Manager Gareth Ainsworth admits there might be some raised eyebrows when Gillingham release their retained list at the end of this season.
Ainsworth wants a much-reduced squad size next season and with many players out of contract this summer it’s an ideal time to make sweeping changes.
Saturday’s game at already-promoted Port Vale will be Ainsworth’s last chance to see his current squad in competitive action before announcing who he wants for next season.
“I know what I want to do next season,” he said. “I’m trying to work out the players in a decent run.
“There’ll be some changes. Some people might raise their eyebrows but let me get on with it.
“I’ll be the one who ends up getting the success, or maybe getting something else if it doesn’t work.
“I’ve been here before, many times, and it’s not nice. You have to let players go. You have to tell players, but not many have come back and bitten me on the backside. Maybe one or two will, you never know.
“There is a great backing here from upstairs. There’s a collaboration now on all recruitment, all football matters.
“When I came in, I wanted to be manager, I didn’t want to be head coach. I don’t want to be given players that I coach. I want to be part of the decision about who comes in here. That’s big for me.
“To have that backing from (owners) Brad and Shannon (Galinson) has been huge. We meet regularly. I think the recruitment team are now getting used to what I want.
“We’ll have some ideas. They’ll have some ideas. There will be a collaboration of bringing players in. I intend to make this squad stronger.
“This place has been sleeping for too long and I want to awaken it but it won’t be overnight.
“I might take some boos. I might take some stick. Bring it on because I can take that. I know what the end goal is and I can see that journey.
“I know where we want to be. We will be in a better position in two years’ time than we have been for the last two, three or four years. I intend to make that my goal in football.
“This is a great club. The fans stayed and clapped the boys (at the end of last Saturday’s game) because they’re an intelligent lot. I just hope we can make an impact next season. It’s just the start of the journey.
“We will do what we feel is right but every decision for me will be for the best for Gillingham Football Club.”
The Gills haven’t lost since Ainsworth took charge and the manager’s been impressed with the attitude from a squad that he feels is far too big. He’s got around 35 pros on the books.
He said: “I’m really proud that we’ve come in to a team that I was told was fragile, or that the dressing room wasn’t great. I’ve come in and gone, ‘You know what? I don’t think the players have been the problem’. I’m really pleased. They’re a good bunch.”
