In the week that it’s been announced that MEMS are back as Gillingham’s new main sponsor and the new kit is due to be revealed, we’ve been chatting to Managing Director Joe Comper.

To some, it’s the week that’s only second to the new season’s fixtures being announced… It’s unveiling time for the new Gills kits, with the Club’s three new kits being revealed during the week before they go on sale on Friday from the Club shop.

KSN has been quizzing Managing Director Joe Comper for clues for what we should expect from the new designs…  

“There is going to be three of them, and the home kit will have some blue in it!” he said smiling broadly, adding “You can have that exclusive!” 

“Seriously, we are revealing them from the middle of this week and are on sale on Friday. There is a tremendous amount of interest in the kit and if you look back to the way the reveal was done four or five years ago to the way it’s going to be done this week, we do spend a lot of time and thought that goes into the kits.”

“The owners went to Bologna to help design it with Macron – we spent a couple of days out there with the company’s designers and plan the kit.”

“We have done the same with the training kit this year for the first time to give us a bespoke training kit for the first time.”

“I think that the fans will see that as the designs are different – different colours, different designs rather than a digitalised cad blowing up on social media showing the kit for next year which is only available in September.”

“I think people will see a design and a video to announce it and it’s entirely Gillingham!” 

“All I can tell you is that the home kit is blue, away kit will be “traditional” as we have tried to balance the three kits so that there is something for everybody.”

“If you go back over the past two years, my son who is eight has loved both the third kits – the pink one and last year’s green one.”

“They tended to appeal to the younger fans as equally the home kits have been traditional whilst the away kits have had a story to them.”

“A lot of the older fans I think bought the away kit this year because of the Wembley anniversary because they liked the history.”

“So, this year we have tried to balance it out, whereas the third one has been outrageous as the kids love them, equally there’s an away one where if you are in your mid-fifties and were at Wembley twenty-five years ago, you liked it!” 

“This past season, I think we sold just shy of seven thousand replica shirts which is mad! It’s brilliant, especially when you think just a couple of years ago, that number would not have been more than two thousand five hundred!”

“There are two things – one, I think people are excited about the Club and are maybe prouder to be wearing a Gillingham shirt now than they might have been a few years ago.”

“Also, I think that the designs are different, and the kits are different – there is, as I said, an element of excitement about the kits, rather than something that maybe previously was a bit rushed or wasn’t seen as anything really important.”

“We have generated a bit of excitement for it and people are proud to wear Gillingham colours…” 

“We are still developing on the football side of things which we are still trying to improve that, but in terms of the Club, we are still pushing things – conferences and events for example.”

“This year has been a huge spike – it’s not something that the fans will see, but it’s hugely important to the business and that part has really kicked on.”

“To be fair, before COVID, I think the facilities were being used and were thriving as the venue here was popular. But since COVID, it hasn’t taken off again in the same way until this year as the commercial team have really grabbed hold of it and taken it on – I think it’s heading back to “former” glorys!” 

The Club has also announced plans for a Fan Zone at Priestfield – Comper told us, “In the car park, there’s the “old” leisure centre building – which is going to be demolished – that backs onto the Rainham End, and the side of the Gordon Road turnstiles.”

“The plans are to knock it down and have a big marquee type permanent structure which will be an alternative offering to supporters before a game and at half time where you can get food and drink – the plan is that the food offering will be a bit different, the atmosphere will be different to The Factory; very much a “newer” vibe and family friendly possibly with a kids play area in there.”

“The idea is that it will appeal to a different audience, a new audience. We know now that the half time experience for both the Gordon Road and the Rainham End isn’t fantastic as it’s so congested – you struggle to get from one end of the concourse to the other during half time!”

“So, this will add the capacity for both stands to get refreshments which is good for the Club financially, but also provides supporters with better experiences when they are here.” 

“We have only just got the permission for it, so we have to do the demolition and then the new build, so I am personally hoping for the opening to coincide with the World Cup next summer!”

“We may be able to get it open for the end of the new season, but here and now, I am not going to guarantee it open for the season or indeed the World Cup – that is just my personal aim and hope!” 

“The one thing that I am really hoping for with the new season in mind is that people hear a lot less from me and a lot more from Gareth… the talk should be about Gareth and the team rather than everybody else, so that is my hope for next season, and I think that it is really important that we give something back to the supporters – they have backed us again in purchasing season tickets for a third season – we need to make sure that they get rewarded…”

“I’m not saying that we are going to get promoted, but they need to be rewarded with a team that gives more highs than lows which hasn’t happened in the five years that I have been at the Club.”

“That must be the number one priority – at the end of this new season we must be further up the pyramid and moving forward!”  

Picture supplied by Gillingham Football Club.