He owned racehorses and greyhounds, but his strongest connection with sport was with Kent's only professional football club, Gillingham F.C., where he served as vice-chairman of the board of directors.
Manager Jamie Agnew was previously a youth team coach at English League Two football club Gillingham F.C. where he became a cult figure after streaking on the pitch during the club's 1999-2000 play-off final at Wembley Stadium.
William Ironside Groombridge was secretary of English football club Gillingham (known for much of his tenure as New Brompton F.C.) from 1896 until 1923.
Gillingham | Gillingham F.C. | Fort Gillingham | John Gillingham | Gillingham F.C | Brad Gillingham |
He was top scorer with 12 goals, even though he was on loan at Gillingham in the latter part of the season, before moving to Lokeren in Belgium at the end of the season.
Also in April 2010, he was criticised after mysteriously awarding a penalty to Leeds United after striker Jermaine Beckford tripped over his own shoelace outside the area in a match against Gillingham
Bedford manager Basil Hayward took over as manager of Gillingham of the Football League Third Division in 1966 and recruited a number of players from his former club, including Folds, who joined the "Gills" as the club's first ever apprentice-professional.
Soon after the war, Grossmark became a season-ticket holder at Priestfield Stadium, home of Gillingham F.C., then playing in the Southern League.
The club's most famous former player is Tony Cascarino, who they sold to Gillingham, reportedly in exchange for a new set of tracksuits.
Born in England but spent much of his youth in Peebles, Scotland, Tempest had played for several English teams including Fulham, Huddersfield Town, Gillingham and Colchester United before arriving in Hong Kong.
After his release from Bournemouth, Rolling was briefly on the books of Gillingham F.C. and Wycombe Wanderers F.C., before leaving England to try his luck with SK Vorwärts Steyr of Austria (who went into bankruptcy during the season) and Veria F.C. of Greece.
Born in Staveley, he joined Gillingham from West Bromwich Albion in 1928 and went on to make 43 appearances for the club in The Football League.
Matthew Nathaniel Joseph (born 30 September 1972) in Bethnal Green, London, England, is a retired Barbadian professional footballer who played as a defender for Arsenal, Gillingham, Cambridge United and Leyton Orient in the Football League.