Seven games into the pre-season and the injury problems are starting to mount up for Andy Hessenthaler.
Barry Fuller limped off on Saturday with a bang to the knee and at first sight it didn’t look too bad.
Apparently it’s ligament damage though and that means he could be missing for several weeks.
So who does Hessenthaler play at right-back? New signing Tony Sinclair looks like being first choice at the moment.
It’s been a rocky road back to Gills for Sinclair, having been at the club on YTS terms.
He obviously went off the rails for a while, having dropped out of football completely and taking up jobs in places like McDonald’s, but speaking to him on Saturday he certainly seems to have the hunger back and is focused on making up for lost time.
The South Londoner seems a real likeable lad and I’m sure he’ll be giving his all to prove that he can handle this level.
Sinclair was facing the questions from the press after the game at Ebbsfleet but I’m not sure Luke Rooney was too happy at having to wait around to give his team-mate a lift home. I think Rooney was hoping we would all be interviewing him about his hat-trick the night before in the 4-1 win at Bishop’s Stortford.
While Sinclair was back at the Gills there was also a welcome return to the club for Danny Spiller.
He’s had an injury-plagued time over the last few years at Millwall, not helped by a miss-diagnoses, and a five-month deal will give him, and just as importantly his body, the chance to prove their worth. Spills certainly looks like he has the appetite.
One of the biggest pluses of the pre-season for me, so far, has been the quality of Stefan Payne. Hess himself admitted the signing was a no-risk gamble but Payne doesn’t look like here’s here to sit on the bench all season. He’s making things happen up-front and knows how to finish.
It’s just a shame we haven’t seen much of Cody McDonald yet. Only those in Calais saw him for a brief spell, albeit most people in the ground probably saw it through beer-goggles. The drinks were certainly flowing in the stand that day! Hopefully he should be back for a run-out this week.
The Gills have their official photo-call on Thursday morning and that should herald the arrival of the new kit. Let’s hope it arrives in time!
I know fans are keen to get their hands on it and the chairman says it’s due to arrive in the mega-store “very soon”.
Gillingham’s latest arrival is due to be announced today (Monday) with keeper Lance Cronin agreeing a deal at the club. He’s a keeper who deserves a shot in the league after several impressive seasons at Ebbsfleet.
More good news is that there is still room in the budget for a big striker. Hess has challenged Mark McCammon to do the business, and save the club some cash, but I’m sure the fans wouldn’t mind seeing another new face arrive before the season starts.
Whether that’s Aldershot’s Marvin Morgan or not remains in the balance. The Gills have made their enquiries and it just seems to be a matter of whether they have the money to back up their interest.
Just one last note on the injuries. Shame to see former Ajax man Stanley Aborah limp off with a hamstring injury on Friday. That could end his chances of a deal at the Gills. I was hoping to see him take a spot-kick as I’m told they are a bit special.
Suit hire available from this man!
Monday 26 July 2010
Tuesday 20 July 2010
Bring on the Posh
Gillingham fans will get their first chance to see Andy Hessenthaler and his team on home soil tonight (Tuesday) when they face Peterborough.
Missing of course will be Simeon Jackson, who finally got the move he craved, after joining Norwich last week, with Cody McDonald moving in the opposite direction.
If McDonald can show the kind of form he did two years ago at Dartford then it could prove to be a canny bit of business for the Gills. McDonald clearly knows where the goal is and he’ll be desperate to prove to those at Norwich that he deserves his place at the Championship club.
Speaking to him after the game in Calais he seems a likeable, down-to-earth lad, and let’s hope he gets the Gills the goals they need for promotion.
It looks like Hessy is still chasing a partner for him and former Barnet man John O’Flynn should find out whether Bristol City will be offering him anything this week. He’s been there for a couple of weeks on trial and it could be decision time now. If they don’t want him then the Gills will be straight in there.
The Gills have a handful of their own trialists and it could be D-day for them this week, following the match against Peterborough.
Danny Spiller, Tony Sinclair, Stanley Aborah and Lance Cronin are also chasing a contract with the Gills.
Cronin looks like being offered a deal this week but Spills, Sinclair and former Ajax man Aborah may have to shine against Peterborough before Hess makes up his mind.
