Gillingham get their League Two home campaign underway at MEMS Priestfield this weekend with the visit of much fancied Walsall to Kent and manager Gareth Ainsworth is promising attacking football.
Gillingham boss Gareth Ainsworth can’t wait to get going on home turf after his side started their campaign on the road with a 1-1 draw at Accrington Stanley seven days ago.
“I thought it was a great point away from home,” Ainsworth admitted reflecting on Saturday’s draw at Accrington.
“Midweek when you see that they won in the cup against Oldham, certainly made me think again that it was a great point! To bring something back from an away game in the first game and to come back into it, the boys are buzzing.”
“We’ve one or two of the injuries getting closer now to getting out on the pitches, we nearly have a full squad in training now bar Euan (Williams) and that is so good to see. I’m hoping to have some selection issues coming in the next couple of games.”
“Saturday is all about Walsall and we can’t wait for the fans to get back here and get behind us. We promise that we will play attacking football, we’ll get at teams and I’m sure the excitement will build as we approach the weekend!”
“It’s nice to be back at home,” the Gills boss admitted, “It’s always nice to play that first home game, but we do have a host of games coming up in the next few weeks! But this is the first one at Priestfield and Walsall will be tough opposition after winning with ten men against Swindon last weekend.”
“We have watched them, it’s difficult to put a plan together really as we’ve only got footage of them with eleven for the first twenty minutes as they won’t be starting with ten men on Saturday!”
“We have had to delve into pre-season to get a look at them, but again it’s going to be all about us and what we do!”
“It’s really important this season to understand that we can define our own destiny with the way that we play, the way we apply ourselves in games and the qualities that we bring to games. That’s something that we have been working hard on!”
“Have to thank the fans who made the trip on Saturday and thank everyone in advance for Saturday because it is tough in the school holidays and on a nice sunny day, which is the forecast, there are people who will have better things to do other than come to a football ground, but you get your die-hards and that’s what they live for and I want to get this “family” atmosphere back to Gillingham and want them to be a part of it bringing generations of coming together.”
“That’s what football for me is all about back in the day. We are a very accommodating Club and once that pendulum gets going, it is something special to demand and I am looking forward to that as well!”
“The fans are definitely part of things. Football has changed over the years, it really has, and the change, some people would say, is not too great to that extent and the more we can accommodate everyone here at Priestfield – the better it is on the pitch, the bigger crowds we will have and support we will get.”
“And believe me, I am massive on a Football Club being about the fans – you’ve got players, you’ve got managers come and go, but it’s the fans who are the constants and they do go into generations!”
“I am really, really proud of being the manager of Gillingham as I know what it means to a lot of people – the more the merrier so please if you are reading this, get down to Priestfield on Saturday and get behind your local side and join us in a very special place and I am really enjoying it!”