Sunday 4th January 2009: The Day the Mighty Gillingham Take on Aston Villa

A billboard poster of the advertising campaign for the FA Cup, by ITV, for me summed up the greatest domestic competition in the world.

It had a picture of Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic in an aerial challenge with a fireman. The caption beside the picture read: “Where all men are equal.”

And that statement is certainly true when Aston Villa, who are currently fourth in the EPL—arguably the greatest football league in the world—visit Kent in the South East to take on Gillingham, who currently languish in the fourth tier of professional football in England, the Coca Cola League Two.

The players of Aston Villa may be internationally recognised multi-millionaire superstars compared to the average wage earners at Gillingham, but for 90 minutes on that pitch, in Kent’s largest sporting arena, there will be no differences as current form and footballing status are thrown out the window, and all that matters is beating your opponent and getting through to the next round.

Villa may be fourth in the Premier League, unbeaten for eight games, and Gillingham may be 10th in League Two, having not won in four games, but on Sunday all men will be equal, as the prize of tarnishing reputations and slaying giants can give the same satisfaction as lifting that trophy at Wembley.

Team News

Gillingham

For this incredible clash at Kent’s home of professional football, suspensions mean there is a substantial chink in the armour of the Gillingham defence; Key defenders Garry Richards and Barry Fuller will be forced to watch from the sidelines.

The latter’s hopes of leading out his men onto the pitch for this massive occasion have now been destroyed, as club captain Fuller will be denied his finest moment in a Gillingham shirt as he completes the last game of an unjust three-game suspension.

Club legend Nicky Southall will also miss this game; the skilful midfielder being ineligible as he is cup-tied, having represented Kent neighbours Dover Athletic in fourth round qualifying.

Long-term absentees Mark McCammon (back) and Luis Cumbers (fractured fibula) will also miss the game, as their road to recovery rules them out of this memorable occasion.

Aston Villa

For the trip down to "Fortress Priestfield," Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill will most likely be without three key players, which can be both good news and bad news to Gillingham fans.

Norwegian international John Carew is definitely ruled out of the game, as his road to recovery from a back injury, similar to the injury suffered by Gillingham striker Mark McCammon, won’t end until March at the very least.

Martin Laursen, one of the best centre-backs for both Aston Villa and the Danish national team, looks as if he will miss the clash as he battles to overcome a niggling knee injury.

Fellow defender Carlos Cuellar, the Spaniard who made his name with Glasgow Rangers, also looks likely to miss the game, as a hamstring strain seems like it will continue to sideline the £7.8million man.

Officials

The officials lucky enough to show off their officiating skills in front of the whole of England in this live televised clash, are as follows:

Referee:KP Stroud

Assistant Referees:DS Bryan & J Flynn

Fourth Official: SJ Tanner

“For Gillingham, it will be a massive occasion—that’s what the FA Cup is all about.”

Aston Villa centre-back Curtis Davies, speaking to the Aston Villa official club website.

If you don’t have tickets for this grand spectacle at the Fortress that is the KRBS Priestfield Stadium, be sure to catch what most certainly will be Gillingham’s biggest match of 2009, with all the action live on ITV1, with kick-off at 1:30 p.m.

The FA Cup: Where giants are slain, reputations tarnished, heroes made.

But above all; the FA Cup: Where all men are equal.