Best of luck to Simeon anyway. He is what they call a “model professional”. Always willing to do extra in training and always says the right things, although his time-keeping isn’t the best so I’m told.
That’s something Hessy is clamping down on this season. He’s going for a more disciplined approach and a lack of punctuality is top of the fine list.
Nobody is quite sure what kind of team Gary Johnson will be fielding at Priestfield after his side faced Aston Villa at London Road on Monday. He named a strong team then and is likely to give a few fringe players a run-out at Gillingham.
It will be the first time Hessy has been in the dug-out at Priestfield since November 2004 and so I’m sure that’s ample incentive to get a few fans in the ground.
If you can’t make it then log onto kentonline.co.uk/gillingham. We’re looking at using the coveritlive software for match updates this season and tonight is the first time we try it. Fingers crossed it works!
Missing of course will be Simeon Jackson, who finally got the move he craved, after joining Norwich last week, with Cody McDonald moving in the opposite direction.
If McDonald can show the kind of form he did two years ago at Dartford then it could prove to be a canny bit of business for the Gills. McDonald clearly knows where the goal is and he’ll be desperate to prove to those at Norwich that he deserves his place at the Championship club.
Speaking to him after the game in Calais he seems a likeable, down-to-earth lad, and let’s hope he gets the Gills the goals they need for promotion.
It looks like Hessy is still chasing a partner for him and former Barnet man John O’Flynn should find out whether Bristol City will be offering him anything this week. He’s been there for a couple of weeks on trial and it could be decision time now. If they don’t want him then the Gills will be straight in there.
The Gills have a handful of their own trialists and it could be D-day for them this week, following the match against Peterborough.
Danny Spiller, Tony Sinclair, Stanley Aborah and Lance Cronin are also chasing a contract with the Gills.
Cronin looks like being offered a deal this week but Spills, Sinclair and former Ajax man Aborah may have to shine against Peterborough before Hess makes up his mind.
Best of luck to Simeon anyway. He is what they call a “model professional”. Always willing to do extra in training and always says the right things, although his time-keeping isn’t the best so I’m told.
That’s something Hessy is clamping down on this season. He’s going for a more disciplined approach and a lack of punctuality is top of the fine list.
Nobody is quite sure what kind of team Gary Johnson will be fielding at Priestfield after his side faced Aston Villa at London Road on Monday. He named a strong team then and is likely to give a few fringe players a run-out at Gillingham.
It will be the first time Hessy has been in the dug-out at Priestfield since November 2004 and so I’m sure that’s ample incentive to get a few fans in the ground.
If you can’t make it then log onto kentonline.co.uk/gillingham. We’re looking at using the coveritlive software for match updates this season and tonight is the first time we try it. Fingers crossed it works!
Monday 19 July 2010
The KM road trip
Welcome to my new Gills blog. Please feel free to comment...
Saturday’s game in Calais had farce written all over it from the moment a story appeared on Gillingham’s website telling fans that there was confusion over the kick-off time.
Gillingham thought it was 3pm and Calais were advertising it as 5pm. Something had to give but apparently calls were still being frantically made to France at midnight Friday with no joy.
It was still game-on though so our little party, complete with Mark Bentley, who was unable to join the squad until Saturday, got ourselves comfortably seated on the P&O ferry while the Gills media man Martin tried his hardest to get a kick-off time confirmed.
We eventually got it nailed down for half 3. But it was later to transpire that Calais knew nothing of this.
Last year we had Josh Gowling for company on the way home from France, as he needed to be back in the UK early, and I think news has filtered through that travelling in the kmfm-branded car is the place to be!
I didn’t charge Benno for the crossing but he has promised me he’ll take over duties writing the column in the Medway Messenger this year. He’ll probably be regretting asking for a lift now.
Last season John Nutter did the honours, and Benno has big boots to fill. Nuts wrote every word himself for last year’s column and I just needed to sort out the spelling. Quite a task during the week he lost the “P” button from his keyboard!
I hope you’ll enjoy what Mark has to say. He’s one of the long servers at the club now and he’s a really likeable lad. Hopefully he’ll give a different aspect on things throughout the season. On Saturday he was telling us about a former non-league manager who got so angry he nearly knocked himself out after head-butting the dressing room door. Let’s hope Hess doesn’t get so excited this season.
