Gillingham manager Mark Bonner was disappointed to see how the Crewe fans treated their striker Elliott Nevitt on Saturday.
Nevitt’s goals helped Crewe to reach the League 2 play-off final last season but he switched clubs in the summer to join the Gills.
It was Nevitt’s first time back to Crewe on Saturday since leaving and he’d been expecting a warm reception.
And while his former team-mates were quick to embrace him before the match, the home fans at Gresty Road weren’t so kind, berating the forward from start to finish.
Nevitt had a late chance to silence the home fans but Crewe goalkeeper Filip Marschall blocked his shot on a day where the Gills lacked top-end quality and lost 2-0.
Speaking post-match, Bonner said: “He got treated badly by their fans and he was absolutely brilliant here. So, yeah, that’s not very good. But that’s football.”
Nevitt scored 18 goals for The Alex last season, including a last-gasp equalising goal at Colchester that clinched the team a play-off spot.
He played for Crewe in the final at Wembley which they lost against Crawley.
Crewe offered Nevitt a new deal in the summer, after his two-year contract had come to an end, but Gillingham moved in and the striker moved south.
Prior to the game, Nevitt had spoken of the good times he’d had with the club and said: “That season was special for many reasons and just missing out on the play-offs in the final really hurt.
“I just hoped I would have scored in the final. Crawley were just too good on the day and we didn’t make enough chances, so it was tough.
“I’ll enjoy going back. It’ll be good just to see some of them, see the staff and the fans and just say hello.
“It wasn’t a bad leaving. I think [the reception] I’ll get will be a good one. When I left, all the fans messaged me on Twitter and Instagram saying ‘good luck’ and that, which was really nice.”
It wasn’t the reception Nevitt had hoped for and one of Bonner’s former players, Shilow Tracey, scored both goals in the win for Crewe.
Tracey played under Bonner at Cambridge United, moving there on a permanent deal after a successful loan spell from Tottenham.
He joined Crewe from Cambridge last summer and his pace and finishing made the difference at the weekend.
Bonner said: “The goals are frustrating, the result’s frustrating but I’m not frustrated that it’s someone I know and like that scored the goals.
“I didn’t want him to do it but he’s got really good quality. He’s a good lad and he’s doing well.”
Gillingham also signed winger Aaron Rowe in the summer, another player who was key for Crewe last season, on loan from Huddersfield.
He missed the game through injury but some fans were upset to see the Gills player congratulate Tracey on social media after his winning goals.
Rowe’s been out for over a month with a hamstring injury.
