Gillingham start the new year with trips to two of the best teams in the division – but manager Gareth Ainsworth is relishing the challenge.
A visit to old foes Swindon, on New Year’s Day, is followed by an away game against Notts County on Sunday – two big challenges to end the team’s busy festive period in League 2.
Swindon are second in the table, and County are four points further back, in sixth position.
The Gills head into 2026 sitting in 11th place, six points adrift of the play-off spots.
“We seem to do well against the top-end teams,” said Ainsworth.
“I’m looking forward to both games. Hopefully, we can get something from both. I know the away fans for us will travel in numbers.
“I know that Swindon game is big for them and a real passionate game and then Notts County, we look forward to going up there. It’s a nice pitch, a nice stadium.
“We beat them early in the season. It’s no bearing on what we’re going to do now, but good memories against Notts as well.
“I just want to beat these teams. I want to go one step further and score more goals than them and that’s the next key to this football club.”
Gillingham’s form isn’t good, with seven draws from their last eight matches and just one win in 14.
Ainsworth’s looking at the positives, however.
He said: “We’re hard to beat. We really are. The boys do not concede. They’re resolute. It’s something we worked on when we came in.
“We didn’t want to concede too many goals because we don’t score many.
“The next step now is getting the other side right. Is it personnel? Is it practice? We’re working on both of those. Hopefully, we’ll get it soon.
“We’re still in touch. We’re still six points off the play-offs. Halfway through the season, I’d prefer to be three or four off the play-offs but, being six off, we can make that up, no problem.”
While the Gills aren’t among the leading clubs, Ainsworth is satisfied with the progress.
“I’m pleased with how the club looks now,” he said.
“I think we’ve narrowed it down to what we need and what we can be better at. We’re very solid and we’ve got a group of lads that are scrapping for each other like you wouldn’t believe.
“They’re proud to put this shirt on and will empty the tank. In recent times, I think that’s been questioned, but absolutely not at all now.
“They’re right up for the fight and right up for putting everything out there. That’s what you want as a manager and I think as a fan as well. That’s all you want to see.
“Of course, you want great goals and you want to win games 5-0 all the time. But if you can’t get that, at least you’re getting the passion and the energy and the togetherness.”
