 In 1938 the Gills finished bottom of the now @-@ regionalised Third Division South once more , and were required to apply for re @-@ election to the Football League for the fifth time since joining it in 1920 . This time the club 's bid for re @-@ election failed , with Ipswich Town registering 36 votes to Gillingham 's 28 and being promoted into the League . At the time it was considered a distinct possibility that Gillingham , saddled with heavy debts incurred during the preceding unsuccessful seasons , might not survive , but the club carried on , and returned to the Southern League the following season , albeit without manager Alan Ure , who was replaced by Bill Harvey . 
