Gillingham are closing in on an unwanted run of results that hasn’t been matched for over 20 years.
The Gills head to Walsall on Friday, hoping to end a five-game losing streak and avoid a sixth. They haven’t endured a run like that since the early months of the 2004/05 Championship season.
Back then, Andy Hessenthaler was manager of the Gills, and his side went on a seven-game losing run, finally ending it when Matt Jarvis scored a winner against Wolves at Priestfield in front of a crowd of 9,000.
Darren Byfield was part of the Gills team back then and is now the caretaker manager of Friday’s opponents, Walsall, who are making a late push towards the play-offs.
“[It’s a] great irony and Darren’s a good guy,” said the Gills boss.
“I went to Walsall a long time ago in my career and I think Darren was there as a youngster. We’re friends, we know each other. He’s done a brilliant job since he’s taken over.
“He’s changed formation from what they were and it seems to have given their boys a bit of a lift. We’re going to have to deal with that and a Walsall team that has regenerated a play-off push. They want to go for it now.
“I feel for Matt Sadler (the former Walsall manager who was sacked last month) because he’s a great guy as well. He did so much for the club. But that’s football. That happens.
“What I will say is you don’t fear anything. We don’t fear the [run of results]. I don’t fear what the future may hold. Just grab it and go for it. That’s my message to the boys and the fans.”
Ainsworth started his spell at the Gills by leading the club to a record 21-game unbeaten run. Since October, however, they have struggled for wins as they have dropped down to 17th in the table.
The Gills boss said: “The 21 games unbeaten was brilliant, but we never won anything. We didn’t get any awards for that.
“It was brilliant to be part of it, and I’m so glad we did that. But you never rest on your laurels. Records are there. The stats are there. The people will pull them out all over the place.
“That was brilliant. Fantastic. But it is what this club has done for the last few seasons. Every manager before me has had a brilliant start and then fallen away with a real damp squib ending to the season.
“It seems to happen year after year. Things have to change. Behind the scenes, we’re talking, and we’re trying to change things.”
