The 2004-05 campaign delivered ultimate heartbreak for Gillingham as The Gills were relegated from the Championship, finishing a crushing 22nd place and ending their five-season spell in the second tier. The season was defined by mid-season managerial turmoil, with club legend Andy Hessenthaler stepping down before Stan Ternent took over to lead a brave but ultimately failed fight for survival. Despite the determined attacking efforts of Darius Henderson, whose 9 league goals topped the scoring charts, a final-day draw against Nottingham Forest, combined with results elsewhere, condemned the club to League One football in a painful and defining chapter of their modern history.