The return of Gillingham’s former boss Neil Harris adds an extra edge to the Boxing Day match with Cambridge United.
Harris brings his in-form United side to Priestfield, hoping to maintain his own team’s push towards the play-off places in League 2.
The Cambridge boss experienced the lows of relegation at Gillingham while in charge, and tough times at the bottom of League 2, before leading a brilliant recovery in the second half of the 2022/23 season, after the Galinson takeover allowed him to bring in new players, saving the club from dropping into non-league.
The Gills made an impressive start the following season and were top of the table in mid-September, but after a couple of away defeats and a home draw, Harris was sacked.
Looking ahead to his return, Harris said: “I want to win. I enjoyed my time there, and the fans were class. I had a brilliant relationship with the fans, but I did leave in bizarre circumstances, so I want to win.”
Gillingham haven’t managed to find the formula for success in League 2 since Harris left.
Gareth Ainsworth is the third manager in charge since Harris’ departure, with Cambridge’s director of football Mark Bonner one of those who have come and gone since.
On facing Ainsworth’s side, Harris said: “Gaz is a ledge of a bloke, and I am really pleased he is back on the touchline after his health scare, and I am looking forward to catching up with him.
“Gillingham’s a club I know well, they started (this season) like a steam train.
“I watched a couple of their games early on, I thought they were lucky in the games with teams that missed chances, but fair play to them, they were right up there.
“They have gone through a lull, but we’re playing at Priestfield, and they make it extremely difficult for you.
“It is a difficult place to play, you have to be extremely competitive because they will play forward and run forward, and they will chuck the ball in the box at every opportunity. The ball will be crossed into our box from set-pieces or crossed from open play through attack-minded wing-backs.
“They are going to be aggressive in their approach and we have to match that.
“We have to stand strong to their key moments in the game and then concentrate on us and where we are form-wise, confidence-wise and ability-wise at the moment, in a really good place.
“We now what to expect from Gillingham. They are on a disappointing run, so could play any sort of system against us, and we have to be ready for all aspects of that.”
