Ex-Gillingham chairman accuses club of trying to 'destroy' him as ban issued (original) (raw)

Paul Scally still owns 30 per cent of League Two side Gillingham but the former chairman has allegedly been banned from the club by new American owner Brad Galinson

Paul Scally still owns 30 per cent of Gillingham FC

Paul Scally has revealed his “hurt” after being frozen out of Gillingham after 29 years.

Former Gillingham chairman Scally, 69, who still owns 30 per cent of the club, has been banned from the boardroom and directors’ box by new American owner Brad Galinson.

US businessman Galinson, who bought a controlling stake in December 2022 after earning his money from property deals, has called an EGM on Thursday to remove Scally as a director.

Scally admits he is heartbroken after saving the club from extinction on numerous occasions, had five years in the Championship, three trips to Wembley and rebuilt the stadium during his tenure.

Businessman Scally is one of the most recognisable faces in the EFL and it was actually Galinson who originally wanted him to stay on as part of his takeover - only to now try to force him out.

Scally said: “They’ve told me I’m not welcome. I came to the club because I love football not because I want to make money. It’s my life. I’ve been at the club for more than half my working life. It’s a really bad situation.

“I haven’t been to a game this season. I’ve been completely isolated from the club. It feels they’re trying to destroy me. I had a meeting with Brad in April which turned into a bit of an argument. That was the last time we had a proper conversation.

“If Brad Galinson doesn’t want me around the club, why not just come to me and sort it out? Instead, I’ve been banned from all official areas of the club and it’s very hurtful. My email account has been blocked and staff have been told they are not allowed to talk to me. The biggest problem is how much I miss the football.

Brad Galinson bought a controlling stake in Gillingham in December 2022 (

Image:

Alex Pantling)

“Some of the staff are unhappy. A few of the players have been in touch because they don’t like the way I’ve been treated. I’ve kept the club going in the most atrocious circumstances and this is the way I get treated. It’s so wrong.”

Gillingham responded to Mirror Football on Tuesday night and said in a statement: “The Board of Gillingham Football Club have called a shareholders’ meeting to consider removing Mr Scally as a director of the club. Our investigations are ongoing and so we are unable to comment further at this stage.”

Scally insists he has done nothing wrong and is being forced into legal proceedings against his will. He was ready to relinquish control completely after Gillingham were relegated to League Two in 2022.

But Galinson convinced Scally to stay on as part of his deal to buy the club and, despite Gillingham’s bright start to this season, the former chairman has concerns about the way the club has been run in the past 12 months. Scally feels he is being victimised because of those concerns.

Scally added: “I made the decision after we got relegated that I would never go back. They were the darkest days of my life. I was getting phone calls, threats, people on my property and I couldn’t escape it. It put me in a really bad place.

Brad Galinson convinced Paul Scally to stay on as part of his deal to buy Gillingham (

Image:

Getty Images)

“Covid finished us off really because our business was based on off-the-field activities, like conferences and entertaining. The strain on paying the players, paying the bills and it was very, very tough for a lot of clubs.

“But when I first met Brad, I really liked him. It was fine for the first nine months. I actually had other deals which would have bought me out completely but Brad wanted me to stay.

“When Brad came in, he told me that he sold his business portfolio for over $2billion. He told me sport was his passion and he wanted to buy into a well-run English football club.

“But there’s been a change in the vibe at the club in the past 12 months. What about the refurbishment? Pre-season tours? People are asking me: ‘why aren’t we doing this? Why aren’t we doing that?’ Staff were asking me questions but I didn’t have the answers.”

Paul Scally helped guide Gillingham to Wembley on three occasions (

Image:

Getty Images)

Scally insists the attempts to remove him from the board are a breach of contract and a breach of the articles of the company. He says he will be forced to go to court to fight it. He is also setting up his own website to update fans after losing his voice at the club.

He added: “I have to take it further. I’m determined to fight it. There’s some fans on social media who don’t like me and no chairman of any club in the country is loved by every fan. That’s part of the job.

“But the vast majority of fans, the sponsors and all the stakeholders in the club know what I’ve done down the years for Gillingham.”

Gillingham were contacted for comment.

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