Posts Tagged: Gillingham

Blogger Michael Pilcher reflects on his journey doing the 92

Ticking off Fratton Park doing the 92

8 April 2017 is a date that will always hold special significance for the92.net blogger Michael Pilcher. A scorching hot day that felt more like mid-July than early April at the Hive was where Michael completed his journey to join the sacred 92 club. With over 30 blogs sharing his experiences it feels like we’ve been right there with him on the final third of his quest. We caught up with Michael to take a look back and reflect… Groundsman: Firstly congratulations on completing the 92! Which was your final ground and how did you commemorate the occasion? Michael: Thank… Read more »

A step closer to the 92 club at Valley Parade

Main entrance at Bradford City FC

Blogger Michael Pilcher edged a ground closer to the magical 92 club with a trip to Yorkshire. Ground 89/92: Valley Parade Bradford City 2 – 2 Gillingham 04/02/2017 My eldest daughter (6, going on 16) was disappointed that our run of games & grounds together this season ended when I went solo to a few matches during January. Her last ground had been Rodney Parade in December, a majorly disappointing visit – the match was abandoned at half-time, we both got absolutely drenched, and we got lost trying to find the train station – and yet weirdly that experience hasn’t… Read more »

The Priestfield Stadium welcomes the next generation

The Rainham end at the priestfield stadium gillingham

With just a dozen grounds left to go the92.net regular Michael Pilcher went back to where it all began. The Gills fan returned to his spiritual home to pass the baton on to the next generation. Ground 1/92: The Priestfield Gillingham 1 – 2 Luton Town 30th August 2016 Having fairly recently ticked off ground number 80, my latest blog isn’t about ground number 81 on my quest towards the 92, but instead, I’m going all the back to ground number 1: Priestfield, Gillingham. I won’t be reviewing my Priestfield debut (Gillingham 1 Arsenal 3, August 1994) or my competitive… Read more »

Championship Football moves a step closer at the Pirelli Stadium

burton albion pirelli stadium

As the Football League season entered its penultimate round Michael Pilcher made another lengthy journey from Kent following Gillingham. Burton was the destination as the Brewers sought to inch closer to Championship football while the Gills still had hopes of a play off place. Ground: The Pirelli Stadium 78/92 Game: Burton Albion 2 – 1 Gillingham Date: 30/04/2016 Burton was in a cluster of grounds around the middle of the country I had yet to tick off, and what was supposed to be a top-of-the-table clash against my team Gillingham looked a good opportunity to get it ticked off. Alas,… Read more »

The Gills fly into Glanford Park Scunthorpe

sign on the gate of glanford park home of scunthorpe united

Gillingham fan Michael Pilcher made the long trip to Lincolnshire to Glanford Park, the home of Scunthorpe United. The Gills were looking to the stop of rot after 3 consecutive defeats had seen their promotion push stutter. Ground: Glanford Park 77/92 Game: Scunthorpe United 0 – 0 Gillingham Date: 05/03/2016 “I’ve been Southampton but I’ve never been to Scunthorpe”, as Tinie Tempah tells us on ‘Pass Out’. This particular line applied to me too, but was something I needed to put right if I ever wanted to complete the 92. With Gillingham travelling there this was as good a time… Read more »

Gillingham make the trip to the Vale Park

Port Vale's ground

Gills fan Michael Pilcher continues to set the pace doing the 92, ticking off his second ground in successive weeks. The Kent outfit were off to the Potteries to face Port Vale hoping to avenge a 2-1 defeat from their last visit. Ground: Vale Park 72/92 Game: Port Vale 1 – 1 Gillingham Date: 15/08/2015 Vale Park is one of those lower league grounds that has been sitting on my list for years, and considering Vale have followed my team (Gillingham) through the bottom two tiers for the past six seasons or so, it’s surprising it’s taken me this long…. Read more »

Michael Pilcher ticks off Bristol City’s Ashton Gate

Bristol City v Gillingham

Clinging to the Wembley dream Gillingham fan Michael Pilcher travelled to the West County as the Gills looked to over turn a 4-2 first leg southern final defeat against high flying Bristol City in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. Ground: Ashton Gate 70/92 Game: Bristol City 1 – 1 Gillingham Date: 29/01/2015 After the Gills won through to the JPT area final – I can’t remember us getting that far before – and knew we were facing Bristol City, it was an ideal opportunity to tick off Ashton Gate on the cheap (JPT tickets are always cheap). The game was moved… Read more »

Tim Dove ticks off Colchester United’s Weston Homes Community Stadium

Colchester United Weston Homes Community Stadium

Blogger Tim Dove makes his way down to Towie country to tick off Colchester United’s Weston Homes Community Stadium. Ground: Weston Homes Community Stadium 86/92 Game: Colchester United 1-2 Gillingham Date: 26/12/2014 Thoughts on the ground: Having been to the old Layer Road back in 1997 then my visit to the Weston Homes Community Stadium has been long overdue. As this has been a recent and out-of-town ground development then my expectation wasn’t especially high for this one. However, as I drove toward the ground then my hopes were raised as it looked more than ‘just’ an oval bowl. The… Read more »

Michael Pilcher heads to Highbury with the Gills

The main stand at Fleetwood Towns Highbury ground

Blogger Michael Pilcher continues to set the standard for us fellow groundhoppers, with a second consecutive weekend combining family with ticking off a new ground. Read and learn, it really is textbook stuff… Ground: Highbury 68/92 Game: Fleetwood Town 1-0 Gillingham Date: 01/11/2014 When the fixtures were announced in the summer, I doubt many/any Gillingham fans were looking to see when “Fleetwood (A)” was. But as someone who had still to tick off Highbury and has family in Preston, 45 minutes away, this was the one I looked for first. The fixture computer was kind, scheduling it perfectly for half-term… Read more »