not in the league and Brentford were gracing the First Division (top flight) along with Grimsby Town. Meanwhile Crystal Palace, Watford, Southampton, Norwich, Cardiff City, Ipswich and Nottingham Forest were forgotten nonentities in the Third Division in those days.

Old, older, oldest. I think these days to remember Brentford in the top flight, you have to come under the "oldest" category - sorry California Bee! :)
 

Gillingham comments

:wave: Recall we played the Gills in an FA Cup game I think it was...must bee in the 60's..we scored 2 goals in the last 3 mins to win 2-1..THE JOY..knew no bounds...lol ...YOU REDS....:sorted:
 

Gillingham comments

We havent beaten them for quite a few years now though.
 

Gillingham comments

I can recall an evening game at Gillingham with Fred Rycraft in goal (early 60s, I think) where Fred made a blinding dive and save, caught the ball, stood up, went to drop-kick the ball back into play and, somehow threw the ball over his shoulder into the net. I still think we won that day. Now Fred was a legend !
 

Gillingham comments

I remember being 3-0 up or something like that in the FA Cup only to lose 4-3!! How typically Brentford!!!
 

Gillingham comments

The first game I ever took my missus to was Gillingham at home.
It was just after they nicked all our players, Ratcliffe, Ashby, Taylor and Statham were all playing for them that night and the atmos was incredible.

We played brilliantly too, can't remember the score but Marcus Bent scored a screamer. Possibly.
 

Gillingham comments

The first game I ever took my missus to was Gillingham at home.
It was just after they nicked all our players, Ratcliffe, Ashby, Taylor and Statham were all playing for them that night and the atmos was incredible.

We played brilliantly too, can't remember the score but Marcus Bent scored a screamer. Possibly.
I think it was this game you mean. Taylor played for us still, back then, and scored a penalty awarded when Statham was sent off for kicking someone (can't remember who). Ashby, Smith and Ratcliffe were also playing for the Gills, as was a young Ade Akinbiyi. We won 2-0.

You're right that the atmosphere was tremendous, though. It was an evening game with a sub-5,000 crowd, but with four ex-Bees in their side, three of them having played for us only four months previously at Wembley, there was a real sense of needing to stick it to them big time.

Statham had the distinction of being sent off in his last game for us and his first game against us!
 

Gillingham comments

Old, older, oldest. I think these days to remember Brentford in the top flight, you have to come under the "oldest" category - sorry California Bee! :)


Just putting things in perspective Ed!!:D It still rankles to see the likes of Watford and Wigan strutting the stage while the once-proud Bees struggle to survive.
 

Gillingham comments

:wave: Recall we played the Gills in an FA Cup game I think it was...must bee in the 60's..we scored 2 goals in the last 3 mins to win 2-1..THE JOY..knew no bounds...lol ...YOU REDS....:sorted:
Wasn't it the year we lost to Hull in 5th round in extra time, think very early seventies.
1-0 down and sure Alec Dawson scored one of them.
 

Gillingham comments

I can recall an evening game at Gillingham with Fred Rycraft in goal (early 60s, I think) where Fred made a blinding dive and save, caught the ball, stood up, went to drop-kick the ball back into play and, somehow threw the ball over his shoulder into the net. I still think we won that day. Now Fred was a legend !

Whenever Fred was in goal..and the ball was in our half..I got brown trousers...lol ..the joy these new Bees have missed...:sorted:
 

Gillingham comments

Whenever Fred was in goal..and the ball was in our half..I got brown trousers...lol ..the joy these new Bees have missed...:sorted:


What a legend Fred was. Was never allowed near the first team (thank god for Gerry Cakebread and latterly Chic Brodie) unless there was an injury. Fred, all sixteen stone of him would pull off an amazing save one minute then let one dribble through his legs the next as he did when we lost 2-5 at home to Bristol rovers in the very early sixties. I can still see it now.

Btw. the 2-0 referred to earlier, wasn't that the game Paul Abrahams (very underated IMO) scored and played a blinder
 

Gillingham comments

I think it was this game you mean. Taylor played for us still, back then, and scored a penalty awarded when Statham was sent off for kicking someone (can't remember who). Ashby, Smith and Ratcliffe were also playing for the Gills, as was a young Ade Akinbiyi. We won 2-0.

You're right that the atmosphere was tremendous, though. It was an evening game with a sub-5,000 crowd, but with four ex-Bees in their side, three of them having played for us only four months previously at Wembley, there was a real sense of needing to stick it to them big time.

Statham had the distinction of being sent off in his last game for us and his first game against us!

Cheers for the link. Dennis Bailey and Steve Butler were other ex-bees who played that night.
 

Gillingham comments

Wasn't it the year we lost to Hull in 5th round in extra time, think very early seventies.
1-0 down and sure Alec Dawson scored one of them.

:yes: I remember it well.

John Docherty got the equaliser and Dawson the winner - all in the last 2 minutes. :bound:

That was the season of THE Brentford train trips.
 
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