It’s been a topsy turvy start to the season for Gillingham Football Club, who host Newport County at Priestfield on Saturday, looking to secure back-to-back wins for the second time this season.
Interim manager Keith Millen could be coaxed back into a role behind the scenes before Saturday’s game, with American owner Brad Gallinson finishing the final round of interviews for the permanent role. Newport offer an ideal matchup having failed to win in the last month, but with the managerial situation up in the air, Millen remains focused on the job at hand, and is pleased with the team’s current performances, after Tuesday night produced a rare away victory at Swindon Town, with the side showing resilience to secure a hard-fought victory.
Looking ahead to this weekend’s game, the Gills will continue to be light in attacking threat, with a number of key players continuing to sit on the sidelines, including Ollie Hawkins. The nature of the tough schedule was beginning to get a hold of the club, however key players such as George Lapslie and Tim Dieng are making their way back into the squad picture after spells on the sidelines.
Their return comes as a boost for Millen, who may remain in charge of the football club as long as into November, when the Gills travel to play Hereford in the first round of the FA Cup – if Galinson is unpleased with the calibre of candidates on the table this week.
Gills fan Graham Fordyce believes that the club has to make a more attacking appointment, following two years of defensive football under Neil Harris…
That goal difference is something that is going to be crucial for the League Two side in the long-run, and as their attacking threat begins to return, expect to see them pumping more goals in with the influence of a new manager, with fresh ideas and a blank canvas…
That’s not to say that it’s going to be easy from the get-go for any new manager walking through the door, for a team with a perennial lack of goals and a defensive mindset. The new appointment is going to need time to change the mentality within the locker room and lead the Gills back up the football league pyramid, and back to where the fans believe they deserve to be.