‘Nonsense’ – EFL club forced into unusual kit change despite playing at home
A League Two side has learned home advantage doesn’t always count if there’s a kit clash on the cards. Despite hosting high-flyers AFC Wimbledon at Priestfield, Gillingham have been forced to wear their green alternate kit. Gillingham fans won’t see their players in a home kit against WimbledonNurPhoto via Getty That’s because the Gills’ home shirt, which is blue with white sleeves as well as white shorts, was deemed too similar to all three of Wimbledon’s kits. Wimbledon’s home kit is blue with yellow trim on the neck and sleeve cuffs while their away strip features blue and black stripes and their third kit is plain white. Unfortunately for Gillingham, the Dons’ three kit options meant it was on them to wear a strip that did not clash. In a club comment provided to Kent Online before the game, Gillingham said: “Gills are set to play in their alternate green strip for the game, on EFL recommendation. However, this is subject to change.” The Gills appeared to confirm they would indeed don their green strip via a matchday graphic posted on X. However, fans were evidently unhappy at their team being forced to play in anything other than a home kit on their own turf. One supporter said: “The fact we’re having to wear green is nonsense. As long as they don’t wear their home kit.” Another posted: “I’m sorry but why are we changing to green to please another team surely if they feel they have a clash that’s their problem?” Gillingham went into the Easter Monday fixture 17th in League Two and are 11 points clear of relegation. The Gills are yet to taste defeat under manager Gareth Ainsworth, who has won just once and draw five of his six games in charge. It is not often you see EFL teams wearing their away kit at homeGillingham on X AFC WimbledonSadly for the Gills, their home kit clashes with all three in Wimbledon’s rotation[/caption] Ainsworth took over in controversial circumstances after he abruptly departed League One strugglers Shrewsbury Town to join Gillingham in March. In an open letter to Shrewsbury supporters, chairman Roland Wycherley conceded the club did ‘absolutely everything in its power’ to keep Ainsworth at the club. But the fact Gillingham met a termination clause in Ainsworth’s contract coupled with the 51-year-old’s desire to move meant Shrewsbury were powerless to keep him. Following Ainsworth’s departure, Shrewsbury have since been relegated to the fourth tier. As for Wimbledon, they make the trip to Priestfield with their automatic promotion hopes firmly intact. The top three teams in League Two secure automatic promotion while those who finish between fourth and seventh duke it out for the fourth promotion spot on offer via the play-offs. Ainsworth is yet to taste defeat as Gills bossGetty Ahead of the Gillingham fixture, Wimbledon sit fifth on 70 points, four points behind third-placed Bradford City. However, the Dons are only four points ahead of eighth-placed Grimsby Town and cannot afford to slip up in the remaining three regular season fixtures.
A League Two side has learned home advantage doesn’t always count if there’s a kit clash on the cards.
Despite hosting high-flyers AFC Wimbledon at Priestfield, Gillingham have been forced to wear their green alternate kit.
That’s because the Gills’ home shirt, which is blue with white sleeves as well as white shorts, was deemed too similar to all three of Wimbledon’s kits.
Wimbledon’s home kit is blue with yellow trim on the neck and sleeve cuffs while their away strip features blue and black stripes and their third kit is plain white.
Unfortunately for Gillingham, the Dons’ three kit options meant it was on them to wear a strip that did not clash.
In a club comment provided to Kent Online before the game, Gillingham said: “Gills are set to play in their alternate green strip for the game, on EFL recommendation. However, this is subject to change.”
The Gills appeared to confirm they would indeed don their green strip via a matchday graphic posted on X.
However, fans were evidently unhappy at their team being forced to play in anything other than a home kit on their own turf.
One supporter said: “The fact we’re having to wear green is nonsense. As long as they don’t wear their home kit.”
Another posted: “I’m sorry but why are we changing to green to please another team surely if they feel they have a clash that’s their problem?”
Gillingham went into the Easter Monday fixture 17th in League Two and are 11 points clear of relegation.
The Gills are yet to taste defeat under manager Gareth Ainsworth, who has won just once and draw five of his six games in charge.
Ainsworth took over in controversial circumstances after he abruptly departed League One strugglers Shrewsbury Town to join Gillingham in March.
In an open letter to Shrewsbury supporters, chairman Roland Wycherley conceded the club did ‘absolutely everything in its power’ to keep Ainsworth at the club.
But the fact Gillingham met a termination clause in Ainsworth’s contract coupled with the 51-year-old’s desire to move meant Shrewsbury were powerless to keep him.
Following Ainsworth’s departure, Shrewsbury have since been relegated to the fourth tier.
As for Wimbledon, they make the trip to Priestfield with their automatic promotion hopes firmly intact.
The top three teams in League Two secure automatic promotion while those who finish between fourth and seventh duke it out for the fourth promotion spot on offer via the play-offs.
Ahead of the Gillingham fixture, Wimbledon sit fifth on 70 points, four points behind third-placed Bradford City.
However, the Dons are only four points ahead of eighth-placed Grimsby Town and cannot afford to slip up in the remaining three regular season fixtures.
