Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth hopes his team can give Sam Vokes a fitting send-off – but ruled out a no.2 role at the club for the retiring striker.
Vokes, a former Premier League and Welsh international striker, will make his final appearance in the Football League when he lines up for the Gills this Saturday against Shrewsbury Town at Priestfield.
A coaching career could be on the cards for Vokes once he hangs up his boots, but Ainsworth says he won’t be the man to replace Richard Dobson, who recently vacated the no.2 role for the chance to become Gillingham’s technical director.
Some fans assumed Vokes would be the successor to Dobson, but Ainsworth said: “Everyone’s putting two and two together, usually getting five.
“The assistant manager job is probably still going to be vacant for a while.
“Sam will assess what he wants to do. Whatever he goes into, he will be a success, because that’s just the person he is.
“There’s no reason why Sam won’t go into coaching. He knows the game. He sees the game well.
“I don’t think it’ll be straight away. I think he’s going to sit back, and he’s in a nice position to assess what he wants to do and then go and do it.
“The human being that Sam Vokes is outweighs the footballer that he is. That says a lot because he’s achieved the top. He’s been a top footballer, a top goal scorer. He’s an even better person.
“I want to say thank you to Sam for all his efforts for me. He’s been absolutely fantastic.”
Vokes has spent the season with the Gills in League Two at the end of a career that has seen him play in the Premier League with Wolves and Burnley and on the international stage with Wales.
He announced his retirement earlier this week and confirmed this weekend’s game would be his last.
“For somebody to have achieved what he’s achieved in the game is a rarity,” Ainsworth said.
“You think about the millions of people who want to be footballers and the small percentage who make it as footballers. To then go on and play in the Premier League and score the goals he did and to the international recognition he got, that percentage becomes tiny.
“Not many people do what Sam Vokes has done in his career – an absolute legend of the game.
“There’s been some big names saying they have had some good battles in the past. Harry Maguire is one of them. To be in that esteemed company of people who play for the top level, who play for their countries, and not just that person that he is. What an unbelievable guy.”
Ainsworth added: “If anyone wants to play for anything on Saturday, play for Sam Vokes and recognise the career he’s had and the way he’s conducted himself since he came to this club. He’s exemplary. It’s a real credit to have coached him in his final years.
“He’s had some good moments here. He wants to call it a day. He lives down Dorset way and that’s a heck of a trek for him but to be able to be the manager who sees the last game for Sam Vokes, I’m very proud and privileged. I hope it’s a winning game.”
Vokes’ first goal of his career came 20 years ago at Priestfield, while playing for Bournemouth. Scoring his last at ME7 would be fitting. His three goals for the Gills this season have all come away from home.
“He might stick himself on pens,” joked the manager. “He might have to fight Ronan Hale for that.”
