Gillingham under-18 boss Mark Moss will take his final game on Monday in an FA Youth Cup fixture against Charlton – before he joins Swindon Town.
Moss starts his new role as Swindon Town’s academy manager on November 4 and gets one last game as Gillingham’s under-18 boss in a first-round FA Youth Cup game against the Addicks at Priestfield this Monday (October 28).
Moss arrived at the Gills in December 2021, joining from Southend United and replacing Craig Stone as the manager of the under-18s. He’d previously spent time as a coach at Oxford United, Coventry City and Nottingham Forest.
He’s overseen the development of players such as Joe Gbode – who has experienced plenty of first-team action this season – and new pros Stanley Skipper, Joshua Bayliss and Harry Webster.
During his time with the Gills he helped out with first-team duties when Neil Harris was sacked, assisting Keith Millen in the interim period before Stephen Clemence was appointed head coach.
Moss was thrown into the limelight at Walsall, after Millen was sent off, tasked with facing the media following a 4-1 defeat, having taken the youth team earlier that same day.
His last game in charge on Monday is an exciting one as the Gills start their FA Youth Cup challenge against their local rivals from South London.
“That’ll be good and hopefully people come and watch the game,” said Gills’ first-team boss Mark Bonner.
“I don’t know the history of how many people come and watch those games but I’ve taken a lot of those games over the years (as a youth manager) and for under-18 players, it’s the best competition, it’s so good.
“For some of those lads it might be the pinnacle and you can go on a run and get some big wins and play in some big stadiums. We’ve had some great experiences as coaches in that competition and the lads will be desperate to try and do that.
“I’m really looking forward to watching it. Anthony Hayes (first-team assistant), Pete Gill (coach), Darren Ibrahim (goalkeeper coach), they’re looking forward to watching it. They’ll know half the Charlton team having been there (as coaches) so it’s quite funny that that’s the game that got pulled out (in the draw).
“It’ll be tough, Charlton are a good side, a really good academy and I’m sure they’ll look forward to it and I’m sure Mossy will want to sign off in style as well.”
The Gills are in the process of appointing Moss’ successor but Bonner is happy to keep his distance from that process.
He said: “If asked, I’ll offer an opinion and I always will, but I also think in this role at a football club, having done that role, having been an academy manager, that is long-term planning and long-term thinking and I never felt in that position that the manager, who is often not long-term, shouldn’t really have a say and an impact too much into who that is.
“They can have an opinion and they can contribute to the process, but I don’t think they should be responsible for it because that is a position that you hope someone stays in for a long, long time and usually outlives managers.
“That’s the reality of football and that’s a long-term thing. I’ll have an opinion and I’ll get as involved as they want me to, but it’s certainly not my call and it shouldn’t be.”
The Gills reached the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup competition last season, their run eventually ended by Sunderland at Priestfield.
Monday’s game at ME7 kicks off at 7pm. Tickets cost £5 for adults and £3 for under-18s.
*Gillingham’s first-year apprentice Joe Orpwood has been called up for the Northern Ireland under-17 squad ahead of games against Scotland, Republic of Ireland and Lithuania.
