Former Gills defender Dave Shipperley has died at the age of 64.

Known as “Big Ship”, the imposing centre half played 160 times for Gillingham between 1974 and 1975 and at one point was viewed by former Leeds and England manager Don Revie as a possible replacement for Jack Charlton.

Alongside the likes of Ron Hillyard and Damien Richardson, he was part of a team that established themselves in Division Three, now League Two, following the club’s promotion to English Football’s third tier in 1974.

He had joined the Gills from Charlton Athletic, the same club he returned to following his departure from Priestfield.

He started his career as an apprentice with Charlton in December 1967 and went on to sign professional forms at the Valley in April 1970.

Gills manager Andy Nelson brought him to Priestfield in May 1974 on a free transfer and he made his debut in the opening day home game against Walsall at the start of the 1974-75 season.

At the end of the 1975-76 campaign he was awarded the Gills Player of the Year trophy and his towering performance saw him retain it the following season.

Nelson who had moved to the Valley soon after capturing Shipperley for the Gills took him back to Charlton in a £60,000 deal in February 1978.

His dominance in the air and running out of defence, lured Revie to watch him. His playing career ended while with Reading in early 1982.

Shipperley went on to work for the Metropolitan Police and later got a job as a postman in Hayes, west London where he lived.

He also managed non-league team Brook House in Middlesex.

His son Neil went on to become a professional footballer and played in the Premier League , starting out with Chelsea and going on to Southampton, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest.

Ron Hillyard, who was Gills' goalkeeper for 17 years, has fond memories.

“We started at about the same time and I remember on my debut he put a home goal past me . He had a lot of character and the supporters really got behind him. He was a man mountain, a big bloke with dominance, but he was fit,” he said.

Mr Hillyard, who until last summer was goalkeeping coach at Ebbsfleet United, added: “As a squad we were collectively close. We all lived in the Gillingham and Rainham area and would go out to social events together.”

Former Gills manager Keith Peacock, now an ambassador with Charlton, said this week: “He was one of the biggest centre-halves we had seen at that time.

“There were very few that could match him for height. He was rarely beaten in the air and he had an intimidating effect on opposition strikers. That was his biggest strength and he was a real danger at set-plays.

“He was a character in the dressing room and I’ll always remember his love of playing five-a-side games after training, but refusing to play in defence as he wanted to play on the right-wing. He really brought something different to the table and he will be greatly missed.”