 Former team captain Andy Hessenthaler was appointed player @-@ manager , having previously served as player @-@ coach , and led the club to league finishes of 13th , 12th and 11th in his first three seasons in charge . In contrast , the 2003 – 04 season saw the club escape relegation by the narrowest of margins , with a last day goalless draw keeping Gillingham above Walsall on goal difference , with just one goal separating the two teams . John Gorman was appointed to help Hessenthaler as the side started the 2004 – 05 season poorly , but as the team continued to struggle at the wrong end of the table Hessenthaler resigned as manager in late November . Somewhat unusually he continued to be employed as a player . Gorman succeeded Hessenthaler in a caretaker capacity but left the club to take the manager 's job at Wycombe Wanderers . Gillingham then appointed former Burnley boss Stan Ternent as manager , but despite a late run of positive results , he couldn 't prevent the Gills ' relegation to League One on the last day of the season . In a reversal of the previous season 's fortunes , Crewe Alexandra , the team immediately above Gillingham in the table , survived by just one goal . 
