Gills boss Justin Edinburgh has been looking forward to today’s trip to the Potteries to face Port Vale by reflecting on the 1-1 draw with Bradford City at MEMS Priestfield Stadium seven days ago.
The Gills bass said, “I think the point we got last Saturday against Bradford City was a very good point against a good unbeaten team so far this season. All in all we all want to try and win our home games but in the end we may well look back on that as a very good point indeed!”
He then paid tribute to the Priestfield faithful. “The crowd no doubt lifted us on Saturday,” he admitted, “there was a spell where Bradford were definitely in the ascendancy in the second half, but the crowd got behind us and that filtered through to the players giving them a lift and if we’re to achieve anything at this club, we’re all in it as a group. That’s everyone connected with the Football Club no matter what department or who you are and where you sit, we’re all in this together and to achieve anything we all know that we’ve got to stick together, and we’ll have success together!”
Turning his attention to this weekend, Edinburgh said, “Port Vale will be pretty similar this week. They’re a possession based team who like to get on the ball. Again a new manager who’s made a very good start, and so again we’re expecting and knowing that it’s going to be another very tough game. It’ll be up to us to go there and impose ourselves on the game and be impressive in our approach and impose ourselves on the game. Everyone will feel that its an open League but we’ve had some good success on the road this season – performances have been excellent and that’s what we’ll be looking to carry on this weekend.”
With the Gills now seven games into their League One season, the Gills boss’ warning words before it all started about the toughness of his club’s start look like they have been proved right. “The start that we’ve has probably been as tough as we thought it would be. Sheffield United were just finding their feet when we played them; Bradford as I said are a very good side, and so I guess that yes we were fully aware of the start we were given was going to be a tough one but I think we’ve come through that with a good share of the points and in a healthy position.”
Turning his attention to his squad for the weekend, the Gills boss had some good news for the Gills fans making the long trip. “Bradley Dack will be back in the reckoning for the weekend as the rest we gave him has done him some good,” Edinburgh said. “He trained in the week and looked as good as he’s done for weeks. He’s had no reoccurrence of the injury. We’re pleased and we’re hoping that he’s now somewhere near being fully fit and can get his season up and running at last. He’s a fantastic player both with and without the ball – his energy and his enthusiasm for the game he’s a trigger for his team-mates, but we’ve got to be mindful that he hasn’t had a lot of football so it’ll take us a little while to get him up to speed but once we get him there we all know what type of player we’ll be getting.”
“I want every player at this football club fit which would mean that competition for places would be at an all-time high. I think if we can get everyone back – taking Lee Martin, Aaron Morris and Joe Quigley out of the equation – and in two to four weeks everyone else should be fighting for a first team place and that can only be good for the football club. Lee is in an exceptional place considering the swelling at the time of his injury – it really does look quite remarkable and apart from the scars from the operation you would know he’s had one. We’re delighted with the way it’s gone as we are with Aaron Morris – they’re in near enough every day in and around the group. And it’s the same with Joe Quigley – they’re all three ahead of where they should be and they’re all now looking to tick off the weeks off of their rehabilitation and they’re all in good spirits.”