Gillingham manager Mark Bonner is hoping the extra player options at his disposal pays off over the busy festive period.
The Gills have given themselves some extra breathing space in the Christmas schedule by moving this weekend’s game against Cheltenham Town to a Friday, while the traditional New Year’s Day game has been pushed to January 2, in a fixture shuffle over the live Sky Sports games.
In between those games the Gills face two other matches but Bonner has several players returning from injury and others getting fitter by the day.
He said: “I said to the lads on Monday that I think we’ve got very few working windows in the next few weeks. It’s all about preparation and recovery.
“It will definitely be a squad game. The positive sign is that we’ve actually got a squad to rotate and choose from for the first time in a long while so hopefully that pays off for us.”
Tim Dieng is back training and Armani Little isn’t far off from joining the main group. Joe Gbode remains unavailable for Friday’s game due to concussion protocols. He’ll be back for the Boxing Day match in Colchester.
Bonner said: “Hopefully the players push themselves and when they’re out the team they show the attitude that they’re desperate to get back in it.
“When they’re in it (show) the quality and the attitude to help us win. We’re here to win, we’re not here to just play and to get in the team, they have to help us win games and the last couple of weeks the lads have done it well.
“We have to keep pushing for that and driving that mentality.
“The more options you’ve got, you’ve got to hope that helps you.
“We haven’t had it very often this year and maybe what it will give us is a chance to not rely on the same core of players too often and not break a couple because they can’t come out the team.
“If we could get to the point where the ones that haven’t played, or have been out of the squads, can get closer, and the ones that have been injured can get themselves back in it in that really busy period, I think that sets us up nicely.”
Arron Rowe started his first game since August last weekend while Bradley Dack made another late appearance off the bench. Both are good to continue.
Marcus Wyllie, George Lapslie and Jacob Wakeling are all pushing to try and get themselves back in the matchday squad.
