“When Priestfield is rocking, it’s a difficult place to come to and I want it to be a difficult place for Morecambe to come to!” John Coleman has called for the Gillingham crowd to help his side break their winless run this weekend.

Second from bottom Morecambe visit MEMS Priestfield for what many are calling a “relegation six-pointer”. 

Gills go into the game reeling from Tuesday’s 2-1 reverse against Fleetwood but knowing that if they can give the manager his first win in Gillingham blue, the gap between the Gills and the bottom two will be twelve points! 

“We are desperate for a win on Saturday, there’s no doubt about that!” Coleman told KSN this week at the briefing.

“It’s a massive game and there were a lot of words spoken on Wednesday with the players, some really good dialogue, and we have to realise that the threat of relegation is there and we don’t want to be drawn into that. But we have to be aware that if we don’t pick up results, we will be directly in there – that is the harsh reality of football.” 

“It not just us in that situation by the way,” Coleman went on. “There are probably about eight or nine teams involved who come into that category – we do not want to be one of them. And the only way we won’t is by winning games.

“Now, I’ve said before and I don’t want to repeat myself, but there are a lot of things that stop you winning games of football and we have suffered more than most in recent weeks.

“I’m not saying anything for Tuesday as using an old manager’s saying that some will laugh at, we were the architects of our own down fall! We have to learn quickly from that, which we will do, but we have to take the positives of how well we have played in the last four games.

“There has been a shift in the mentality of the team in the way that we have been playing. The way that we have been handling the ball; the way that we have been creating chances. Now it’s “just” a case of putting all of that together and get the win!” 

“We have to realise the importance of that, I think the fans already know the importance but I think that the fans have to realise the importance of their contribution, especially to the game on Saturday.

“We are going to need them! I was disappointed with the response we got after the game on Tuesday, but it is understandable enough from football fans who have been starved of any kind of pleasure or any kind of success, and we are desperate to give them that success – I want the fans to feel part of our success. And they can help us on Saturday because when Priestfield is rocking, it’s a difficult place to come to and I want it to be a difficult place for Morecambe to come to!” 

Coleman then went on to address a video of some of the Gills squad in the gym that was published online on Wednesday.

“It was recorded on Monday, but unfortunately it leaked on Wednesday, which doesn’t give a good impression of what we’re trying to do at the club. 

“We’ve got players laughing and joking, probably 12- 14 hours after we’ve had a defeat at home, which we’re all hurting from. 

“The players have been told in no uncertain terms that going out into social media or the public domain and people laughing and joking after we’ve got beat, it doesn’t look good. 

“It’s not acceptable. But on the same token, we want people to go to the gym and work hard and enjoy that aspect. 

“We’ve suffered a defeat that on Tuesday and Wednesday we were all a bit raw about it but I want the players full of confidence now going into Saturday. 

“We had a good meeting when the players came in on Wednesday and we went through the video – looking at areas where we did well and areas that we definitely need to improve – it was a positive meeting, and everyone came out refreshed and raring to go for Saturday.”