Gillingham have only had a full house for one game this season

The move is chairman Paul Scally's idea, aimed at addressing poor attendances so far this season.

Mr Scally has written to 1,500 season ticket holders, chosen at random, sending each of them two free tickets.

He hoped they would pass them onto friends who would not otherwise be going to the match.

Gillingham play at the 11,400-seater Priestfield Stadium, their home since 1923.

Why is it that the people of Kent and Medway aren't coming and supporting the club in the numbers we need? Chairman Paul Scally

Despite the ground being smaller than many of those used by other teams in the division, Gillingham have only had a full house for one of their nine home league games this season - against West Ham in September.

Only one other home league game has attracted more than 9,000 fans and last Saturday's game against Crewe Alexandra had the lowest crowd of the season, 6,923.

This comes despite Gillingham enjoying their most successful spell ever over the last few years, reaching Division One for the first time in 2000 and finishing 11th, their highest ever position, last season.

Mr Scally's letter to season ticket holders asks them to pass the tickets "to two individuals who will definitely attend Saturday's match, and who haven't previously attended any games this season so far."

Gillingham play at the 11,400-capacity Priestfield Stadium

He said he hoped he could trust the fans to do that and not merely pass them on to people who would have come anyway and would just end up saving the admission money.

Mr Scally told the BBC: "I'm running out of ideas, we've tried 'kids for a quid' and 'bring a friend for a fiver' and nothing's worked.

"Why is it that the people of Kent and Medway aren't coming and supporting the club in the numbers we need?

"I just don't understand it."

The initiative has been specifically targeted to the match against Wimbledon.

In last season's game at home to Wimbledon, the visitors brought less than 40 supporters.

The 3,000 free tickets are for the Brian Moore Stand, which houses the away fans and Wimbledon's supporters will be seated elsewhere.