Rotherham (A)

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

We have a tough trip to the New York Stadium on Saturday.Rotherham are flying and have really adapted well to League one.We did the double over Rotherham last season,but the win up there was a bit of a smash and grab.They`re a decent side so it is hard to see us getting anything up there.If you offered me a draw now I would be really pleased.

Team? Hewitt,and Fagan are injury doubts.I think we may go 4-5-1 up there.

Nelson
Harriman,Daniels,Barrett,Martin
Mousinho
Whelpdale,Lee,Hollands,Weston
Kedwell

Subs:Howard,Davies,Legge,Dack,Akinfenwa,German,McDonald

[gillsfan1066]

Good team I agree, but only playing away, their home record is not that great, 9 goals all season from 11 games , only 2 wins at home , along with 5 draws , I will be kind of disappointed (but not for the first time this season), lol, if we don't come away with at least a point, think I might want to put a cross on me Littlewoods Pools for this game.
Didn't that slime ball Evans take them over towards the end of last season ?

[gillsfan1066]

Well that wonderful performance improves their home record, as Rotherham climb into the promotion battle and GFC slide back towards the relegation battle.

[Kent_UckyFriedGills]

I feel for any fans that travelled and paid money to watch the game,as it sounded dreadful.From the moment the commentary started we were on the back foot,and Rotherham were dominant.Once they got the second it did feel it was a case of how many.We were 3-0 down on 35 minutes,and lost our best performing player at the time Mousinho to a hamstring injury.The second half did sound a bit better,but was that due to Rotherham taking their foot off the gas? We brought on Bayo and he made a quick impact in setting up Cody for his goal,then Rotherham seemed to up it again and eventually got their fourth goal.The result hurts because we were the best Team in League Two last season,and Rotherham,Bradford,and even Port Vale are doing better than us.I do feel we underestimated the League.Saying that Rotherham dominated us at their place last season,but we sneaked the win.

Rotherham have a Squad full of quality,and have spent well.Its a shame to say,but our fate will not decided with games against Rotherham this season.Notts County next week could well be with them being down the bottom of the League.If we win the game it could be massive as the other Teams will not play their fixtures for this game until Tuesday 28th January.Hopefully we will be right up for that game and get a result.

I will say the same as I have before,but I feel as long as we`re out of the bottom four then we`re having a good season.We knew the League would be tough,and the aim is to stay up,so if we do that then job done.We still need to spend in January though as without the loan Players we get shown up for the lack of quality.A quality winger and creative midfielder would improve us.

[Robpthegills]

spot on kentucky

Rotherham have spent good money. They have a couple of newcastle players down there on loan who are highly thought of. Tavernier in particular.

I thought we would get stuffed and we did.

However I hoped that at the end of the season we would be out of the bottom 4 and we are at the moment. Lets beat those around us and we should be okay. It will be more worrying if we get outplayed against Notts County.

[Goalmouth]

Totally agree Rob. This game was between a team that has been prepared for competition in a higher division and one that hasn't. Hopefully Peter Taylor can sort it out, but as you said we are still clear of the drop zone, although it would be nice to be secure in League one sooner rather than later.

[Rimshot]

Taylor can only work with what the budget will stretch to and under Scally that has to fall in line behind consultancy fees.

[Elgrande]

Rimshot; I completely understand your continuing digs at Scally, but if you look over the last three seasons we have probably bought / signed more players than most clubs of our size and many of those players from equivalent or better teams. Unfortunately the first half of last season hid the deficiencies of the second half and the squad that M.A. put together. This squad was designed in the image of the manager and to get promotion, not built for the following season. We seem to build a new squad every season, but that doesn't often work because there is no continuity. M.A. fell out with players over little things and offed them even if he didn't have an equivalent or better replacement. Being realistic we need two or three seasons (like we did with Pulis) before we can kick on, which means building a squad gradually and integrating them into a system of playing rather than changing everything too often.

[gillsfan1066]

I think it is very difficult for small market First and Second Division clubs to build a team, I think you have to catch lightning in a bottle when it strikes like it did at GFC last year then get in on the RENT A PLAYERS scheme and bring them in by the bucket load, signe the good ones and send the rest and the injury prone players back.
I do find it odd that we sometimes seem to bring players in on loan then sit them, hell for a 1000 a week I'll sit on the bench. We had a winning attitude last season, and a team that I think most people on here thought should have been good enough to compete in the First Division.
I wish we would link up with one of the London big boys, West Ham have 30 players on their first team books, at least 20 reserve players and development squad players, I can not believe we can not rent 3 or 4 of them for a few weeks ?
Every time a small market team like GFC "bring on" a good player they are sold away, and who gives 3 or 4 year contracts any more to First and Second Division players ?
I think GFC made some bad decisions this season, bringing back Cody has proved to be an expensive mistake, firing a manager that took you to only your second Division Title in a 100 years seems strange to me, he forgot how to manage over the summer holidays ? Bringing back a manager that walked out on you after your best year ever 14 years or so ago for bigger and better things , don't like it.
Not having a reserve team playing in a league seems odd to me, I don't think you can bring players on if your not playing each and every week, how can you gauge a players progress if he is playing Manchester City reserves one week and 11 guys from the Brompton pub league the next?
Were in the first division, were not sitting looking doomed by Christmas like Notts County, by the time the halfway stage of the season arrives I think we will have the 25 points we need to be on target for 50, which is what I believe we need to avoid the drop, and if Mr S is serious about GFC staying in Division One, then January should see a Fire Sale at Priestfield, we seem to have a few to many players not pulling their weight, so good luck in the Blue Square guys, tough to get out of that sh*t pit when your in it, oh and by the way they don't pay much.
Lets have a good run up to the New Year , Pet'brgh, Orient, Wolves, exciting time for the players and fans alike, lets not gag a maggot on these games.
BIG WIN SATURDAY, Notts Cty 2 - 4 Gillingham

[Rimshot]

ElG I accept some of what you say, however, it is of no value comparing GFC with other teams unless you are going to include those who have done well through the choices they made. The fact is that Scally is the man in charge; anyone who questions him, whether they be managers, players or club staff quickly get shown the door,often with a fat lawyer's fee and compensation attached, so there is no hiding place when accountability is up for discussion.

