Featured Article Summary #4

In the 1919-20 season, Gillingham FC played in the Southern League Division One after a four-year break due to the First World War. They struggled to find a settled team, fielding almost 40 players, including six goalkeepers. They went on a 14-game winless streak from October to February. Despite finishing bottom of the league, Gillingham gained entry to the national Football League. In the FA Cup, they needed three replays to progress before losing in the first round. The highest attendance at Priestfield Road was around 10,000 for league games and an FA Cup match. Gillingham had been playing in the Southern League for several years with minimal success. The 1919-20 season was their first after the First World War, and they had not played a competitive match since 1915. They appointed George Collins as their new manager and signed several new players, including Arthur Wood, who had a metal plate in his forehead from a war injury. The team also changed their kit back to their original black-and-white stripes. Gillingham began the season with a 0-0 draw against Watford, followed by a loss to Luton Town and a win against Swansea Town. However, they struggled to score in their next four matches, resulting in one draw and three defeats. The team's losing streak continued into October with defeats against Swindon Town and Plymouth Argyle, but they managed to break the streak with a victory against Millwall. The team had a series of defeats in November, losing to Crystal Palace and Norwich City. Their poor form continued into December with losses against Brentford and Merthyr Town. Gillingham ended the year with a 2-1 loss against Reading, a 3-0 loss against Reading again, and a 1-1 draw against Bristol Rovers. Gillingham had a difficult start to the year, losing to Watford and Exeter City, but managed to end a 14-game winless streak with a victory over Swindon Town. They continued to struggle, losing their next two games and ending February at the bottom of the league table. March saw a mix of defeats and victories, including a 3-0 win over Cardiff City. Gillingham finished the season at the bottom of the table, with a lack of goals being a major issue throughout the campaign. The following are the results of Gillingham's league matches for the 1919-20 season. The scores of Gillingham's matches are listed first, with H indicating a home match and A indicating an away match. The abbreviations pen. and o.g. are used for penalty kicks and own goals, respectively.