Manager Mark Bonner reckons there could have been a world first on Tuesday night when the Gills played at Stevenage.
Lining up against each other on opposite teams were the Ashby-Hammond brothers – both of whom played in goal.
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Siblings playing against each other is nothing new, but Bonner’s unsure if it’s happened with two goalkeepers before.
Gills keeper Luca Ashby-Hammond, 23, is on loan from Fulham and was picked ahead of the club’s other two senior keepers Jake Turner and Glenn Morris to play in the midweek EFL Trophy match.
Stevenage signed Luca’s older brother Taye Ashby-Hammond, 25, on a permanent deal from Fulham in June last year after an earlier loan spell.
The EFL Trophy match on Tuesday night finished level at 1-1, with the Gills taking a bonus point after a penalty shootout win.
Bonner was glad to have given his own keeper the chance to face his older sibling.
He said: “It will be a quiz question that in the future, I think, and I’m not sure if anyone will know the answer.
“Brothers have definitely played against each other loads of times and I don’t know if any statos can tell us, but I’ll bet it’s the first time ever in world football – a huge statement – that has happened with two goalkeepers on the opposite sides. That was nice.
“When Luca knew (on Monday) that he was playing he said ‘oh my brother’s playing as well’ and I think they were buzzing.
“I don’t think they told each other anything else about the game, and the game plan for either team, but they both knew they were playing so I’m sure for them and the family it was quite nice.
“You don’t get to give players that much pleasure very often, you usually upset most of them, and that’s just the reality.”
While it was a first for the Gills, it has in fact happened before. Back in 1967, the Springett brothers Ron and Peter faced off against each other in an FA Cup game between QPR and Sheffield Wednesday.
