Was not totally unexpected. I have had much time to consider its consequence since Saturday's game. I have been philosophical (emotionally exhausted), angry (cold light of day) and sad (stark realisation of next season). However the facts stand for themselves. We failed repeatedly to get the second goal and close a game. 3 points kept eluding us and we ended up with only 1 point for more games than I care to mention.
The final day of the season itself started at 7.15am when the double decker coach left Sittingbourne station and we began our 5 hour trip up the A1 to Leeds. We got to Elland Road at 1.30pm (well with pick ups and a 45 min stop it makes sense!) and spent about another 20mins just trying to get into the car park. The place was buzzing.
Gillingham had sold 1,300 tickets and as there were only 5 coaches quite a lot of fans had got up there under their own steam. We were up in the South East Upper stand. In the corner. A small enclave surrounded by 38000 Leeds fans. The programme was free. Well Bates was using it to promote his oh so wonderful team. The coverage for the away team. 3 pages. Pitiful.
Dad & I took our seats at 1.55pm. Nervous energy had us not worrying about drinks or food or anything. The team (minus my man Garry Richards - boo) came out to warm up. The Gills fans sang relentlessly as Elland Road filled with the white shirts of Yorkshire and beyonds fan base. The blue of our corner just kept belting it out. Before the game started at 3pm, we saw the Kaiser Chiefs take a bow and then to subdue all the singing fans 3 tenors came out onto the pitch and sang some rather good operatic music. It stunned all the fans into a bemused silence. The calm before the storm. Before we could blink we were kicking off. As the Leeds team stood poised to kick off the first half the Gills players came over to our corner - clapped us and set about the task.
It was going to be one of those games. We had some very enthusiastic fans in front of us - who were not going to sit down, but were instead going to wave their shirts above their heads, stand and turn to those of us behind and try to conduct the singing. They really did not need too and all the time they were standing - so were we. The stewards were not at all happy. But I was not sitting down and NOT seeing the game. This was everything to me.
I am not sure you can ever explain to non-football fans the sensation of being part of a group of a 1,000+ passionate singing voices. The beating of your heart. The loss of awareness for anything except singing as loud as possible and giving 100% of your belief. Being at Elland Road on Saturday will live with me for as long as the trips to Wembley, Highbury, Stamford Bridge, the Britannia Stadium (we managed to stay up) and the fateful trip to the County Ground when Forest sent us down in 2005. All days which take your emotions to the highest heights and the lowest lows.
Today though we were singing in the belief that if we won the rest would take care of itself. Cheltenham had to lose as did Bournemouth (thx to Zig for the updates & general all day support!) - as you can imagine there were radio's, mobiles and general noises made throughout the game about the other scores - but it was all meaningless if we didn't win. We started brightly - easily the more in control and certainly looking like a team who wanted to win. When the goal went in (Simeon Jackson, 20 minutes) the SE Upper went utterly MENTAL!! Dad & I were hugging each other and anyone else to hand. The noise levels just rose and rose. The Leeds crowd were very very silent. We didn't care. We were small in numbers but large in voice.
Half time. We had not got a second. By now we also knew Cheltenham were 1 up. And Bournemouth were drawing. I was fretting. During April I have watched all Gillingham's games. I knew that without he cushion of a second goal we were vulnerable to late equalisers or worse flukey winners a la Swansea.
So on the 69th minute the nails started going in the coffin. Donny had equaliser. But so had Leeds. We had to summon the energy and drive to get another goal. For whatever reason the manager made substitutions which did not help my mood. Miller on for Mulligan - got to be a mistake. It was. Great to see Oli and Griffiths come on tho. But despite throwing the kitchen sink at them - our least favourite minute - 88 - saw Leeds get the winner. Trigger had a goal mouth fumble and missed. So close. So so close. But it was not to be. Much like our season.
'Que Cera Cera
Whatever will be will
We're going to Shrewsbury
Que Cera Cera.'
Cheltenham had also won so no amount of us scoring and winning would have made any difference.
There was an ovation for the team and they were humbled and clapped us as if we had played too. They were crest fallen. The electric atmosphere and joint will was now a squib. The chants for Scally to leave began once again. My phone suddenly came to life. Some with sympathy, others to gloat.
You see supporting a team has its ups and downs. Gillingham are now back where they were when I first started watching them. Philosophically I hope if we keep the core players we can build on the solid performances and see ourselves rise back up through the divisions. BUT that depends on our chairman NOT doing a runner with the ground - our one asset. Otherwise I fear the worse. No ground. No cash and worst of all possibly no team.
Dad & I pushed our way through gloating Leeds fans back to the coach - but my heart was not as heavy as it had been when I returned from Nottingham by myself in 2005 - 2 days after my boyfriend had moved out and facing the reality my team were out of the Championship and into Division One. Not a good May that one.
This year relegation does not hurt as much, I have been predicting it since February - but I am angry that the club has declined so easily. The heart of a lion is among the fans but the money and rumours have stifled our progression.
I hope Stimson is given a chance. I hope we can get rid of the waste of space members of the squad (which totals some 39 names?!) and build a plucky, solid and tough side - who defend bravely and score effortlessly - only more so and better than the other clubs in Division Two.
SO trips to look forward too? Well Brentford and Barnet are close to home - and these are some other yet to be visited grounds....
Bradford
Morecambe
Bury
Lincoln City
Grimsby
Accrington Stanley
Shrewsbury
Macclesfield
Dag & Red
Notts County
Chester
The coach trip back to Kent took exactly 5 hours and as many Leeds fans came back on the M1 as us. Charmers. NOT. I listened to a 'Bit of Blur' by Alex James and then Blur on random. The day summed up by 'Sing' and 'For Tomorrow'. I felt okay. I felt it had been a good day despite the outcome. I knew I could not have been anywhere else... and I know I'll be there next season - cheering on the extended family.
UTG
