Josh Wright leaves

[Garawa]

So Josh is on his way seemingly after not wanting to leave. Another sorry state of affairs and shows we must be more in the mire that at first thought as we have chosen to not receive a fee for the player just to ensure we save on his wages. He and Nelson may be the higher earners at the club, but they are under contract after all so to hound them out whilst they are is very odd. I know he wasn't everyone's favourite but when everyone's heads dropped and tiredness took hold, he was the one player to stand up and be counted. In fact he and Nelson are possibly two of the most passionate and determined players we have had for some time but both have been treated appallingly. If he goes to his brother's club I'd be surprised as he's not at the end of his career yet, however I'd understand the decision to terminate the contract. But if he arrives at Charlton, Southend or Northampton (he is good friends with Jed) then serious questions need answering as to how or why they were allowed to pick up a player when a fee should have been involved!

Here's what he had to say on twitter:

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[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

Very disappointed Wright has gone,also in a horrible way.You only have to see in his Tweets earlier how much the club means to him.He is a model professional,and I just don`t see him being the type to refuse to play for the club.It`s another of the player`s that kissed the badge and had that affinity with the fans.People say that Bingham has replaced Wright,but he played further forward from February-April and scored goals.If anything Martin has his spot.I don`t know many clubs that boot their POTY out.I still think these things are down to money,but i`m embarrassed about the treatment to players like Nelson,and Wright.They deserve much better.

[gillsfan1066]

I dropped my poty out the window last night emptying it, problem with the china poty, they break in the street real easy. Still got myself a nice shiny tin bucket now that will just rattle around the cobble stones if I drop it, easy to find.

[fan_of_mulligan]

Now For My Own Thoughts On The Josh Wright Situation, and I will try and see the argument on both sides and be balanced, even though emotions are running high amongst Gillingham Supporters at this present moment in time.

JOSH WRIGHT SHOULD HAVE STAYED

I think Josh Wright is one of our more experienced players In The First Team Squad and I am sure that Josh Wright would have been one of our senior voices In The First Team Dressing Room and someone for our young players to look up to, It was Josh Wright's Performances For Gillingham Last Season that kept Gillingham Football Club In League One and Adrian Pennock taking the armband away from Josh Wright and moving him further forward was a decision that paid off, as Josh Wright could concentrate on his own performances and no-one is ever going to forget Josh Wright's hat-trick of penalties against Scunthorpe United to turn a 2-0 home defeat into a 3-2 win.

Many Supporters believe that Adrian Pennock cannot handle players with big personalities, Cody McDonald, Josh Wright and Bradley Dack were the heart and the spine of the team, Obviously Bradley Dack has moved on for big money, But Cody McDonald and Josh Wright are both fan favourites while Stuart Nelson is regarded As A Gillingham Legend and he is now fourth choice goalkeeper, While Adrian Pennock mentioned that there was a lot of poison in the dressing room last season, even when we have changed manager's in the past, I cannot see Josh Wright, Cody McDonald and Stuart Nelson being trouble makers, Josh Wright always had time for the supporters, happy to take photo's, sign autograph's and speak to supporters before and after the game and his affinity for Gillingham Football Club was genuine, and in that regard, it is sad to see Josh Wright leaving Gillingham.

And Josh Wright has done well for Gillingham Football Club in both spells, whipping in that sensational cross from the corner kick as Simeon Jackson scored in The Ninetieth Minute to secure Gillingham's promotion back into League One all the way back in The 2008 / 2009 Season, and he scored many important goals for Gillingham Last Season to help The Gills Retain Our League One Status, and I am sure that Josh Wright would have been keen to carry on that goal-scoring form into this season as well, and before The Southend United Game On Saturday, Josh Wright was starting every game, he clearly was a key member of our first team, hence Josh Wright's appearances for Gillingham against Reading, Bradford City and MK Dons.

REASONS FOR JOSH WRIGHT TO LEAVE

There has been constant transfer speculation surrounding Josh Wright's Future At Gillingham Football Club and the links with Charlton Athletic just haven't gone away, so when Adrian Pennock mentioned that "Josh Wright wasn't with it" I don't think it is just the frustration of being dropped to the bench, and clearly Josh Wright might have been thinking about a move elsewhere, and after an incredible personal performance for Gillingham last season and with all the speculation, I was expecting Josh Wright to be sold, so I have got to say that I am surprised that Josh Wright has been allowed to cancel his contract by mutual consent, even if I am not surprised with the decision that Josh Wright has left Gillingham, also, I cannot see Paul Scally allowing a player to leave on a free if clubs have made an concrete offer for Josh Wright.

