Barnet manager Martin Allen has emerged as the favourite to replace Andy Hessenthaler as manager at Gillingham Football Club.

The former West Ham United midfielder has deen his odds slashed from 9/1 to evens with Sky Bet as many backers have placed money on him to become the new man in charge at Priestfield.

Allen has seen his stock rise in recent weeks after keeping Barnet in League Two, in his third spell at the club, but is out of contract and is believed to have been one of the applicants already interviewed for the vacant position at The Gills.

Martin is a no nonsense manager with spells in charge of Reading, Brentford, Milton Keynes Dons, Leicester City, Cheltenham Town, Notts County and Barnet already on his CV.

The 46 year old manages to way he played and is affectionately known as “Mad Dog” for his spirited attitude that saw him become a crowd favourite at QPR and with West Ham.

Allen is a number of candidates that Gillingham Chairman Paul Scally will talk to in the coming weeks before making a final decision on who will replace Hessenthaler towards the end of the month.

Another person believed to be interested in taking over at Priestfield is former boss Peter Taylor who managed the side for one season between 1999 and 2000, guiding them to the play-off win over Wigan Athletic at Wembley.

Taylor is now Head Coach of the Bahrain national side, but is believed to be interested in a return to English football and a possible meeting with Scally in Dubai is planned for the end of May.

Various other names have been linked with the job, with Steve Constantine, Mark Robson, Ian Hendon and Micky Adams some of the front runners.

Whoever takes over at Gillingham will most likely be unveiled in the first week of June, just before the new fixtures are revealed, giving them time to set out the pre-season schedule.