Gillingham sign John Marquis on loan

[fan_of_mulligan]

Blimey fanny you can't leave Kedwell alone can you? Why?

This was a Tweet I saw on Twitter during The Peterborough United Game and the comparison between the two players was a interesting one.

I liked Danny Kedwell for his effort and commitment on the pitch, but the rumours and reasons about why Danny Kedwell was leaving Gillingham Football Club were constant for the past year and two of those reasons stuck out 1. We wanted to sign young players with sell on potential and 2. we wanted to build a squad capable of going up into The Championship - Danny Kedwell doesn't fit into either of those scenario's.

I hope we do sign John Marquis permanently and get Cody McDonald tied down to a longer contract, that way our front two are tied down down for the foreseeable future.

[Rimshot]

I have to say that from someone who professes to be a fan of Mulligoon, the kind of 'goalscorer' who gives carthorses a bad name, criticism of Kedwell is a bit rich.

[Garawa]

I didn't read it as criticism of Kedwell. The club have come some way since Mulligan was last in the squad and the side is quite different. I had heard from a couple of people that Kedwell wasn't as fit as he was when we were in League 2 (and that he had been dropped due to fitness levels) so he would hardly cut it a Championship level would he a year or two older? If we are going for a younger side to be able to challenge for that he wouldn't fit that role. Needlessly to say he dropped 3 levels.

FOM did state he was quoting views he read and I think he would be the first to admit that he wouldn't choose Mulligan over Cody or Marquis right now!

[Elgrande]

No but it is the incessant digs at Kedwell that seem a bit rich. As for the Championship; the squad we have would last a lot less time than our previous visit and we can't afford one good Championship player on gates of 5,000.

[gillsfan1066]

Think we have a l o n g way to go before we are playing Championship Football again, most of the players will be a distant memory by then I fear.
I can't see Marquis being here permanently,don't think we can afford him to many Championship teams already looking at him, think B'mngham are looking at him real close and you now that if we were in the top four or five pushing for promotion our gates wouldn't be 5,000,they would be in the 6500 to 7000 department.

[Rimshot]

Gary , fair enough ...just a thought, would you say Mulligoon was a better player than Kedwell ?

[fan_of_mulligan]

I didn't like the way Danny Kedwell left Gillingham Football Club, I agreed with the decision that Danny Kedwell needed to either accept a squad role or leave the club, but the way Danny Kedwell left with the club in transition was something I did not agree with.

Every match I just kept hearing something about Danny Kedwell, from Danny Kedwell liking to smoke and drink and this affecting his performances on the training ground, to Gillingham wanting to build a young side with sell on potential and these rumours were every week, and these rumours were mentioned from different people as well, I personally think it's the wanting to build a young side with sell on potential and build a squad that can eventually get into The Championship because the signings of John Egan, Brennan Dickenson, Luke Norris, Josh Pritchard and Aaron Morris last summer suggest's we're looking to build a young side and focus on developing young players.

Danny Kedwell is 31, was one of our highest wage earners, Danny Kedwell was barely playing any first team football, and more importantly Danny Kedwell had two bad injuries in 2014 which probably took it's toll, so when the move to Ebbsfleet United came along then Danny Kedwell took it because Danny Kedwell knows that he will be starting every week for Ebbsfleet United.

But the decision is still a strange one, why drop three divisions when you just came on as a sub against Port Vale the game before ???

I think from when we first signed him up until The 1 - 0 win against Wolves we saw the best from Danny Kedwell, but his career at Gillingham has tailed off for a number of reason's, injuries being one of those main reason's, but we had to force Danny Kedwell down the pecking order at Gillingham eventually if Gillingham were to improve as a solid League One Club.

If I were to put these three strikers in order I would put 1. John Marquis, 2. Danny Kedwell 3. Gary Mulligan - I liked Gary Mulligan for his work rate and the username has stuck from there, but John Marquis looks the better of the three players and although he has only played eight games for The Gills, six goals in those eight matches is a fantastic goal return and John Marquis can develop and improve as a striker as well.

[Robpthegills]

I saw Danny Kedwell at Dobbies garden centre this morning. He looked fit enough to me, certainly not overweight or anything.

I appreciate looks can be deceiving, just saying is all.

I also saw Danny Kedwell pre season at the Roko gym. He was there everyday prior to pre season to ensure he was ultra fit. I thought he had a great start to the season and did well.

I do struggle up to a point with some of the issues. Sure the player has to have the desire, but the desire was there. So why did he suddenly lose the desire and the passion. You have to question the management up to a point. Surely a managers job is to be on top of these things.

As for wanting a younger team etc etc, yes I get all that. So what, we suddenly decide we want a younger squad and just treat the older players like shite? Hiya Danny we were so chuffed when you signed your new contract, when you left AFC Wimbledon to join us, when you gave us your all every game, but we have now decided we were pricks and gave you too big a contract and we want younger people so please just go.

Whatever peoples thoughts on Kedwell, he gave this club everything, our chairman gave him the salary, our chairman signed him on the contract he was on. I think the guy deserved a bit more respect myself.

There were none of these rumours pre season, all of these started when he was out injured. So maybe as a club we should have got around him more and made him feel more wanted, supported and things might have been different.

Just my thoughts anyway.

[Garawa]

I agree but something went wrong somewhere. If indeed smoking was an issue then he would still look fit but not be able to last more than 60 minutes possibly. Can we have players that cannot go past a certain time? At the time I felt it was a crazy decision, he obviously felt his future lay elsewhere and took the move away which was probably the right decision for everybody looking back. I still feel he could do a job for us but Marquis is fast making him a distant memory.

And no, Rimshot, I'm not sure Mulligan would make my Top 10 since the Championship!

[gillsfan1066]

In my opinion Danny Kedwell knew Danny Kedwells time was just about up at Gillingham for being a 90 minutes a game man. Danny Kedwell said sod this, and Danny Kedwell called his agent and said HI agent ,this is Danny Kedwell, Kedwell, KEDWELL , NO Danny KEDWELL Gillingham,FC, jeeezzz yes THAT Danny Kedwell.
Look I know you got me that nice contract, but I am like 31 and I need to be playing 90 minutes a game,see what you can do about getting me shifted and make it somewhere local, I don't want to be playing for Forfar or Queen of the South.
What, excuse me,Danny Kedwell, no not Sammy Kendell , Danny Kedwell, ****ing KEDWELL, DANNY ****ing KEDWELL ,Gillingham FC, YES THAT DANNY KEDWELL. What EBBSFLEET,same salary, training once a week wwooww hhoooo yes Sir I'll take it, good stuff and there was me thinking about quitting, hell I can smoke 40 a day now I am playing there.
Hold on which player were we we talking about ,Kedwell??