By David Garth
It was a very satisfying end to the season for most Gillingham supporters on Saturday.
A great strike from Aaron Rowe secured all three points at Port Vale – only our fourth away win of the season and first of 2025.
What really pleased me was the work that went into the performance by the whole team and the way that they clearly responded to words of encouragement at the break from manager Gareth Ainsworth.
Up against it for most of the first half, but for the most part looking very secure in defence, the Gills came out in the second half and took the game to Port Vale.
It really set a mark for the future as we completed a rare double over a side that made a swift return to League 1 for next season.
Since Ainsworth arrived, it seems clear to me that most of the squad have got a real lift, and the culture he is building within the dressing room looks to be building into a positive future, with several players showing a very big improvement.
Gareth has made no secret of his desire to drastically reduce the squad and when you think that over the season a total of 36 players have featured, then there’s clearly going to be some hard work going on behind the scenes.
The loan players will now have returned to their parent clubs (Morgan, Agbinone, Corness, Wakeling and Smith) while I believe there’s around 14 players in the squad who are out of contract.
Some of these are likely to be offered new terms but it would be unfair to speculate, and I do not envy Gareth’s job in the coming days.
The fact that Ainsworth and ‘Dobbo’ are here with a two-year plan does at least take off the initial pressure of expectation for next season, but a run of 12 games unbeaten (nine under the new management team), will itself lead to great optimism moving forward.
If Ainsworth can bring about such an improvement with the squad that he’s inherited, then it does make you wonder what he could achieve once he gets a few of his own selection of players through the door in Redfern Avenue.
Goals win games and already there’s positive signs, with a marked increase in goal attempts, plus the fact that we’ve scored in every game since Ainsworth arrived.
Coupled with our solid defence (only seven goals conceded in nine games) and a manager who, for my money, is a manager that the players and supporters really believe in, then I can only see bright days ahead.
Brad Galinson – I think you’ll be pleased to know that your giant is finally starting to raise his weary head!