I like Josh Wright, but if we're going to start with two defensive disciplined midfielders in the middle of midfield then Mark Byrne and Billy Bingham are both going to get the nod, Quality Wise, I think Josh Wright is a better player, but he is much more effective going further forward, But Billy Bingham and Mark Byrne offer more protection to the defence and when those two have started alongside each other, Gillingham have yet to lose this season, perhaps Josh Wright doesn't want to be in and out of the side and he wants to be a guaranteed starter, and he will quite rightfully be asking the question, I was Player Of The Season Last Season, Why Am I Not Starting ??? - and Adrian Pennock gave Billy Bingham the nod, who was superb against Southend United at the weekend.

Looking at who Gillingham were signing A Year Ago, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Billy Knott and Scott Wagstaff, and this year, Gillingham have signed Tom Eaves, Billy Bingham and Ben Nugent, The Playing Budget has been cut and perhaps Josh Wright was one of our highest earners and he wanted out and we needed him off the wage bill so that Gillingham can bring in some additional signings - even though there are question marks over how Josh Wright was allowed to leave - It appears that Gillingham are working on a shoestring budget and we're taking a chance on players who are eager to show what they can do in League One, and sometimes players slip through the cracks and work there way up, But Gillingham have signed Steve Arnold, Ben Nugent, Alex Lacey, Billy Bingham, Tom Eaves and we took a chance on Liam Nash, that's six players who need to step up into League One, and try and step into a side that narrowly managed to avoid relegation into League Two Last Season.

OVERALL

Overall, I think Adrian Pennock could have answered this question in His Post Match Press Conference A Lot Better and this lead to Josh Wright tweeting on Twitter and Josh Wright must have been thinking about this for some-time now, this couldn't have been a spur of the moment thing where he doesn't start and Josh Wright gets upset, if it is the latter and not the former, then this looks very badly on Josh Wright's Professionalism, But I think it is the former, I think Josh Wright has been thinking or considering leaving Gillingham, either waiting for a permanent transfer to materialise, or, mutually cancelling his contract, and if a player is cancelling there contract, then something is lined up, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if Josh Wright were to sign for Billericay Town, his brother Mark is involved in some capacity at Billericay Town and they are spending a fortune to try and get promoted.

This situation with Josh Wright has been a complete mess, Perhaps, The Transfer Speculation linking Josh Wright with Charlton Athletic over the summer (and his brother mentioning it publicly on twitter) may have convinced Adrian Pennock that Josh Wright wanted out, and we're left woth A Catch Twenty Two Situation - Adrian Pennock might say that the talks with Charlton disrupted things and suggested Josh Wright's heart wasn't in it, and Josh Wright might only be considering a move elsewhere because he doesn't know if he has a future at Gillingham Football Club anymore.

I don't think we're ever going to know the precise reason, it could be something as simple as we need to balance the books and one player needs to leave before two players sign, and with Transfer Deadline Approaching and if Josh Wright wanted out then we allowed the move to happen to ensure that there is more in the wage budget for addiitonal signings to strengthen the squad, IF Josh Wright sign's for Charlton Athletic or Southend United on A Free Transfer, Gillingham Supporters will be angry that we have strengthened our rivals in League One, If Josh Wright was to sign for A Club Lower Down The Footballing Pyramid, I don't think the anger will be as volatile.

I think that's everything, do you think I have been fair and balanced in my response, or, do any of you on here believe I am speaking rubbish ???

Please feel free to comment below.

[baronnight]

I think Josh and the club were expecting a high money transfer, when it looked unlikely to happen the club saw the looming prospect of paying a high wage player who was looking for guaranteed 1st team football, something the club couldn't promise.
What has happened is best for both sides, the club can sign a new player, whilst Josh is a free agent who can be signed outside the transfer window.

[gillsfan1066]

RRRUUUUUUBBBBBBBBIIIISSSSHHHHH utter rubbish ,too many Josh Wrights in your verbal diarrhea, I counted forty two Josh Wrights in your speech,and that was only in the first two lines. Please ,please ,please stop saying Josh Wright,say ,he or JW or anything ,we know who the hell your talking about.
Your speeches are GREAT, I love reading them ,I think you have a wonderful knowledge of GFC but your speeches are just almost impossible to read because Josh Wright is mentioned so many time in one sentences as JOSH WRIGHT, please stop saying the guys name all the time.
Pillock is NOT a First Division Manager, the guy is clueless, for God sake Scally dump the guy NOW and bring in someone like Nigel Pearson, Pardew, Mike Phelan ,even David Moyes, throw a boat loads of money at them in a good salary PLUS promotion bonus's, we don't need another loser like Pillock or Edbinboro leading GFC.
Of course that won't happen because Scally doesn't give two hoots about GFC, so I guess I just must sit here slagging him and the Pillock off for the next three months before he gets fired and the manager of Butlins Catering Staff is bought into the lead us to safety and another season wallowing in Division THREE of the Football League