The captain of Gillingham’s first Football League title-winning team has died.
Alec Farrall led the Gills to the Division 4 championship in 1963-64. He made 50 league and cup appearances in all that season as Freddie Cox’s side pipped Carlisle United to the title on goal average in the days before goal difference was introduced.
A midfielder, Farrall played for the club 220 times, scoring 21 goals. He died in Prenton, Merseyside, on Monday after a long illness. He was 89.
His status as Gills’ only Football-League title-winning skipper lasted for almost 50 years until Adam Barrett lifted the League 2 trophy in 2013.
Farrall started his career at Everton in 1953 before joining Preston. From there he switched to Priestfield in 1960 and stayed until 1965, when he signed for Lincoln.
After one season with the Imps a move to Watford – his final club – followed and he made his last appearance in 1968.
