Gillingham fans follow the Clarets' lead

Last updated : 04 July 2002 By Tony Scholes

It looks as though many Gillingham supporters are going to give this game a miss and help the Wimbledon supporters in their continued protest against the disgraceful decision to allow the club to relocate in Milton Keynes.

Last month at their Annual General Meeting the Clarets Independent Supporters Association passed two resolutions unanimously to 1) Boycott Burnley's away game against them (wherever it is played) and 2) Hold a demonstration at the home fixture. CISA urge all Burnley supporters to strongly consider giving the away game a miss.

For Gillingham it is the first game of the season and after a similar resolution from their Independent Supporters Association many Gills fans have already agreed to miss the game. If the game is at Selhurst Park as now seems likely the visiting supporters not attending do intend going and forming a human chain outside the ground with the Wimbledon supporters.

It is a longer wait and the last game of the season for us and therefore potentially a very important game. Simon Wheeler from the Wimbledon Independent Supporters Association told Clarets Mad that under those sort of circumstances his organisation would issue a statement regarding our watching the game, they would not expect us to turn our backs on an important game. Should this be just an end of season game with no importance Clarets Mad will not be there.

In a letter to Clarets Mad recently from WISA's chair Kris Stewart he said,

"We are asking for supporters to boycott matches played by the news Milton Keynes club; we are aware that boycotts are an emotive issue and for many supporters are a protest too far as they cannot contemplate not supporting their team. We would urge you to take this step as the circumstances are so grave and the ramifications so important. If the move proves to be a failure, it will vindicate our stance and undermine the argument made by the club. That failure can be brought out best by depriving the club of money. Simply, if there is one away game you don't go to next season, make it the game against Milton Keynes.

"Despite the fact that we follow different teams, there is more that united us as supporters, than divides us. Our club has been taken away from us, and we would ask for your help not just in support of us in our time of need, but because simply, it could happen to you."