The curtain comes down on Gillingham’s rollercoaster season on Saturday when Gareth Ainsworth’s last club Shrewsbury Town come calling to MEMS Priestfield.

The Gills boss is desperate to put one over his former side and end what has been a desperately disappointing few months on a small high at least going into the summer months as he told KSN at this week’s briefing, “We are really determined that we want to win this – I want to send the fans home that have followed us all season and have come here to Priestfield all season with some positivity!”

“It’s been a challenging season without a shadow of a doubt – everyone knows that for one reason or another and what we have gone through has been really tough – and it hasn’t been good enough!”

“I am not going to sit here and say that it has as it hasn’t; we give our best and that’s what we are here to do! It’s been a poor season, and we can definitely sign off on a positive note and hopefully next season will be a lot more positive than this one!”

“You know despite all the chaos and everything we have been through this season; we will end the season in exactly the same place as the side who finish eighth – in SKYBet League Two next season and on zero points. At the end of the day, we haven’t achieved what we wanted to achieve – whatever that might be in everyone heads – we definitely haven’t achieved what I wanted to achieve, I wanted more, and here I am hoping that next season will be better

“Shrewsbury have had a resurgence of form since the new manager came in after being stuck in some dodgy form at the start of the season and they will too be looking to finish well. We know that we are in for a tough game – their fans are a great bunch and will get right behind them on the last day of the season which is brilliant! We took a lot to Barnet which was brilliant and I am sure that the atmosphere will be very good and I want to sign off with a win and will do all we can to do so!”

“It will be Sam (Vokes) last game as well… for someone to have achieved what he has in the game is a rarity! When you think about the millions of people who want to be footballers, the small percentage who actually make it and then go and play in the Premier League scoring the goals he has and the international recognition he did, that percentage becomes tiny, tiny, tiny! Not many people do what Sam Vokes has done in his career, and he is an absolute legend of the game!”

“And if anyone wants to play for anything on Saturday, play for Sam Vokes and recognise the career that he has as recognise the way that he has conducted himself since he came to Priestfield is exemplary!”

Ainsworth then spoke about the Club’s retained list which the manager confirmed would be published later over the Bank Holiday weekend – possibly Monday. “There will be different faces here next season; talks have already gone on behind the scenes here and out of respect we will not be releasing anything until after the game on Saturday, but there are going to be changes that are known now within the four walls of the Football Club.

“There have been some tough decisions over the contracts, there always are; it’s never a nice day when you speak to everyone and discuss everyone’s contract situation on where they are and where they are going to be.

“The decision always lies with me, and we’re going to try and freshen up and have good impetus for next year when we start the season. We have spoken to everyone and made our decision on everyone!”