Robbie McKenzie is hoping for a better festive period than 2024 as Gillingham look to stay in contention at the top of League Two with two games at MEMS Priestfield in four days, starting with Cambridge United on Boxing Day as Neil Harris returns to Kent for the first time since he was sacked in 2023. 

Speaking to KSN ahead of the Festive fixtures, McKenzie admitted, “I love this time of year – every football fan loves football over Christmas, it’s all that I have ever known and is something to look forward to!” 

The Gills go into the Festive period without a win in six, but Gareth Ainsworth’s side’s only reverse was last time out at Fleetwood Town.

“We genuinely feel positive downstairs,” McKenzie told us. “I feel that the two first half performances against Barrow and last week at Fleetwood have been good and we have played well.”

“It’s the second half which has let us down both times, but we are positive and feel like we can build something and so going into Christmas, we are positive!”

“We are just having a little blip at the minute, and I feel that we are good enough to get out of it.” 

“The first half at Fleetwood was a good performance but I feel like the wind played a huge factor in the game – it was hard to get out in the second half as they had had it half in the first half!”

“We just need to manage those moments a little bit better and as a group deal with the conditions and we are good enough to do that!” 

“I feel as though we just have to get back on track with things the way that they were during our great run at the start of the season; it really is minor details that we need to get right and I feel that we will get back on track.”

“I feel that this squad is quite a good strong squad and whoever plays doesn’t make it weaker, but sometimes it does play a part with different bodies on the pitch as people like to do different things, but we are in a good place!”  

“We haven’t played half the season yet; it’s still a long old season with plenty of games coming up in a short period of time and hopefully we will be able to string a few good results together.” 

Looking ahead to Friday and the home Boxing Day game, McKenzie said,“ We know that Cambridge will be well organised – Neil’s (Harris) teams are always well organised and will be hard to break down, but it is another game and another opportunity for us to get things back on track!” 

“We have dropped out of the Play Off places, and I feel that as a group we are aware of how tight it is.”

“We do look at where we are and how tight it is, but this League has proved that anyone can beat anyone of their day, and you have to be on it, or you won’t get the result you want to!” 

“They will be strong, physical and organised on Friday as Colchester will be on Monday – we know that Cambridge are on a good run themselves so where better to start our own good run than against them on Boxing Day to push ourselves into the New Year.” 

“I don’t think Neil coming back here will add any extra edge to the game – I have a lot of respect for him as he did a lot for me and helped a lot coming through and it will be nice to see him!”