Manager Gareth Ainsworth is looking forward to the season kicking off on Saturday and is keen to still strengthen his Gillingham squad further.

Gillingham start their season as Jack Wilshere’s Luton Town from League One come to MEMS Priestfield, as for the first time in nearly twenty years, the League Cup – the Carabao Cup – kicks off the season for the lower divisions in the Football League. 

For the first time in nearly twenty seasons, the Carabao Cup will be the opening fixture for the majority of the EFL before League football starts for The Gills with a home game with Walsall on the 15th, and it’s a move that Gills boss Gareth Ainsworth, now seemingly completely rid of his own health issues that dogged him last season, welcomed when we spoke to him this week. 

“Being at home Saturday is great,” Ainsworth enthused. “I prefer it like this too! The Carabao Cup, I am so glad that this game is on its own and not crammed in between two League games because that’s when you get the belittling of the competition with team selections from a lot of Clubs.”

“We have gone through pre-season; we have everyone fit. You go through a first League game and then you get this game in the middle, so for sides at our level who aren’t going to win the competition, some have looked at it and said, “how many can we change so it doesn’t take away from a League season?”

“For that reason, I am really glad that they have brought it forward to a Saturday… for some teams it will be a dress rehearsal without a doubt, for some it will be a huge game and for some as it always has been it’s the Carabao Cup.”

“But for me I want to get through; I am a traditionalist in this country with the League Cup, and the FA Cup have always been there… I want to play our strongest team against good opponents to see where we are and find out about each other as there are a lot of new faces in my team and we will be going for the win!”

“I know that I have to cut my teeth in the League as that is where I will be judged, so Luton at home, Championship potential for them next year as I know that they will really go for it!”

“I know Jack Wilshere really well as we have done our pro licence together – we spoke when he went in at Norwich and it was great for him to get the Luton job and win the EFL Trophy last season.”

“We haven’t met on the touchline yet, but huge respect for him what he achieved in his career but more as a person – he’s a good guy, but hopefully he’ll realise that my teams don’t just sit down and let the higher League team win. We are going to be up for this!” 

“We’ve signed eleven now during the window, but there are still one or two more to come definitely. We let seventeen go in the end including Sam (Gale) although we didn’t let him go as Barnsley expressed an interest in him, but the sixteen that went out of the door I think we have replaced really well, although I do want a couple more.” 

“We have too had four apprentices who we have turned into professionals so technically there’s fifteen in the first team squad.”

“But the players last year, this group of twenty-three’s or “B” team or whatever you want to call them, there was no room for them here which is one of the reasons that we have entered the Premier League Cup so that they will have games; they will play in the EFL Trophy as well as the Kent Cup so things are looking structurally very good at the Club at the moment, with Richard (Dobson) moving into an upstairs role of Technical Director and he managed to facilitate some really good stuff and I think structurally and behind the scenes we are in a much better place which means it’s now up to me to get us into a better place on the pitch which at any Football Club is key.” 

“I’m not stupid, I know that and I have said judge me this year and I mean that because I am super confident in the squad that I have got!” 

And so, to the first team news of the season and Ainsworth still couldn’t confirm his starting keeper as Ollie Wright has missed pre-season with injury.

All the manager would say that he was “touch and go” about playing. He did however confirm that Bradley Dack (calf) and Cameron Antwi would both miss the Cup tie but may be ready for the opening league game.