After getting off the ferry we took a detour to the ground when Benno thought he saw some floodlights but as we wound through a housing estate we were forced to resort to using the sat-nav. If anyone used the directions supplied on the Gillingham web-site then I feel for them. I doubt they would have made it.
We were first to arrive at the ground and there was no sign of life. After a scout around we found the groundsman, who kindly made us all coffee and handed out “I love RUFC Calais” t-shirts. I’m not sure Benno was too impressed with his.
The wait continued and when someone other than the groundsman turned up we managed to agree that there was no agreement over a kick-off time. Finally when their manager turned up he made some hasty phone calls and all credit to them, there was a team for a 4.10 start.
Shame nobody told the fans or stewards who dribbled in mid-way through the game.
The Gills fans had sat patiently watching an extended pre-match warm-up, though no doubt they were happy to have beaten the ticket-man to the ground and got in for free. I’m sure though Calais made enough money on the bar to make up for that.
The visiting fans certainly enjoyed themselves. Yes it was a farce but nobody seemed to care.
The game itself wasn’t much of a spectacle, ruined by niggly fouls, dissent, an over-weight and officious referee and a Calais side unable to compete. 4-0 and a good work-out.
While the Gills players went off for a night-out on the town the fans weaved their way back to the ferry terminal, happy they got to see a game, some goals and plenty of French lager.
...more tomorrow...
Saturday’s game in Calais had farce written all over it from the moment a story appeared on Gillingham’s website telling fans that there was confusion over the kick-off time.
Gillingham thought it was 3pm and Calais were advertising it as 5pm. Something had to give but apparently calls were still being frantically made to France at midnight Friday with no joy.
It was still game-on though so our little party, complete with Mark Bentley, who was unable to join the squad until Saturday, got ourselves comfortably seated on the P&O ferry while the Gills media man Martin tried his hardest to get a kick-off time confirmed.
We eventually got it nailed down for half 3. But it was later to transpire that Calais knew nothing of this.
Last year we had Josh Gowling for company on the way home from France, as he needed to be back in the UK early, and I think news has filtered through that travelling in the kmfm-branded car is the place to be!
I didn’t charge Benno for the crossing but he has promised me he’ll take over duties writing the column in the Medway Messenger this year. He’ll probably be regretting asking for a lift now.
Last season John Nutter did the honours, and Benno has big boots to fill. Nuts wrote every word himself for last year’s column and I just needed to sort out the spelling. Quite a task during the week he lost the “P” button from his keyboard!
I hope you’ll enjoy what Mark has to say. He’s one of the long servers at the club now and he’s a really likeable lad. Hopefully he’ll give a different aspect on things throughout the season. On Saturday he was telling us about a former non-league manager who got so angry he nearly knocked himself out after head-butting the dressing room door. Let’s hope Hess doesn’t get so excited this season.
After getting off the ferry we took a detour to the ground when Benno thought he saw some floodlights but as we wound through a housing estate we were forced to resort to using the sat-nav. If anyone used the directions supplied on the Gillingham web-site then I feel for them. I doubt they would have made it.
We were first to arrive at the ground and there was no sign of life. After a scout around we found the groundsman, who kindly made us all coffee and handed out “I love RUFC Calais” t-shirts. I’m not sure Benno was too impressed with his.
The wait continued and when someone other than the groundsman turned up we managed to agree that there was no agreement over a kick-off time. Finally when their manager turned up he made some hasty phone calls and all credit to them, there was a team for a 4.10 start.
Shame nobody told the fans or stewards who dribbled in mid-way through the game.
The Gills fans had sat patiently watching an extended pre-match warm-up, though no doubt they were happy to have beaten the ticket-man to the ground and got in for free. I’m sure though Calais made enough money on the bar to make up for that.
The visiting fans certainly enjoyed themselves. Yes it was a farce but nobody seemed to care.
The game itself wasn’t much of a spectacle, ruined by niggly fouls, dissent, an over-weight and officious referee and a Calais side unable to compete. 4-0 and a good work-out.
While the Gills players went off for a night-out on the town the fans weaved their way back to the ferry terminal, happy they got to see a game, some goals and plenty of French lager.
...more tomorrow...
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