Gillingham defender Andy Smith has been telling KSN how the Tuesday 4-1 drubbing of previously unbeaten Chesterfield has lifted the already high spirits in the dressing room ahead of the weekend fixture against Crewe Alexandra.
Smith who was outstanding at the back along with Robbie McKenzie and Sam Gale admitted that there was an extra buzz at training on Thursday morning; he said, “There’s a really good atmosphere around the place today, a really good vibe. We were obviously delighted to get the three points the other night, it was a really important win for us, but now its full focus onto Crewe on Saturday.”
“Tuesday was, at the end of the day, “just” three points, and it doesn’t really matter how we get them, it’s what we try to do every game we play, as we go into every game trying to win and fortunately on Tuesday we did that and so we will go again against Crewe and see where it takes us!”
“We know that they will be a good side, we will do our homework on them next couple of days and try to match ourselves against them as best that we can. On Tuesday, Chesterfield were a very good side, they were really good but the hard work and the effort we put in through the full team, with the subs coming on, it is the full squad here; it’s about everybody whether they are injured or just not playing, everyone is involved and it’s all positives for a great group that we have!”
Smith joined the Gills during the summer permanently after a very successful loan spell at Priestfield at the end of last season, and we asked about the move. “It’s been really good,” the young defender told us. “My family have moved down into the area, and I am really enjoying being here and being a permanent player at Gillingham.
“I think it is what I needed at this stage of my career, to come somewhere and get involved in a project and help push this club forward. The club, over the last couple of years as I was aware, kind of lost its way a little bit but we now have a plan in place from the end of last season, and we’ll see now where it takes us.”
“In certain aspects of my life, the move was a difficult decision,” Smith went on. “Moving four hours away from home is/was a big life change. But everything about the club when I came in on loan, the way the staff were with me at the time, when the Gaffer and Dobbo (Gareth Ainsworth and Alan Dobson) came in and the way they were with me, the players, everything about the place told me that there was something there and they made me feel part of it so in the end I wanted to come back when the chance presented itself!”