Gillingham go into the last League game of the season needing three results to go their way in order to make the play-offs after 45 gruelling games in the third flight of English football…

Sound familiar? Of course it does as it’s the position that Justin Edinburgh and his Gillingham side face before Sunday’s last game of the season when Millwall come to Priestfield to end the regular season.

The “conditions” are simple – the Gills will start the game two places and two points out of the final Play Off berth, and will be relying on Scunthorpe United (who travel to Bramell Lane to face under achieving Sheffield United) and Barnsley (who are away to Champions elect Wigan Athletic) to drop points.

But the original question wasn’t about season 2015/2016 – it was about the first season Play Off football was introduced into English professional football… 1986/1987!

Incredibly almost to 29 years to the day, on Saturday 7^th May 1987, Keith Peacock’s Gills went into their last game of the season with almost exactly the same circumstances as Justin Edinburgh’s side face this coming weekend.

Back then, the Peacock side were also contesting that final Play Off place along with Bristol City – who went into the final game in possession of the last place, and Notts County.

Incredibly the points difference was exactly the same as it is this season – the Gills playing catch up two points off the coveted final Play Off spot, and of the three teams in contention then, at kick off the Gills were once again underdogs to extend their season.

And so on May 7^th 1987, City hosted Swindon (themselves already guaranteed post season and with an outside chance of automatic promotion); County travelled to face York whilst the Gills welcomed Bolton Wanderers to Priestfield.

Now the one thing that must be remembered is that in 1987 very, very few people had a mobile phone and “social media” hadn’t been invented and so those present at Priestfield that Saturday afternoon were reliant predominantly on radio updates.

At half time, despite the Gills leading by a Tony Cascarino goal – the Irish striker rising brilliantly on the edge of the Wanderers box to expertly flick John Sitton’s driven free kick from halfway over the Wanderers keeper – things weren’t looking good, as both of their rivals were ahead too by the same goal margin.

As the second half began, news filtered through of a goal for the home side in Yorkshire, but of course that wasn’t enough as City were still winning in Bristol.

You hear of moments where news comes through from elsewhere that benefits your team are something special, but to be in the middle of a crowd at that moment really is something to behold!

The news that the majority of the crowd had been praying for all afternoon finally came through and it was almost as though the Gills themselves had netted a second.

And that emotion of delight when it was confirmed that Peacock’s side had sneaked into fifth place really could only have been experienced courtesy of the game of football.

For those who had questioned the establishment of the Play Offs, Saturday 7^th May 1987 in Division Three at least proved the idea could work and work spectacularly.

Sadly after that Final day drama, the Gills couldn’t quite get through the Play Offs despite two memorable games against Sunderland where Peacock’s side relegated the North East giants to the third tier of English football for the first and only time in their illustrious history.

The 6-6 aggregate scoreline saw the Gills qualify for a two legged Final against Swindon on away goals. After the Final finished 2-2 on aggregate a Replay had to take place at Selhurst Park despite the Gills scoring in both legs!

It still annoys many Gills fan that they were able to relegate Sunderland on away goals but couldn’t be promoted by the same rule.

In the end Swindon run out comfortable winners and the Gills would have to wait another 13 years before making the Play Offs again.