 The club 's failure to gain promotion meant that it was unable to hang on to the ambitious Cascarino , who was sold to Millwall for £ 225 @,@ 000 , but despite the loss of the team 's star striker the Gills ' 1987 – 88 season began with a flurry of goals . On consecutive Saturdays Gillingham beat Southend United 8 – 1 and Chesterfield 10 – 0 ( the latter a new club record for a professional match ) , but the early @-@ season promise faded and in December Peacock was controversially sacked after a 6 – 0 defeat to Aldershot . His assistant , Paul Taylor , was promoted to manager , but after an unsuccessful spell in charge Taylor was himself replaced in October 1988 by former Tottenham Hotspur manager Keith Burkinshaw . Burkinshaw was unable to turn the team 's fortunes around , however , and departed shortly before the club 's relegation to Division Four was confirmed at the end of the 1988 – 89 season . 
