2017–18 Gillingham F.C. season explained

Club:	Gillingham
Season:	2017–18
Manager:	Adrian Pennock (until 25 September)^[1] Steve Lovell (from 16 November)^[2]
Mgrtitle:	Head Coach
Chairman:	Paul Scally
Stadium:	Priestfield Stadium
League:	League One
League Result:	17th
Cup1:	FA Cup
Cup1 Result:	Second round
Cup2:	EFL Cup
Cup2 Result:	First round
Cup3:	EFL Trophy
Cup3 Result:	Second round
League Topscorer:	Tom Eaves (17)
Season Topscorer:	Tom Eaves (18)
Highest Attendance:	8,163 vs Portsmouth (8 October 2017) League One
Lowest Attendance:	1,224 vs Oxford United (5 December 2017) EFL Trophy
Average Attendance:	5,370
Prevseason:	2016–17
Nextseason:	2018–19
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The 2017–18 season was Gillingham's 125th season in their existence and fifth consecutive season in League One.^[3] Along with League One, the club participated in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and EFL Trophy.The season covered the period from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.

Transfers

Transfers in

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
1 July 2017					Free	^[4]
1 July 2017					Free	^[5]
1 July 2017					Free	^[6]
1 July 2017					Free	^[7]
1 July 2017					Free	^[8]
18 July 2017					Free	^[9]
21 July 2017					Free	^[10]
15 August 2017					Free	^[11]
17 August 2017					Free	^[12]
15 September 2017					Free	^[13]

Transfers out

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
1 July 2017					£750,000	^[14]
1 July 2017					Released	^[15]
1 July 2017					Released
1 July 2017					Released
1 July 2017					Released
1 July 2017					Free	^[16]
1 July 2017			Sam Lawford		Released
1 July 2017					Free	^[17]
1 July 2017					Released
1 July 2017			Henry Newcombe		Released
1 July 2017					Released
1 July 2017					Released
1 July 2017			Will Sykes		Released
31 August 2017					Mutual consent	^[18]

Loans in

Start date	Position	Nationality	Name	From	End date	Ref.
7 July 2017					February 2018	^[19]
31 August 2017					3 January 2018	^[20]

Loans out

Start date	Position	Nationality	Name	To	End date	Ref.
18 August 2017			Tom Hadler		1 January 2018	^[21]
25 August 2017			Noel Mbo		22 September 2017	^[22]
25 August 2017			Finn O'Mara		21 October 2017	^[23]
25 August 2017					10 December 2017
26 September 2017			Noel Mbo		24 October 2017	^[24]
8 November 2017					9 December 2017	^[25]
9 November 2017					9 December 2017	^[26]
24 November 2017					23 December 2017	^[27]
1 December 2017					6 January 2018	^[28]

Competitions

Friendlies

As of 27 June 2017, Gillingham have announced nine pre-season friendlies against Faversham Town, Dartford, Dover Athletic, Chatham Town, Ipswich Town, Patro Eisden, Colchester United and Canvey Island^{[29] [30]}

League One

Matches

On 21 June 2017, the league fixtures were announced.^{[31] [32]}

FA Cup

On 16 October 2017, Gillingham were drawn at home against Dagenham & Redbridge or Leyton Orient in the first round.^[33] Another home fixture was confirmed for the second round with Carlisle United the visitors.^[34]

EFL Cup

On 16 June 2017, Gillingham were drawn away to Reading in the first round.^[35]

EFL Trophy

Squad statistics

Source:^{[36] [37]}

Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute.

Players with squad numbers struck through and marked left the club during the playing season.

Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Gillingham.

Players listed with no appearances have been in the matchday squad but only as unused substitutes.

Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward

No.	Pos.	Nat.	Name	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
				League		FA Cup		League Cup		FL Trophy		Total		Discipline
1	GK			0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	0	0	0
2	DF				1		1	1	0	2	1		3	5	0
3	DF				1		0	0	0	0	0		1	0	0
4	DF			10	1	1	0	0	0	1	0	12	1	1	0
5	DF				1	3	0	1	0	4	1		2	9	1
6	DF			23	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	25	0	2	0
7	MF				0		1	1	0	3	1		2	4	0
8	MF				0	2	0	1	0	2	0		0	4	0
9	FW				10	3	1	1	0		0		11	8	1
10	FW				2		0		0	3	1		3	3	1
11	MF			24	4		0	0	0	1	0		4	2	1
12	DF		*		0	2	0	1	0	2	0		0	4	0
13	GK			28	0	3	0	1	0	0	0	32	0	1	0
14	FW				8		1	1	0	3	1		10	3	0
16	MF				0	0	0	0	0		0		0	1	0
17	FW			0	0	0	0	0	0		1		1	1	0
18	MF			0	0	0	0	0	0		0		0	0	0
19	DF				0	1	0	0	0	3	0		0	3	0
20	MF				0	0	0	1	0		2		2	0	0
21	MF				0		0	0	0		0		0	0	0
22	MF			0	0	0	0		0		0		0	0	0
23	DF			0	0	0	0	0	0		0		0	0	0
24	FW				0	0	0	1	0		1		1	1	0
25	DF				0	0	0	0	0	2	0		0	0	0
26	GK			0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	0	0	0
26	MF		*		0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	1	0
27	FW				0	0	0		0		0		0	0	0
28	MF		*		1	3	0	0	0	2	0		1	5	0
29	MF				0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	0	0
30	GK			0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
31	DF				0	0	0	0	0		0		0	0	0
32	MF			0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
33	MF				2	3	0	0	0		1		3	8	0
44	MF				0	0	0	1	0	0	0		0	0	0

