MARTIN JAMES ALLEN

[Robpthegills]

So how has he not engaged the fans then Elg.

It was his idea for the 13th man, he has praised the support in just about every single interview he has done. He has tried to bring in ideas to engage the fans. Not all of them work but at least he is trying. He has engaged fans at away games.

WHERE is he not listening to dissent. Who is dissenting. You yourself are always moaning about our fans being quiet and moaning and even now they are quite vociferous so if he is against them why not. he has given us our best start in years.

Dont understand your post at all, I think sometimes your desire to play devils advocate just plays against your previous arguments and comments. Unless of course we are to listen to the rantings of the d/head in the main stand who moans at everything everyone does and I think he only comes to the gill's because no one at home listens to him.

Anyway, must go to bed I have just seen the time lol, just got back from london.

That should read just finished doing my paperwork after getting back from london.

[gillsfan1066]

You lost him, we got him and tomorrow night GFC are going to kick some butt.
Good defence ? You have let in 3 goals 3 times in 15 games, it's not Gillingham Town of the Toolstation Western League your playing , Its GFC future 2012/13 Division Two Champions , it takes TWO teams TWO games to put three past the Gills.
Don't forget if everything goes wrong with our current manager , we have got the mighty mighty Hessy locked in a cage in the grounds keepers storage shed, gnawing at the locks just dying to get back to the side lines.
Anyway have a great evening , think your directors do a good job considering you only put 2700 in the stands for home games.

[Garawa]

I'm going to do what I always do Rob, sit on the fence! (I call it getting a balanced view)!!!

He has done more to engage the fans in the short time he has been here than the past three managers as a whole. That said, I believe a lot of it is propaganda to curry favour with supporters and given the start we have had it is more than working. We know he doesn't like message boards and he knows his past misdemeanours can quickly spread through them so he needs to show to us that he is on our side.

Whilst things are rosy I am more than happy he is here and I hope lessons have been learned from previous roles and that, should it all start to change, things are nipped in the bud by the chairman before too much damage is done.

[mark8364]

I haven't been myself, but from those who have, a great time to see the best of Martin Allen is turn up at training! He spends time with the fans, makes sure all the players speak to them and get whatever autographs and photos they want. He is very enthusiastic about the club and it's supporters.

[Poshgill]

From one who didn't want Allen at all, I'll admit he has completely won me over. Apart from the great entertaining football, which would have won me over on it's own, Allen's interaction with the fans is the best I have ever seen from a Gills manager. Getting a fan to do the team talk at Port Vale. Instructing the players that they will be available to attend any fans functions (Birthday, Annivesary, Weddings etc but not stag 'do's') encouraging fans to turn up at training. All these things are unprecedented for a Gills manager. Also, every time, and I mean every time I have heard him interviewed he is effusive in his praise for Gills and the fans. He has stated, quite catagorically, that he is happy here and not after chasing a big move. He's done that and it didn't work out. He also never fails to give praise to the players when needed or in the case of the stunning performance by the Oxford keeper, in his praise for an opponent playing well.

It might be spin, it might be BS, but by god, he is good at it!

[Robpthegills]

Gary, can I ask a question. What defines when you can or cannot trust someone.

I understand some of your views are coloured by what you have heard from disgruntled employees, have you ever thought it might be them. Everyone has a past.

Allen has been in the media accepting he had to change and that he has. If we go on your logic a man would never re marry again if their first marriage failed. Why
should a man trust a woman ever again if the first one failed him.

I think the fact scally was away in Dubai some people built little empires at the club and are not happy those empires have been brought down. Hessie was just walked all over, that started
the day he appointed Trigger as his assistant. Instead of being a man and appointing a proper right hand man he went for his mate. After that everyone walked over him.

I think the bloke has done more than enough for us to trust him. If he lets us down then he lets us down. It happens, its football. Our best start to a season in years, the best
football we have played in years, the best interaction with supporters for years.................

Yet you want to sit on the fence. Fair play, I am all for opinions but what does the bloke have to do??

Will it all end in tears YES this is football. Allen is not going to get us to the premiership, so sooner or later we will get fed up with him, or him with us, or there will be an
incident but bottom line is it always ends in tears. Nature of football.