He is not essentially a GFC supporter, or even that interested in/ knowledgeable about football other than as a means for personal profile and income. Any on-field success, therefore, is used primarily for personal gain. I simply do not accept the propaganda about players' fees and wages and there is no data to support those claims. Our acquisitions are almost exclusively 'frees' and loans; with the latter it will often be the case that other clubs pay all or part of the wages while we help to keep their players fit.

The league is full of both success and failure stories, clubs that yo-yo up and down etc. When you depend on football results as your stock in trade that will always be the case. My problem with Scally is that I simply do not believe he has any real interest other than his own income. In addition our reputation has suffered through his self-indulgence and egotism. These days it is almost unheard of to lose a race discrimination case, yet we managed to do it. Not, in my view because the club is fundamentally racist but because of Scally's appalling ignorance of employment law and the processes attached to it.

With him at the helm we will never enjoy long term success.

[gillsfan1066]

I always find comments on Scally interesting, he stepped in and basically saved the club from what could have been utter disaster, has done a fair amount to improve the ground (except the Gillingham end) and we had a spell in the Championship which is where I would give anything if we could end up again, sitting in 10th place today would do me fine, occasional push for the Big Time, Cup runs, playing teams like Leeds, Forest, Leicster , Palace next year, and the glimmer of hope we could do a Wigan,
The problem is if Scally puts the club up for sale tomorrow morning, WHO BUYS IT, and how much money are they really willing to GIVE the club, because lets be honest they are not going to make a lot of money owning a club like GFC.
I remember reading once that something like 75% of Premier and Championship Clubs are owned by overseas "investors" 99% of teams in the First and Second Division are owned by investors who are from the UK.
Anyone can say lets get rid of Scally it's like saying drop a player from the squad , BUT who takes his place, who is banging on GFC front office door saying I must see Scally, look here is a truck full of money, I want to buy the club and do a Wigan ?

[Rimshot]

No-one will buy the club because while Scally can take a package probably in excess of £300,000 out of it why would he sell, unless for a ludicrous price to 'compensate' him for his loss of salary.

Look at the history of his announcements about the club's future. A £50,000 feasibility study for an' imminent' new ground announcement, followed by the 'a statement will be made next week' lie then he sells the ground to himself in the guise of Priestfield Developments.

A series of expensive trips to Dubai, paid for by GFC, allegedly to secure rich investors, which turn out to be a cover for him buying property there. Jobs at the club for various offspring, wives and girlfriends, culminating in a £30,000 consultancy fee to his current partner, presumably for advice on how to lay the tables in his private suite described as the envy of many Premiership Chairmen.

Then there were the funds raised by FOGFC ( Hon President PDPS)to 'sign a striker', which have NEVER been accounted for.

Add to that a series of costly legal battles, all of which were lost, for example against the FA, Pulis, McGammon and you have a pretty good picture of the man who is supposed to represent the club's reputation and ambition. Scally has never put any money into the club but has cost it millions. I don't deny his ability to produce personal wealth but that rarely coincides with club interests.

[Garawa]

Whilst a lot of what you say Rimshot may well be true, we do have to be a little careful in what we purport to be facts. Over the years the truth, conjecture and blatant lies have all been smeared to create a mis-mash of various statements. Not many of these have been firmly placed in the public domain by the club and therefore, having witnessed the agendas of some people on social media sites, I am far less likely to believe what they say than most others at the risk of being labelled deluded and a "Scally lover" because I can see their point of view but they refuse to see mine!

No-one will buy the club because while Scally can take a package probably in excess of £300,000

Firstly no-one will buy the club purely because they don't want to! Scally has stated many times he would sell if people wanted him to but no-one has the clout to actually do it. Many have stated it is because the club isn't on the "market" but that is irrelevant. If the Chairman was to be obstructing serious offers to buy the club, it wouldn't take much to get most supporters behind the new man leaving Scally with option but to reluctantly sell. As this hasn't happened I guess GFC are simply not an exciting enough prospect!

then he sells the ground to himself in the guise of Priestfield Developments

This is a tricky one and I don't think we will ever know the truth. I personally think this was a masterstroke! This happened at a time when the IR was trying to close clubs like they were changing their socks, banks were not allowing businesses accrue hardly any debt before closing them down and we had our worst level of debt for years. This transfer removed the only real asset we had should we have been forced down the administration route. When either the banks wrote off much of the debt or investors paid it off, it was transferred back into club control.

private suite described as the envy of many Premiership Chairmen

Having spent most of the recent years in League 2 at grounds like Dagenhams and Accrington's, that comment isn't a great surprise in comparison! Unless he has a secret room no-one knows about, we use the boardroom for the Noircat presentation evening and we have seen Mr Scally's office as well. They are smart and would be the envy of many clubs without being over-the top, certainly no better than any local golf club would offer anyway.

I honestly get why people feel how they do about Mr Scally, he doesn't help himself half the time, but honestly I feel he has backed his managers more than some chairman at our level. I also don't feel there is a single chairman out there who hasn't used the club or their position at it to either gain from it personally or for their business to and SOME of the animosity towards him on that matter and the one regarding the ownership of the club are incredibly short-sighted indeed!