The next ten days will be crucial for Gillingham’s future as they face three critical games starting with Saturday’s clash with Wycombe Wanderers at Priestfield.

The Easter weekend sees The Gills make the trip to Cheltenham Town on Good Friday before returning to Kent to take on relegation rivals Fleetwood Town at home on Easter Monday.

These next three games are where Neil Harris will be realistically looking for the points they need to survive as their last two League One fixtures of this campaign are away to Portsmouth and at home to promotion tipped Rotherham United.

Of course, Gillingham could win all five games and no doubt secure their own future, but anyone living in the real world will believe two wins and a draw may well be enough to stay up.

If they can achieve those seven points in the next three games, the pressure will really be off going into the final two.

However, Wycombe Wanderers come to Priestfield full of confidence and pushing for a play-off spot.

On Tuesday night, they oozed class as they comfortably beat Cambridge United 4-1 and that came on the back of beating Doncaster Rovers 2-0 last weekend.

Sitting sixth going into the game, Wycombe will be a stern test for a Gillingham side that have looked a lot tighter at the back since Neil Harris’ arrival on January 31st.

For The Gills, they go into the game in the relegation zone, a point behind Morecambe after the midweek games for those clubs that had games in hand and their fate is technically out of their own hands.

Crewe Alexandra and Doncaster Rovers are all but relegated, so it’s down to two clubs from four that will go down with them.

AFC Wimbledon, Gillingham, Morecambe and Fleetwood Town are the four that will fight it out to the bitter end to try and escape the trap door, with these next ten days critical as to which way this relegation dogfight goes.

Gillingham could once again go into this weekend with a threadbare squad as Harris pointed out during his press conference on Thursday afternoon. He said:

“Stuart O’Keefe has a chance, Dan Phillips probably not for this weekend. Ben Reeves, we’ll know more Friday lunch. When we get Stuey fit he’s a great character to have involved. The players feed off the leader, me. I’m relaxed and looking forward to Saturday.”

If O’Keefe fails to make the starting eleven, Josh Chambers could be handed another start after facing Sunderland last weekend, but Harris will be hoping his talismanic midfield captain can make himself available for the crucial clash.

Ben Reeves, who has been struggling with a calf issue recently, is expected to be in contention but Watford loanee Daniel Phillips is unlikely to feature.

Defenders Robbie McKenzie (thigh) and Harvey Lintott (hamstring) will be assessed, while Mustapha Carayol and Gerald Sithole are once again doubtful. Danny Lloyd and Alex MacDonald are out for the rest of the season.

Whoever starts, whoever finishes the game, one thing is important, come 5pm on Saturday, we could all be a lot clearer as to whether Gillingham will be playing in League One or League Two next season.

Picture supplied by Gillingham Football Club.