A hundred meetings
A short and familiar journey to Essex to face a Colchester side battling for results, searching for new owners and asking difficult questions about lower league finances
Originally published in Gills Journal by David Tickner
Saturday 19th August 1950, the first game of a new season. Gillingham take on Colchester United. It is a new chapter for both clubs as they enter the Football League’s expanded Third Division South - Colchester for the first time and Gillingham returning after 12 years. More than 19,500 spectators pack into Priestfield Stadium. Unfortunately, the match doesn’t live up to the occasion and finishes ‘goalless after a keen, fast game that rarely rose to football heights’, the Chatham Standard reported a few days later.
Since that season’s opener 76 years ago, the two clubs, separated by fewer than 40 straight line miles across the Thames estuary, have shared the lower league footballing landscape and similar fortunes as their paths have crossed regularly in the third and fourth tiers.
This Saturday’s fixture will be the 100th competitive meeting between the two clubs. The contest has been remarkably balanced: 35 Gillingham wins, 34 for Colchester and 30 draws.
Contrasting fortunes
On Saturday, Gillingham will visit Colchester’s Community Stadium with the hosts enduring a ten-match winless league run. The Us are 23rd in League Two with just two wins – both at home - from their 13 league fixtures. Their last league victory came on 29th August when they defeated Rochdale 1-0.
However, since their most recent league defeat, 3-1 at home to Walsall at the end of last month, Colchester have enjoyed some success in cup games at home. They narrowly defeated seventh tier Worcester City 1-0 in the FA Cup first round before drawing 0-0 with Ipswich Town’s Under 21s in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday and winning the penalty shoot-out 4-3. They have been drawn at home to League One Mansfield Town in the second round of the FA Cup but were knocked out of the EFL Trophy.
Despite Gillingham’s FA Cup elimination by National League Barrow, they cross the Thames into Essex eighth in League Two with contrasting home and away form. Their last three away league fixtures have produced victories at Rotherham and Shrewsbury either side of a comprehensive defeat at Accrington.
The price of ambition
While Gillingham’s and Colchester’s League Two fortunes currently differ, similar challenges and concerns have emerged in the two clubs’ boardrooms.
Back in March, Gillingham’s Chairman and owner, Brad Galinson warned of the dangers of escalating player wages and continued dependence on wealthy benefactors. In recent weeks, following the release of the draft State of the Game report by the Independent Football Regulator (IFR), Colchester’s Executive Chairman, Robbie Cowling, has set out a similar argument in a series of articles examining Colchester’s future and the prospects for more effective financial regulation.
Despite Cowling’s and Galinson’s shared recognition of the damaging contradictions of clubs attempting to compete with rivals whose spending often exceeds income, Cowling, who has owned the Essex club since 2006, is looking for a suitable successor after two decades of subsidising its ambitions. At Priestfield, the Galinsons are approaching the fourth anniversary of their takeover still pursuing the success that has so far proved elusive.
Gillingham’s latest published accounts underline the cost of ambition. The club’s parent company reported a pre-tax loss of £5.8 million in 2024/25 on revenue of £7.5 million with total staff costs accounting for almost 90 per cent of income.
For supporters, understandably focussed on results and league positions, it is a reminder that the pursuit of success is becoming increasingly expensive and that the willingness of owners to sustain losses is no substitute for a viable financial model.
Familiar faces
One player well acquainted with both clubs’ recent fortunes is current Colchester captain, Jack Tucker. A product of the Gillingham Academy, Tucker made 137 appearances for the Gills before moving to MK Dons in 2022. He joined Colchester permanently in July 2025 and played every minute of their 46 league fixtures last season, winning their player of the year award. He became their club captain this season. Will Goodwin spent last season on loan at Colchester making 28 League Two appearances and scoring four goals before his move to Gillingham this summer.
Gillingham’s most recent win at Colchester came courtesy of a Scott Malone goal on New Year’s Day 2024. It was the Gills’ fourth successive win at the Community Stadium.
Last season’s fixture finished goalless despite good chances for Bradley Dack and Colchester’s Kyreece Lisbie, now at Reading.
Other opposing players to watch include Colchester’s top scorer this season, Moses Sesay, an emerging attacking threat on loan from Southampton and last season’s top scorer, the experienced Jack Payne.
Injuries and returns
Gillingham progressed to the knockout stages of the EFL Trophy this week. Lamin Sillah and Cameron Antwiwere the goalscorers in the 2-1 midweek win at Northampton. It was Antwi’s first goal for the club and his first appearance since the start of September.
Manager Gareth Ainsworth had selected a strong starting eleven. Unfortunately, Andy Smith suffered a recurrence of his ankle injury that saw him replaced after 20 minutes but is expected to be available on Saturday along with Logan Dobbs and Harry Waldock who were both rested. Robbie McKenzie was also substituted before the interval with Ronan Hale withdrawn at half time and Sillah also leaving the pitch after taking a knock in the second half. Conor McManus will be absent on international duty with the Republic of Ireland’s Under 21s.
More encouragingly, Ainsworth has indicated that Tom Eaves has a realistic chance of being involved at Colchester whilst Bradley Dack has also received encouraging scan results but is slightly further away from a return.
Having played 45 minutes in the Under 21’s Premier League Cup draw with Huddersfield Town and 60 minutes at Northampton this week, Zane Albarus said ahead of the visit to Colchester that his gradual return has been beneficial and that he is now close to being able to play 90 minutes.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s game, assistant manager Steven Craig acknowledged the challenges created by injuries but insisted the staff remain confident in the squad with sufficient depth to remain competitive noting that the team are currently only two points from the automatic promotion places.
Verdict
Despite the two sides’ league positions, expect, as in recent encounters, a close and possibly low-scoring game. Gillingham will have drawn confidence from their midweek win following a disappointing home defeat in the FA Cup. If they can match the best of their recent away form and the spirit shown at Shrewsbury a fortnight ago, they should have enough to see off their struggling neighbours.
Prediction: Colchester United 0-2 Gillingham
David Tickner writes regularly about Gillingham Football Club on Substack. You can read, follow or subscribe for free at Gills Journal | David Tickner | Substack.
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