No.!scope="col"

Pos.	Nat.	Name
15	MF
28	MF

Notes and References

1. News: CLUB STATEMENT: Ady Pennock. 29 September 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 25 September 2017.
2. Web site: Steve Lovell: Gillingham appoint caretaker manager until end of season . BBC Sport . 16 November 2017 . 16 November 2017.
3. News: History . Statto . 2017-05-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160830233225/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/gillingham/history . 2016-08-30 . dead .
4. News: Gills Sign Tom Eaves. 23 June 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 22 June 2017.
5. News: Alex Lacey Joins The Gills . Gillingham Official Site . 23 May 2017 . 23 May 2017.
6. News: Luke O'Neill Joins The Gills. 6 June 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 6 June 2017.
7. News: Gills Clinch Conor Wilkinson Signing. 29 June 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 29 June 2017.
8. News: Gabriel Zakuani Joins The Gills. 7 June 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 7 June 2017.
9. News: Gills Sign Bingham. 18 July 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 18 July 2017.
10. News: Gills Sign Liam Nash. 21 July 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 21 July 2017.
11. News: Gills Sign Ben Nugent. 16 August 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 15 August 2017.
12. News: Steve Arnold Joins Gills. 17 August 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 17 August 2017.
13. News: Gills Swoop For Starkey. 15 September 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 15 September 2017.
14. News: Dack joins Blackburn. 27 June 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 27 June 2017.
15. News: Retained List Announced . Gillingham Official Site . 20 May 2017 . 21 May 2017 .
16. News: Knott Signs For Lincoln. 27 June 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 27 June 2017.
17. News: Cody McDonald: AFC Wimbledon sign Gillingham striker on free transfer. 23 June 2017. BBC Sport. 22 June 2017.
18. News: CLUB STATEMENT: Josh Wright. 31 August 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 31 August 2017.
19. News: Gills Sign Spurs Defender. 7 July 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 7 July 2017.
20. News: Gills Sign Sean Clare. 31 August 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 31 August 2017.
21. News: Hadler Joins Gloucester City On Loan. 18 August 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 18 August 2017.
22. News: Mbo Joins Hampton And Richmond. 28 August 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 25 August 2017.
23. News: Finn O'Mara Joins Folkestone. 25 August 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 25 August 2017.
24. News: Mbo Joins Kingstonian. 29 September 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 26 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170929184025/https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2017/september/mbo-joins-kingstonian/. 29 September 2017. dead.
25. News: Nash signs for Leatherhead on loan. 10 November 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 8 November 2017.
26. News: Stevenson joins Tonbridge Angels on loan. 10 November 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 9 November 2017.
27. News: Starkey joins Worthing on loan. 1 December 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 24 November 2017.
28. News: Finn O'Mara returns to Folkestone on loan. 1 December 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 1 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171201233011/https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2017/december/finn-returns-to-folkestone/. 1 December 2017. dead.
29. News: 2017/18 Pre-Season Friendlies Updated . Gillingham Official Site . 9 June 2017 . 9 June 2017.
30. News: Colchester Friendly Confirmed. 27 June 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 27 June 2017.
31. News: Gills Away On Opening Day. 29 June 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 21 June 2017.
32. News: Fixture List. 29 June 2017. Gillingham Official Site. June 2017.
33. News: Gills Handed Home Tie In FA Cup first round. 18 October 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 16 October 2017.
34. News: Gills at home to Carlisle in FA Cup second round. 7 November 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 6 November 2017.
35. News: Gills Draw Reading In Carabao Cup. 16 June 2017. Gillingham Official Site. 16 June 2017.
36. Web site: Gillingham. FootballSquads. 30 October 2017 .
37. Web site: Squad stats. Soccerbase. Centurycomm. 30 October 2017 .