By Kris Delo
With today’s game against Chesterfield postponed due to snow and me having a whole day on my hands, I thought I would look back over the season and a few potential reasons as to why we have fallen off a proverbial cliff.
Lets start with……
Mark Bonner
After the, in some’s eyes untimely, sacking of Stephen Clemence on April 29, Mark Bonner was a announced on the 7th of May 2024 as the Galinson’s third manager in less than two years.
Mark quickly endeared himself to the fan base with his opening press conference, coming across as a man who understood the values of the fan base and club alike.
You can watch his first interview below:
A flying start to the season results wise in August and September lent to the fans excitement and mark appeared to be riding the crest of a wave.
Although results were fantastic, there was still a niggle from fans that performance’s were still not overly convincing.
Mark himself knew this and comments following our 2-0 home win against Barrow, led by former manager Clemence. This was refreshing (at the time) but the month that followed indicated that all was not well at ME7.
October’s winless streak
October came and went with not a single win, in fact we lost every single game bar one, which in itself felt like a defeat – a 1-1 draw away to our favourite rivals Swindon.
Harry Smith dealt the sucker punch in the 93rd minute.
A few positive results have followed but they have very much been few and far between, Winning just nine league games out of 23, drawing three and loosing a staggering 11, sliding down the table as a result.
For a team tipped for promotion its massively unacceptable, I’m sure its not 100% Marks fault but being a results-based business the manager is always going to fall on a sword.
So, if its not 100% on Mark were else can we apportion the blame?
Gillingham’s team
As I’ve already mentioned, Bonner was brought in to Gillingham on the May 7, and it wasn’t long before we started seeing signings coming through the door at Priestfield.
The likes of Aaron Rowe and Elliot Nevitt Came in from Crewe, Armani Little came in from AFC Wimbledon and got the most Gillingham unveiling ever – outside Costa in the high street.
Jack Nolan arrived from Accrington Stanley, Jacob Wakeling was brought in on loan from Peterborough, while Euan Williams was signed after an impressive trial.
Marcus Wylie took a massive step up, signing from Enfield.
Then the BIG one – Bradley Dack!
These signings coupled with the experience we already had in the squad, promised a good blend.
Unfortunately, early promise has fallen flat and we now look like a team of individuals:
Jack Nolan hasn’t hit the heights, Elliot Nevitt the same and apart from Armani little, the same could be said for the whole team?
Did Bonner lose the dressing room after the Barrow comments?
With a lot of players out of contract in the summer have they downed tools?
Do they have no Incentive to perform because some are undoubtably sitting on big contracts?
Or is it down to this DATA driven recruitment policy?
What it is I don’t know, but it could be a mixture of all of the above creating the perfect storm.
Talking about DATA Driven recruitment, it brings me on nicely to my favourite subject and what has for a few years been my biggest bug bare when it comes to Gillingham FC…..
Recruitment
Now, before we get started on this, firstly I would like to send heartfelt wishes to Kenny Jackett and wish him a speedy recovery from illness.
Hess is a club legend and I have upmost respect for the man but …
Both were brought in to Gillingham as “Scally’s” men as soon as Brad And Shannon bought the club.
Their remit was to get players in that will get us off the bottom of League 2, into safety.
They did that but with the silly wages being paid I think the world and his wife would have moved to Gillingham that January.
It can definitely be classed as a successful window personnel wise but we are paying for it to this day with players that are now not first team regulars, still on big wages and sitting on the bench or not selected at all.
Since then it hasn’t improved recruitment wise.
Now Kenny has left, it leaves Hess who, let’s not forget, is still a good friend with the ousted Scally.
Is there a conflict of interest there? Who knows, but one thing is for sure, it has failed.
I get the sentiment but if we want to move up the divisions we need to have the best of the best in every position and that isn’t limited to the playing squad. That Filters down from board room level.
So you can guess what’s up next?
Joe Comper and the Galinsons
This is one I’ve seen from a few accounts on social media, and firstly I have to say I don’t agree with in the slightest.
Lets rewind back to December 2022, and where we were as a football club. Brad and Shannon came in to Gillingham and literally saved the football club from near extinction.
After the club facing years of malnutrition, for want of a better word, the Galinsons have made huge strides in updating not only infrastructure behind the scenes but trying to make the club self sustainable.
This includes the recent plans put forward to Medway Council for a fan zone between the Gordon Road and Rainham End stands at Priestfield. You can read more about it here: https://viewfromthemedway.co.uk/?p=20
Do I think at times they have been terribly advised?
Yes.
Is there more to be done?
Definitely.
Was the Expectation to change it overnight a bit too much?
Without a doubt.
The Sleeping giant comments probably haven’t helped the cause, us fans have a long memory when it comes to comments of this nature.
I feel like they should have really experienced people around them not just in a business sense but a footballing sense.
Rome wasn’t built in a day and we need to have patience because like with any job or business people will make mistakes but its how you learn from them that is crucial.
Which then leads me on to Joe Comper.
Joe would probably admit himself that when appointed MD of Gillingham it wasn’t a position he knew much about if anything at all.
He was appointed to bring everything under one umbrella and someone Brad and Shannon trust unconditionally, which is what every structure requires – especially when the owners have business interests abroad as well.
Some have said he knows nothing about footballing matters and maybe so, but we all have to start somewhere right?
I have passed comment in recent days that it may not be a terrible idea to get someone like Paul Fisher back involved in Gillingham, not to replace joe but to work alongside him.
How we navigate the rest of this season and into the summer, no matter the portioning of blame one thing is certain something needs fixing!
Thanks for reading.
Up The Gills
Kris
Leave a Reply