[Garawa]

Maybe I have come across a little wrong. I sort of am happy to trust him, to accept he has changed, that he is learning and to enjoy what he has to offer and the like. But I also am not ready to just throw everything into it hook line and sinker just because he appears to be winning us over, what he has said is to improve his standing with the fans knowing how he is regarded by previous fans. I cannot disregard some people's views at 2 different clubs (and now the Cheltenham view on here) over just one person.

As I said before, all organisations have specialist managers. IT managers, sales managers, HR managers, marketing managers. Generally they know their business more than the others and don't get into telling each other what to do. The person who does is the MD or Chairman yet Mr Allen appears to assuming that role.

I am happy with how things are. I am happy to support him 101% (as 100% won't be good enough)!!! I am more than happy to be proved wrong in the end but I am also happy to accept that things will probably turn sour like they did at every other club he has been at rather than just pretend it wont.

[Rimshot]

Look at the results. It's very hard to see why Allen's approach should be under question.

[Chelt Head]

Can't wait to give Cheltenham a hammering though!!!

Ohh dear...

Even Yate Town were a bigger threat than your strike-force this evening. Can't understand how you are top? Won't be for long.

[Robpthegills]

Sorry chelt head you were not at the game. Your obviously only a part time fan so your opinion doesnt count.

Serious fans only reply please.

[Rimshot]

Chelt head , your side has a good defence but clearly not much of a fan base.

[gillsfan1066]

Hey hey hey ,now, you have to remember there is so much to do in Cheltenham if your a football fan .
First you can come on here ,by the way chelt head you do know this is a Gillingham fan site not a Cheltenham site don't you, or perhaps you have seen the light want to start supporting a "real team"?
I have it on good authority that Saturday afternoon at the Cheltenham market trying to pick up some big ole heifer chick to take home for a nite of fun and frivolity is a very popular past time, it must be, almost 120,000 people in the area and only about 2500 turn up for Robins games, lol.
Be off with you chelt head, back to the Welsh boarders , and Saturday night cow tipping, good luck in the playoffs, we won't actualy see them as we will all be on vacation , having already been promoted .

[gillsfan1066]

Blimey the best start in 500 years, promotion looking a real possibility and even now some people don't seem to be happy ? Managers are hired to be fired, we all know that, but some of you guys sound like "that guy", the one who wins at the races with that 33/1 outsider and then complains he got paid in used fivers.
Sit back and enjoy the ride where ever it takes us, it does not happen very often at GFC , go look at our trophy room.
Mr Allen what ever your doing, how ever your doing it ,by fair means or foul , PLEASE, please just keep on keeping on.

[Rimshot]

1066, you've been away a long time and perhaps you're confusing Cheltenham with Chelmsford.

From the Ladies College and Cheltenham School to the Queens Hotel , the Book Fair, the Theatre and shopping In Montpelier or on the parade, most of Cheltenham is decidedly posh. There may be a fair few country folk patronising its hostelries but many of them will have arrived in Range Rovers. Part of the reason the football club is so poorly attended is that most locals think its a 'common' sport.

[gillsfan1066]

How could anyone confuse anything with Chelmsford, lol. Have to disagree with you, they have plenty of "poor people" in Cheltenham, trouble is most are either Leeds supporters or fans of that other game called Rugby. The last manager did not help, he alienated a lot of people , (wonder what happened to him?) and the club Chairman wants the ground to be a "family friendly place". Yeah OK, thats good on nice sunny days in August or when tickets are 4 for 40 quid, very unrealistic in the real world.
Oxford just down the road is hardly a poor city but they put 6000+ bums in the seats in each home game, from a town with a population of about 150,000.
Of course the real reason they are not very well supported is because people get fed up watching teams like Cheltenham play the likes of Southend, Barnet, Accrington Stanley year in year out, and have to pay an arm and a leg to watch very average 2nd division football, the casual supporter can stay home and watch 462 Premier games on TV any Saturday.
The Gills are doing well , suddenly we have gates of 7,000, heck of a lot better than when we sit mid table and get gates of 4,700 loyal supporters, (well done you guys). Cheltenham have never done well, never had a cup run never even finished in the top half of division 1, after being around for 100 years.
Owners can not expect people to spend their hard earned money week in week out on an inferior product, ask Morconmbe , Burton or Accrington.
Still none of that matters to us does it, next years gates will be in the 8000+ bracket, and a good finish and back to back promotions will put us in the 10/11000" big boys division" the following year.
Big win tomorrow , I feel it in me water, 4-1 to the good guys, going to bet the farm on it,lol.